Satanology & Historical Satan
- James Collazo
- Jul 14, 2020
- 11 min read
Updated: 1 day ago
Introduction
The phrase "historical Satan" means the understanding of Satan based on real historical and cultural context rather than later religious traditions or legends. In biblical scholarship, the term "historical" distinguishes what the ancient texts actually say from the later stories and assumptions many churchgoers believe. Among biblical figures, Satan has gained the most added details over time, including a whole origin story that has no direct scriptural support.
If you believe that Satan was once a fallen angel named Lucifer, the Bible does not back that claim. More importantly, it is incorrect to think that Satan is some equal and opposite force to God. The Bible never teaches the idea of "necessary evil"—that good and evil must stay in balance. Satan does not share God's divine qualities. Only God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and present everywhere (see "Omni: All of God's Attributes").
Too many Christians have a high satanology—a theological view of Satan that nearly gives him the status of a demigod. The popular fallen angel myth about Satan's origin does not come from the Bible but from cultural influence through literature. The standard image of Satan developed from epic poems such as Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) and Paradise Lost by John Milton (1608–1674). This article calls for believers to adopt a low satanology. Earlier interpreters built their understanding of Satan on superstition and fear, and those myths need to be corrected and left behind. Many churchgoers still defend these old ideas, either out of fear or to avoid taking responsibility for their own sins.
Satan: Prosecutor of Heaven
The writers of the Old Testament present Satan as a prosecutor in heaven rather than an independent evil being. In the proper context of ancient Jewish theology and the Hebrew language, Satan (H7854) is a lowercase noun meaning "enemy" or "adversary." It is not a personal name but a description of a role within God's court. The term functions much like a job title—similar to saying, "The prosecutor proved the guilt of the accused beyond a reasonable doubt." The identity of the prosecutor is not the focus; the role is what matters.
The first time the word Satan appears in the Bible is not in Genesis but in First Chronicles, where he tempts King David to take a census of Israel (1 Chron. 21:1). However, in Second Samuel, it is God who incites David to take the census because of his anger toward Israel (2 Sam. 24:1–17). Though these accounts seem to contradict each other, they show that God allowed Satan to tempt David, revealing that Satan's actions operated within God's authority, not apart from it.
This idea becomes clear in both accounts when David repents (1 Chron. 21:16–17; 2 Sam. 24:17). Eleven of the fourteen references to Satan in the Old Testament appear in the book of Job. In this narrative, Satan functions as heaven's prosecuting attorney, accusing Job of serving God only because of his prosperity (Job 1:9–11). God permits Satan to test Job's faith but forbids him from taking Job's life (Job 1:12, 2:6).
Notably, the author of Job never shows Satan using any power that God does not permit. When Satan first appears, he wanders across the earth like an idle observer (Job 1:7). The remaining two mentions of Satan occur in the writings of the prophet Zechariah, where he again assumes the role of chief prosecutor in the heavenly court, this time opposing Joshua the high priest, son of Jehozadak (Zech. 3:1–2, 6:11).
Ruler of the Kingdom of the Air
There are 33 mentions of Satan in the New Testament so that this section will focus only on key examples. In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul describes 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 statement defines Satan's limited sphere of influence rather than granting him worldwide control. It does not mean that Satan occupies or governs the world as if he were a pantheistic force in nature. Yet many churchgoers mistakenly read that meaning into the text.
God never surrendered his power over creation to Satan. Instead, Paul teaches that human free will enables Satan's deception through propaganda, falsehoods, and lies—what we might call "alternative facts" and "fake news" (see "God's Will & Our Free Choices"). Humanity gives Satan that influence; God does not (Eph. 2:1–3). A reasonable reading of this verse also reveals that if Satan truly controlled the air, our prayers would never reach God. In truth, it is our sinful speech that pollutes the air when we speak evil against God or one another. Throughout the New Testament, Satan's role is to tempt people toward evil. However, Paul makes it clear that human beings "invent ways of doing evil" (Rom. 1:30). In the end, you are responsible for your choices—Satan did not make you do a damn thing! (pun intended).
The evangelists Matthew and Mark record that when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, Jesus resisted him by quoting God's promises from Scripture (Matt. 4:9–11; Mark 1:12–14). As part of traditional mythology, many Christians believe that the phrases "angel of light" and "roaring lion" are literal titles for Satan (2 Cor. 11:14; 1 Pet. 5:8). However, they are not. The apostles Paul and Peter used these phrases as similes—comparisons using like or as—to illustrate Satan's deceptive and intimidating nature. The original Greek concept of angel was not the image of a winged cherub from Western art. The Greek noun aggelos (G32) means "messenger," and it carried a political meaning in the first century. An aggelos could represent the authority of a king or emperor, acting as his envoy or herald. Even John the Baptist had aggeloi—messengers—who carried his words to others (Luke 7:24).
Paul's warning that Satan appears as an "angel of light" means this: the devil (Greek: diabolos, G1228, "accuser" or "slanderer") may present lies as if they were divine messages. His purpose is to accuse humanity before the heavenly court, hoping we will join him in rebellion and ultimate ruin. Likewise, Peter's image of a "roaring lion" illustrates how Satan tries to inspire fear and devour the unsuspecting. But we should remember that a lion, though fierce, is still a mortal creature that can be hunted and destroyed (2 Pet. 2:12). Satan may pretend to be a royal lion. However, Jesus alone is the true Lion of Judah, the sovereign ruler over all creation (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, the first section of Dante's Divine Comedy. The Bible never gives a physical description of Satan, yet Dante vividly imagined him, writing, "Were he as fair once, as he now is foul," and describing him as one who "lifted his brow against his Maker."
During the Middle Ages, most theologians read Scripture allegorically rather than literally. Dante followed this trend, assuming that the Catholic Church's teachings reflected biblical truth. However, his poetic imagination shaped the mythological image of Satan that still endures today. Even so, many commentators throughout church history treated a passage from Isaiah as Satan's origin story, even though interpreters created that view centuries after the prophet wrote the text. Isaiah records:
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, a person must ignore its literary context and historical background. This passage refers to Nebuchadnezzar II (r. 605–562 BC), the king of Babylon (Isa. 14:4). The same chapter also mentions the kings of Assyria (Isa. 14:25) and Philistia (Isa. 14:29), warning them to pay attention to Israel's restoration (Isa. 14:1–2). These three nations were Israel's neighbors. Isaiah was not writing about Satan at all. Furthermore, lucifer is the Latin word for "morning star" in Isaiah 14:12. Most Christians do not realize that Jesus calls himself by this name: "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" (Rev. 22:16).
The morning star is also something Jesus gives to those who faithfully serve God until the end (Rev. 2:28). The word lucifer, which means "bringer of light," does not refer to Satan—it actually points to Christ. The morning star is a symbol of the Messiah, who defeats Satan by crushing his head. Moses testifies, "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" here represents Israel's future king, who conquers Moab—a nation symbolizing evil forces (Jer. 48). Moses' prophecy connects to God's promise in the Garden of Eden: "He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Gen. 3:15). Therefore, when Jesus says he will give us the morning star, he promises a royal symbol of light, victory, and final triumph over evil.
We must also look at another verse often used to support the fallen angel myth—when Jesus told his disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18). This statement came right after the seventy disciples returned from their mission throughout Galilee, amazed that they could cast out demons (Luke 10:17). When we read the passage carefully, it seems unlikely that Jesus would suddenly refer to an origin story for Satan that never appears in Scripture and comes only from the non-canonical Book of Enoch (§§ 1, 2). In context, Jesus was describing what he saw happening during the disciples' mission, not recalling a distant rebellion. The original Greek tense of Luke 10:18 suggests that Jesus saw the devil fall or retreat as the disciples ministered (see here). This reading connects to the recurring biblical theme of the Messiah crushing serpents—the defeat of evil through divine authority. The rest of Jesus' statement makes this point even clearer:
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 Bible often speaks directly and realistically, even when it sounds spiritual or symbolic. The picture above shows the cave of Pan, a pagan god worshiped by the Greeks. It stood near Caesarea Philippi, the Roman name for the city also called Paneas. Today, this site lies in Israel's Golan Heights as an archaeological ruin, but in the first century, it served as the main center of Pan worship (see "Netherworld: Down to Death").
The cave shown in the photo was called the "Gates of Hades." People believed the goat-shaped idol of Pan lived there, and local herders came to worship him. The Romans named Caesarea Philippi to honor Herod Philip II (r. 4 BC–AD 34), the son of Herod I (r. 37–4 BC). Greek followers of Pan performed fertility rituals with temple prostitutes to celebrate his sexual nature. This mythology gave rise to the words pan flute and panic—the first connected to the music Pan played, and the second to the sudden fear the Greeks believed his voice could cause. Over time, artists and storytellers used Pan's goatlike image to shape how people imagined Satan. Our fictional Western literature, not Scripture, turned the devil into a horned creature far more frightening than the Bible describes.
The physical geography of Caesarea Philippi is vital to understanding the gospel message. The region lay 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). Jesus did not choose this location by chance. He revealed his identity as the Messiah in a region long associated with pagan worship and spiritual darkness. In this area, people worshiped Pan, but Satan used that idol to deceive them into sin. By claiming Mount Hermon, Satan tried to control the spiritual and physical flow of life in Israel. The mountain was—and still is—the primary source of the Jordan River, which provides nearly all of Israel's natural water. Rising 9,232 feet (2,814 meters) above sea level, Mount Hermon symbolized both the physical and spiritual high ground. When Jesus declared his victory over the gates of Hades, he announced his authority over every false power and his intent to establish a church that no evil could overcome.
During Israel's conquest of the Promised Land, Moses always marked Mount Hermon as the northern border (see here). When Peter declared, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16), his confession reclaimed the land of Israel for God's kingdom. Jesus confirmed that the church, as part of this kingdom, would stand forever and overcome the gates of Hades (see "Kingdom of God & Heaven"). Through his crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus shut Pan's grotto in Caesarea Philippi and sealed the gateways to the netherworld where Satan seeks to drag humanity. The Greek prefix pan- means "all" (G3843), but only God is truly "all in all" (1 Cor. 15:28). By conquering death and defeating Satan's strongholds, Jesus proved that no pagan power or false God can rival his authority over creation.
Conclusion
Christians should carefully consider who Satan truly is and focus on what the Bible actually teaches. A close reading of Scripture reveals that the real story of Satan differs significantly from the exaggerated versions found in culture, art, and literature. Popular depictions often give Satan godlike power or portray him as the ruler of hell, but the Bible never describes him this way. Instead, Scripture presents Satan as a created being with limited power, time, and authority—an enemy already defeated by Christ. Understanding this truth frees believers from fear and reminds them that God alone reigns supreme over all creation.
Rather than relying on myths or traditions, Christians should embrace a clear and balanced low satanology—a biblical view that puts Satan in his proper place. This perspective helps believers recognize that while evil is real, it is never ultimate, and that Jesus has already won the final victory through his death and resurrection. By rejecting superstition and grounding their faith in Scripture, Christians grow in discernment, courage, and confidence in God's Word. This renewed understanding replaces fear with faith and confusion with truth, allowing the church to stand firm and testify that only God is "all in all."
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD God, King of heaven and earth! Mighty in battle and faithful in love, you reign over every power of darkness and evil in glory. Clothe us with your armor and strengthen us by your Spirit to stand firm against the enemy. Guard our minds with truth, our hearts with righteousness, and our steps with peace. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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