The Word 'Satan', Devil and Demons In The Bible

Satan as adversary

 

7854  satan  saw-tawn'   from 7853; an opponent; especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the arch-enemy of good:--adversary, Satan, withstand.

 

1Ki 11:14  And the LORD³⁰⁶⁸ stirred up⁶⁹⁶⁵ an adversary⁷⁸⁵⁴ unto Solomon⁸⁰¹⁰, Hadad¹⁹⁰⁸ the Edomite¹³⁰: he was of the king's⁴⁴²⁸ seed²²³³ in Edom¹²³.

1Ki 11:23  And God⁴³⁰ stirred him up⁶⁹⁶⁵ another adversary⁷⁸⁵⁴, Rezon⁷³³¹ the son¹¹²¹ of Eliadah⁴⁵⁰, which fled¹²⁷² from his lord¹¹³ Hadadezer¹⁹⁰⁹ king⁴⁴²⁸ of Zobah⁶⁶⁷⁸:

1Ki 11:25  And he was an adversary⁷⁸⁵⁴ to Israel³⁴⁷⁸ all the days³¹¹⁷ of Solomon⁸⁰¹

Mat 16:23  But¹¹⁶¹ he turned⁴⁷⁶², and said²⁰³⁶ unto Peter⁴⁰⁷⁴, Get thee⁵²¹⁷ behind³⁶⁹⁴ me³⁴⁵⁰, Satan⁴⁵⁶⁷: thou¹⁴⁸⁸ art³⁷⁵⁴ an offence⁴⁶²⁵ unto me³⁴⁵⁰: for thou savourest⁵⁴²⁶ not³⁷⁵⁶ the things³⁵⁸⁸ that be of God²³¹⁶, but²³⁵ those that be of men⁴⁴⁴.

Mat 16:23  YLT and he having turned, said to Peter, `Get thee behind me, adversary! thou art a stumbling-block to me, for thou dost not mind the things of God, but the things of men.'

 

Why was Peter called Satan?  Because he was not minding the things  of God, but  the things of men.  Christ was not talking to an Angel or a monster; he was talking to Peter.

Because the word 'satan' just means an adversary, a good person, even God Himself, can be termed a 'satan'.

See the following instances:

2Sa 24:1 ASV  And again the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them, saying, Go, number Israel and Judah.

2Sa 24:1 YLT  And the anger of Jehovah addeth to burn against Israel, and an adversary moveth David about them, saying, `Go, number Israel and Judah.'

 

In the same event Chronicler gives a different approach

1Ch 21:1 ASV  And Satan stood up against Israel, and moved David to number Israel.

1Ch 21:1 YLT  And there standeth up an adversary against Israel, and persuadeth David to number Israel,

Unless there is an error in the scripture God is called Satan here. God Himself can be a satan – adversary - to us by means of bringing trials into our lives, or by standing in the way of a wrong course of action we may be embarking on. 

By the time of  the New Testament the term Satan came to be dissociated from any use connected with God and was used essentially for evil adversaries.

 The same is true of the word devil.  The greek word used is diabolos.  Refering to Judas who Jesus says he is a devil – not really that he is a fallen angel or anything, but one who follows the minds of the world and not of God.

Joh 6:70  Jesus²⁴²⁴ answered⁶¹¹ them⁸⁴⁶, Have^{1586, 0} not³⁷⁵⁶ I¹⁴⁷³ chosen¹⁵⁸⁶ you⁵²⁰⁹ twelve¹⁴²⁷, and²⁵³² one¹⁵²⁰ of¹⁵³⁷ you⁵²¹⁶ is²⁰⁷⁶ a devil¹²²⁸?

 

Same word devil (diabolos) is to refer to the wives of the  pastors who slanders

 1Ti 3:11  Even so⁵⁶¹⁵ must their wives¹¹³⁵ be grave⁴⁵⁸⁶, not³³⁶¹ slanderers¹²²⁸, sober³⁵²⁴, faithful⁴¹⁰³ in¹⁷²² all things³⁹⁵⁶.

 

 

1228  diabolos  dee-ab'-ol-os   from 1225; a traducer; specially, Satan (compare 7854):--false accuser, devil, slanderer.

Jo 3:8  He that committeth⁴¹⁶⁰ sin²⁶⁶ is²⁰⁷⁶ of¹⁵³⁷ the devil¹²²⁸