The Devil
Preliminary Considerations
The need for a positive approach
There is a devil. Let this be stated categorically at the outset. The New Testament contains so many references to the devil, and the works of the devil that we cannot reasonably deny this proposition.
We know, of course, that there is no personal, supernatural devil, and it is sometimes necessary for us to join issue with those who naively contend that the Scriptures teach that this monster exists. But we are ourselves being unscriptural when we say that there is no devil at all. Do we seriously imagine that no positive purpose was intended by the inclusion in the New Testament of so many passages concerning the devil? Surely they are designed to teach us something, and not just to embarrass us; and we must be missing important truths if our only interest in these passages is to explain them away.
It will be necessary, in the course of our discussion of this subject, to demonstrate the falseness of the traditional belief that the devil is a superhuman being: but we shall not stop there. Our main purpose will be to gather together the available scriptural material and move towards some positive conclusions.
It comes as a surprise to some people to learn that the first occurrence of the word devil in the Bible is in Matt. 4:1 : “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
Devil is a New Testament word, and the subject is, for the most part, a New Testament subject. Like all New Testament subjects, however, it has its roots in the Old Testament, and our investigation must take Old and New Testament teaching into account.
First, we must clear the ground by distinguishing between two Greek words that are both translated devil in the Authorized Version. The word with which we are primarily concerned is diabolos, but the word daimonion is also frequently translated devil in the A.V. Two different Greek words are thus translated by the same English word. This is unfortunate, and has caused a lot of confusion. It would have been far more satisfactory if the translators had translated daimonion by its obvious derivative, demon, and only used the word devil when the original word was diabolos. The R.S.V. translators have done this, and any doubt can be quickly cleared up by referring to this translation.
The A.V. translators have created an unnecessary difficulty, but it is not an insuperable one, even without the help of other versions. A comparison of two sets of passages will demonstrate the difference between the two words.
Some passages in which the original word for “devil” is “diabolos”
Matt. 4:1: “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
Matt. 13:39: “The enemy that sowed them (the tares) is the devil.”
John 8:44: “Ye are of your father the devil.”
Heb. 2:14: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
James 4:7: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Some passages in which the original word for “devil” is “daimonion”1
Matt. 7:22: “In thy name have (we) cast out devils.”
Matt. 12:27: “If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?”
Luke 4:33: “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice.”
John 8:48: “Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil?”
1 Cor. 10:21: “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils.”
The following differences will be noted:
Diabolos
1. Nearly always used in the singular. The three exceptions are: 1 Tim. 3:11; 2 Tim. 3:3; Titus 2:3.
2. Nearly always the devil. The one exception is John 6:70 where Judas is called a devil.
3. The great enemy of God, and tempter of man.
Daimonion
Usually plural.
Usually a (not the) devil, when singular.
The word is applied to malignant influences associated with certain ailments and, occasionally, certain forms of wickedness.
Although the words diabolos and daimonion are different, and should have been translated differently, there is an association of ideas. However, this is not immediately relevant, though we hope to return to the matter later.
The Accuser
To some readers, the study of word meanings is a tedious business. Indeed, it can be overdone, but there are occasions when it is unavoidable. A quick comment then concerning the word diabolos.
Diabolos is compounded of two Greek words: dia (through), and ballo (to throw). The devil is one who throws, or strikes, through. The attack is usually verbal: ho diabolos, the devil, is an accuser, or slanderer.
Reference has been made to three passages where, unexpectedly, the word diabolos is used in the plural. It is worth noting that the word is translated slanderers in the first of these passages, and false accusers in the other two.
“Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things” (1 Tim. 3:11).
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be . . . without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good” (2 Tim. 3:1–3).
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers . . .” (Titus 2:3).
An inspection of passages in which the original word is diabolos has revealed that, in normal New Testament usage, the word is applied to the great enemy of God and the great tempter of man.
We now take into account the fact that the name given to this power is The Accuser. There must be a good reason for this name. As we proceed to collect information concerning this hostile power, we must keep this name in mind and see if we can discover why the enemy should be called Ho diabolos—The Accuser.
Preliminary Considerations
The need for a positive approach
There is a devil. Let this be stated categorically at the outset. The New Testament contains so many references to the devil, and the works of the devil that we cannot reasonably deny this proposition.
We know, of course, that there is no personal, supernatural devil, and it is sometimes necessary for us to join issue with those who naively contend that the Scriptures teach that this monster exists. But we are ourselves being unscriptural when we say that there is no devil at all. Do we seriously imagine that no positive purpose was intended by the inclusion in the New Testament of so many passages concerning the devil? Surely they are designed to teach us something, and not just to embarrass us; and we must be missing important truths if our only interest in these passages is to explain them away.
It will be necessary, in the course of our discussion of this subject, to demonstrate the falseness of the traditional belief that the devil is a superhuman being: but we shall not stop there. Our main purpose will be to gather together the available scriptural material and move towards some positive conclusions.
It comes as a surprise to some people to learn that the first occurrence of the word devil in the Bible is in Matt. 4:1 : “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
Devil is a New Testament word, and the subject is, for the most part, a New Testament subject. Like all New Testament subjects, however, it has its roots in the Old Testament, and our investigation must take Old and New Testament teaching into account.
First, we must clear the ground by distinguishing between two Greek words that are both translated devil in the Authorized Version. The word with which we are primarily concerned is diabolos, but the word daimonion is also frequently translated devil in the A.V. Two different Greek words are thus translated by the same English word. This is unfortunate, and has caused a lot of confusion. It would have been far more satisfactory if the translators had translated daimonion by its obvious derivative, demon, and only used the word devil when the original word was diabolos. The R.S.V. translators have done this, and any doubt can be quickly cleared up by referring to this translation.
The A.V. translators have created an unnecessary difficulty, but it is not an insuperable one, even without the help of other versions. A comparison of two sets of passages will demonstrate the difference between the two words.
Some passages in which the original word for “devil” is “diabolos”
Matt. 4:1: “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
Matt. 13:39: “The enemy that sowed them (the tares) is the devil.”
John 8:44: “Ye are of your father the devil.”
Heb. 2:14: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
James 4:7: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
Some passages in which the original word for “devil” is “daimonion”1
Matt. 7:22: “In thy name have (we) cast out devils.”
Matt. 12:27: “If I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out?”
Luke 4:33: “And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice.”
John 8:48: “Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil?”
1 Cor. 10:21: “Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils.”
The following differences will be noted:
Diabolos
1. Nearly always used in the singular. The three exceptions are: 1 Tim. 3:11; 2 Tim. 3:3; Titus 2:3.
2. Nearly always the devil. The one exception is John 6:70 where Judas is called a devil.
3. The great enemy of God, and tempter of man.
Daimonion
Usually plural.
Usually a (not the) devil, when singular.
The word is applied to malignant influences associated with certain ailments and, occasionally, certain forms of wickedness.
Although the words diabolos and daimonion are different, and should have been translated differently, there is an association of ideas. However, this is not immediately relevant, though we hope to return to the matter later.
The Accuser
To some readers, the study of word meanings is a tedious business. Indeed, it can be overdone, but there are occasions when it is unavoidable. A quick comment then concerning the word diabolos.
Diabolos is compounded of two Greek words: dia (through), and ballo (to throw). The devil is one who throws, or strikes, through. The attack is usually verbal: ho diabolos, the devil, is an accuser, or slanderer.
Reference has been made to three passages where, unexpectedly, the word diabolos is used in the plural. It is worth noting that the word is translated slanderers in the first of these passages, and false accusers in the other two.
“Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things” (1 Tim. 3:11).
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be . . . without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good” (2 Tim. 3:1–3).
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers . . .” (Titus 2:3).
An inspection of passages in which the original word is diabolos has revealed that, in normal New Testament usage, the word is applied to the great enemy of God and the great tempter of man.
We now take into account the fact that the name given to this power is The Accuser. There must be a good reason for this name. As we proceed to collect information concerning this hostile power, we must keep this name in mind and see if we can discover why the enemy should be called Ho diabolos—The Accuser.
