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Satan and the Failure of Nerve
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 July 2024
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It is an interesting exercise to trace the development in the character of Satan that takes place in the Old Testament. In the earlier strands himself, while in the later strands, when the problem of evil had become more acute in the experience of the nation and of the writers concerned, the evil and suffering inflicted upon them is attributed to supernatural beings other than Yahweh. By the time of Jesus this ‘failure of nerve’ had resulted in a complex demonology and satanology as men were borne down by this ‘cosmic totalitarianism’. In the Old Testament itself there are comparatively few allusions, let alone direct references, to hostile evil powers; a fact that is made more surprising when considered against the background provided by the demon-riddled world of Mesopotamia. Nevertheless we see this development beginning and growing. In this respect the figure of Satan is of great interest because in the role ascribed to him we have the clearest example of a development which begins with his work as ‘adversary’ and member of the heavenly council and builds up through clearly discernible stages to a supernatural enemy of God and man who organizes a kingdom of evil in opposition to God.
The conception of Satan as an individual and superhuman power occupies but a small space in the literature of the Old Testament. From the relevant references we gather that he in no sense fulfilled the role of the evil and subversive power ascribed to him in later Jewish literature.
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- Copyright © 1971 Provincial Council of the English Province of the Order of Preachers
References
page 224 note 1 Whiteley, D. E. H., The Thology of St Paul (Oxford, Blackwell, 1964), p. 20Google Scholar; Ling, T., The Significance of Satan (London, S.P.C.K., 1961), p. 3Google Scholar; Langton, E., Essentials of Demonology (London, Epworth, 1949), ch. 1Google Scholar.
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page 226 note 1 Op. cit., p, 6.
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page 227 note 1 Ibid., pp. 14‐21, Essentials of Demonology, Ch. 5, for a detailed survey of Satan in apocryphal and apocalyptic literature. Thus rather than repeat the evidence we give a few representative references to complete the picture of the development which the concept of Satan undergoes. See also W. Eichrodt, op. cit., pp. 207f; Russell, D. S., The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic (London, S.C.M., 1964), pp. 254‐7Google Scholar; Kelly, H. A., Towards the Death of Satan (London, Chapman, 1968), pp. 19‐23.Google Scholar
page 227 note 3 II Enoch 7, 3. cf. I Enoch Chs. 15 and 16.
page 227 note 3 I Enoch 53, 3.
page 227 note 4 I Enoch 54, 6.
page 227 note 5 I Enoch 40, 7.
page 227 note 6 I Enoch 69, 6.
page 227 note 7 I Enoch 53, 3; 62, 11.
page 227 note 8 See E. Langton, Satan: A Portrait, pp. 10‐12.
page 227 note 9 Bereshith Rabbah 19.
page 227 note 10 Jerusalem Targum to Genesis 22.
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page 228 note 2 Op. cit., p. 7.
page 228 note 3 Quoted by Rupp, E. G., Principalities and Powers (London, Epworth, 1952 and 1965), p. 10Google Scholar.
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