The Bible For Normal People

Episode 224: Gregory Mobley - Satan’s Biblical Roots

Oct 31, 2022
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INSIGHT

Satan as Divine Adversary Role

  • The Hebrew term 'Satan' originally means "adversary" and refers to a role, not a personal name.
  • Early biblical texts portray Satan as an angelic prosecutor working under God's authority, testing humans' faithfulness.
INSIGHT

Satan's Evolution Reflects Theology Shift

  • The evolution of Satan reflects a theological shift from God being the source of all, including evil, to a distinct evil figure opposing God.
  • Chronicles changes the source of evil from God's spirit to Satan acting independently, signaling growing separation of good and evil.
ADVICE

Contextualize Satan in Bible Reading

  • Understand New Testament writers reread the Hebrew Bible to find connections to Jesus, which influenced later ideas about Satan.
  • Study Second Temple texts to grasp background context shaping the New Testament's portrayal of Satan.
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