Jesus explicitly referred to the Pharisees as "children of the devil" , but this was not because they were Satan himself, but rather because of their hypocrisy, legalism, and rejection of Jesus as the Messiah.
Good point regarding ‘children of the devil” but this was not because they were satan himself…’ yet I don’t think that proves satan or the devil as some red devil with horns and a pitch fork. My husband suggests that Jesus temptation in the wilderness was with his fleshPhilippians 2:7-8 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
…tempted in all points as we are yet without sin. We have to remember when Peter was rebuked and told “get behind me Satan” when Jesus said he (the spirit tempting Peter) desired not the things of God when Peter tried to stop Jesus from going. To me it’s the spirit of the flesh which also includes those children of it, the religious leaders who we can’t lie or deny
they did want Jesus to bow and worship them. To bow and submit to their authority. So much so this spirit of antichrist was in them as they mocked Jesus on the cross saying “He saved others let Him come down and save Himself. If He be the King of the Jews.”
I agree with you that Peter was not satan when Jesus said “get behind Me satan” BUT it was the spirit within Peter warring against Christ being formed in where Christ (Life)overcomes the spirit of death. Same as the religious leaders who lusted to have Him
killed.
The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group during the time of Jesus, and while they opposed Jesus, they were not Satan
But they did the work of the spirit of the antichrist, the spirit of disobedience that worked in them. If the Holy Spirit is within us and we are the Children of God…no that doesn’t make us God. (Imo). Same as the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience, does not make them satan but those children do pressure and tempt as Jesus was tempted in the wilderness to “bow” “toss yourself down from the greatest height” as they mocked and tempted Him “come down off that crucifix” …prove (show) you are king of the Jews. And He didn’t. His proof was submitting to His Father, knowing all power and authority had been given unto Him of His Father.
The idea that they would have "given all to him if he would have just bowed down and worshiped them" is not supported by the biblical accounts, which portray the Pharisees as resistant to Jesus' teachings and unwilling to accept him as the Messiah.
Yes it is….
Genesis 37:5-24 ESV
Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. [6] He said to them, "Hear this dream that I have dreamed: [7] Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf." [8] His brothers said to him, "Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words. [9] Then he dreamed another dream and told it to his brothers and said, "Behold, I have dreamed another dream. Behold, the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me." [10] But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall I and your mother and your brothers indeed come to bow ourselves to the ground before you?" [11] And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind. [12] Now his brothers went to pasture their father's flock near Shechem. [13] And Israel said to Joseph, "Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them." And he said to him, "Here I am." [14] So he said to him, "Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock, and bring me word." So he sent him from the Valley of Hebron, and he came to Shechem. [15] And a man found him wandering in the fields. And the man asked him, "What are you seeking?" [16] "I am seeking my brothers," he said. "Tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock." [17] And the man said, "They have gone away, for I heard them say, 'Let us go to Dothan.'" So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan. [18] They saw him from afar, and before he came near to them they conspired against him to kill him. [19] They said to one another, "Here comes this dreamer. [20] Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams." [21] But when Reuben heard it, he rescued him out of their hands, saying, "Let us not take his life." [22] And Reuben said to them, "Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but do not lay a hand on him"-that he might rescue him out of their hand to restore him to his father. [23] So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the robe of many colors that he wore. [24] And they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.
