Introduction
What does the phrase "historical Satan" mean? In biblical scholarship, the word "historical" often distinguishes contextual evidence from pious fiction assumed by most churchgoers. As far as characters in the Bible go, Satan receives the most filler—including a whole backstory with no scriptural basis. If you believe Satan was once a fallen angel named Lucifer, you would be hard-pressed to find such an origin story in the Bible. More importantly, you are wrong if you think Satan is some equal and opposite force to God. The scriptures do not teach the philosophical concept of necessary evil, the notion that righteousness and wickedness must have a balance. Satan is not all-powerful, all-knowing, or present everywhere—only God has these attributes (see "Omni: All of God's Attributes"). Too many Christians have a high satanology, a theological view of Satan that nearly gives him a demigod status. The "fallen angel myth" of Satan's origin comes not from the Bible but through cultural infusion via literature. The standard view of Satan comes from epic poems such as Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) and Paradise Lost by John Milton (1608–1674). This article is a call for all believers to have a low satanology. In the past, interpreters based these myths on superstition and fear, so they must be corrected and allowed to die. Too many churchgoers vehemently defend these old myths out of fear or to shirk responsibility for their sins.
Satan: Prosecutor of Heaven
The writers of the Old Testament present Satan as a prosecutor in heaven. In the proper context of ancient Jewish theology and the Hebrew language, satan (H7854) is a lowercase noun simply meaning "enemy" or "adversary." Satan is not a personal name but a description of his role in God's court. This statement is not unlike how we would say, "The prosecutor demonstrated the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt." The name does not matter in this case. The first time we see the word Satan in the Bible is not in Genesis but in First Chronicles. It occurs when he tempts King David to take a census of Israel (see 1 Chron. 21:1). However, when we read the same account in Second Samuel, it was God who incited David to take the census because of his anger toward Israel (see 2 Sam. 24:1-17). Although these reports seem to contradict each other, it is clear that God allowed Satan to tempt David. This idea is plain in both accounts when David repents (see 1 Chron. 21:16-17; 2 Sam. 24:17). Eleven out of fourteen mentions of "Satan" in the Old Testament come from Job. In this text, Satan excels as heaven's prosecuting attorney when he accuses Job of only following God because he is living the good life (see Job 1:9-11). God allows Satan to test Job's faith, except not permitting him to kill the man (see 1:12; 2:6). Nevertheless, the author of Job does not ascribe Satan any power that God does not grant to him. When we meet Satan in the Job text, he is simply walking around the earth as if he were some slacker (see 1:7). The other two mentions of Satan come from the prophet Zechariah, in which he continues his role as the lead prosecutor in the Kingdom of Heaven v. Joshua Jehozadak (see Zech. 3:1-2; 6:11).
Ruler of the Kingdom of the Air
There are 33 mentions of "Satan" in the New Testament, so there is no room to comment on each. In his open letter to the Ephesian church, Paul of Tarsus described Satan as "the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" (Eph. 2:2). This is a delineation of his limited abilities and area of operation. This verse does not mean Satan occupies the world as if he were a pantheistic force that controls our environment. Again, too many churchgoers add this meaning to the text. God did not surrender his power over nature and creation to Satan. Paul said that human free will allows Satan to deceive the world through propaganda, "alternative facts," and "fake news" (see "God's Will & Our Free Choices"). We give Satan that power; God does not (see Eph. 2:1-3). If we read this verse with common sense, we realize that our prayers would never rise to God if Satan controlled the air unopposed. Our sin fills the airwaves when we speak evil against God and toward each other. Throughout the New Testament, Satan exists to tempt us to do wicked things, but Paul makes it clear that human beings "invent ways of doing evil" (see Rom. 1:30). Keep in mind: You are responsible for your poor decisions—Satan did not make you do a damn thing! (pun intended).
Matthew and Mark reported when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness to show us that we can resist Satan by quoting God's promises in scripture (see Matt. 4:9-11; Mark 1:12-14). As part of the familiar mythology, many Christians believe "angel of light" and "roaring lion" are actual titles for Satan (see 2 Cor. 11:14; 1 Pet. 5:8). They are not! Paul and Simon Peter merely used similes—comparisons with "like" and "as." Moreover, the original Greek concept of "angel" was not stupid little cupids with wings like how we view it through the lens of Western art tradition. The noun aggelos (G32) was the generic word for "messenger" with a substantially political overtone. An "angel" was an emissary or representative of a king or an emperor. However, even John the Baptist had "angels"—yes, the Greek word for "messengers" in Luke 7:24 is aggelos. So, Paul's warning about Satan being an "angel of light" is just this: The devil (Greek: diabolos; G1228, "accuser" or "slanderer") may sound like he is giving us a message from God, but it is a lie. The work of Satan is to accuse us before the heavenly council so we may follow him to the netherworld at the world's end. Peter meant the "roaring lion" simile to warn of Satan's ability to inspire fear but remember that a lion is just an animal that may be hunted and killed (see 2 Pet. 2:12). Though Satan may pretend to be a royal lion, Jesus alone is the Lion of Judah who rules over the entire world (see Rev. 5:5).
Fallen Angel & "Lucifer"
The popular image of Satan as a fallen angel who rebelled against God does not come from scripture but from Inferno, Dante's first section of the Divine Comedy. Whereas the Bible never physically describes Satan, Dante wrote, "Were he as fair once, as he now is foul," who "lifted his brow against his Maker." In the Middle Ages, most theologians read the scriptures allegorically, not literally. Dante was merely a recipient of this trend because he assumed the Catholic Church was teaching correct doctrine. Nonetheless, many commentators throughout church history believed this passage from the prophet Isaiah to be an origin story for Satan:
You said in your heart, "I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High" (Isa. 14:13-14).
To read any verse as an allegory, one must completely ignore the literary context and historical background. This passage is a reference to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon (v. 4). To be sure, the same chapter addresses the kings of Assyria (v. 25) and Philistia (v. 29) to heed the restoration of Israel (vv. 1-2). These three nations were neighbors to the Jewish people. Isaiah was not writing about Satan at all. Furthermore, lucifer is the Latin word for "morning star" in verse 12. What most Christians fail to realize is that Jesus identifies himself as the "morning star" in Revelation: "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star" (22:16).
The morning star is also something that Jesus gives to those who overcome sin (see Rev. 2:28). The word lucifer, or "bringer of light," has nothing to do with Satan but everything to do with Christ. The morning star is a messianic reference to Jesus defeating Satan by crushing his head. Moses testified, "I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel. He will crush the foreheads of Moab, the skulls of all the people of Sheth" (Num. 24:17). The "star" in question is the king of Israel defeating the Moabites, a nation representing evil forces (see Jer. 48). Moses alluded to God's warning to the serpent in the Garden of Eden: "He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Gen. 3:15). Therefore, Jesus will give us the morning star, a royal object of light and conquest, to overcome evil once and for all.
We must address another verse about the "fallen angel myth," which is when Jesus told his disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18). This was immediately after the mission of the seventy throughout Galilee when they were surprised by their ability to cast out demons (v. 17). If we read the passage carefully, we can see how odd it would be for Jesus to randomly mention an origin story for Satan that never occurred in scripture, but only in the non-canonical Book of Enoch (§ 1, Chs. 1–16; § 2, Chs. 54–69). In the immediate context, Jesus witnessed Satan's fall during the seventy's mission, not from some primeval revolt. The original Greek tense of verse 18 implies that Jesus saw the devil flee before the disciples (see here). Also, notice the recurring theme of the Messiah crushing serpents. The rest of Jesus' statement demonstrates this point:
I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:19-20).
Church vs. Hades
The biblical text is sometimes surprisingly literal and earthy wherever it appears spiritual and abstract. The picture above shows the cave of Pan, a pagan deity familiar to the Greeks. It was near the district of Caesarea Philippi, the official Roman name for a city otherwise called Paneas. This place is now merely an archaeological site in Israel's Golan Heights but was the center of Pan worship in the first century (see "Netherworld: Down to Death"). The photograph shows the literal "gates of Hades," a grotto inhabited by the idol of local goat herders. Caesarea Philippi was a political name to honor Herod Philip II (20 BC–AD 34), the son of Herod I (73–4 BC). When the Greeks worshiped Pan, they would consort with temple prostitutes in a fertility ritual to commemorate his erotic nature. We get the terms "pan flute" and "panic" from this mythology because the pagans believed Pan could bring women to orgasm through music and inspire fear among soldiers with his voice. Pan resembled a goat with horns, which is the origin of the goat-like imagery for Satan—another example of the popular culture turning the devil into something more fearsome than what the Bible does.
How does the physical geography of Caesarea Philippi fit into the gospel message? The region, which was directly below Mount Hermon, the place where Jesus told Simon son of Jonah, "And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matt. 16:18). It was no coincidence that Jesus chose to reveal his identity as Messiah in a district controlled by Satan. As with all pagan idols, Satan merely passed himself off as Pan to deceive people to do evil. By controlling Mount Hermon, Satan could influence all of Israel because it was the Jordan River's source. Even today, nearly all the natural water of Israel comes from the snow melts of Mount Hermon, which rises 9,232 feet (2,814 meters) above sea level. During the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land, Moses always listed Mount Hermon as its northernmost boundary (see here). So, when Peter made the good confession of Jesus, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16), it conquered the land of Israel for God's kingdom once again. The church is part of this kingdom, and Jesus promised that it would outlast the gates of Hades (see "Kingdom of God & Heaven"). Through his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus closed Pan's grotto in Caesarea Philippi and all the portals to the netherworld where Satan tries to take us. Although the Greek prefix pan- means "all" (G3843), we know that God alone is "all in all" (see 1 Cor. 15:28).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it's essential for believers to approach the concept of Satan with a critical eye and a commitment to biblical accuracy. The historical Satan, as understood through rigorous scholarship, diverges significantly from the embellished narratives often perpetuated in cultural and literary contexts. Rather than attributing quasi-divine qualities to Satan or relying on mythological origins, a low satanology encourages a sober examination of biblical texts and a rejection of unfounded superstitions. By dismantling misconceptions and embracing a nuanced understanding of Satan, believers can cultivate a more authentic faith grounded in truth and discernment. This call to reevaluate our theological framework is not only an act of intellectual honesty but also a step toward reclaiming a faith unencumbered by fear, suspicion, and misinformation.
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the universe; whose Son was led by the Holy Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help those of us who are assaulted by temptation and, as you know all of our weaknesses, let each one of us find you mighty to save; through Jesus the Messiah our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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