Satan: What the Bible Really Teaches About the Devil

Judaism flatly rejects any form of dualism when it comes to the existence of God, which is why mainstream Christianity’s teaching concerning Satan is so abhorent to the religious Jew. To a Jew, Satan is word used to describe a stumbling block to spiritual growth, and within 2nd Temple rabbinic Judaism, Satan became a synonym for the evil inclination that all men and women are born with and must learn to keep under control. But not so within Christianity. Christianity’s take on Satan frequently enters the realm of fantasy, drawn more from Greek mythology and poets than from the Scriptures. Why does Christianity’s “Devil” seem so prominent in the New Testament Gospels, while you hardly ever read anything of such in the Old Testament? Are these two versions of mankind’s greatest “adversary” even the same thing? Listen as a Jewish rabbi provides a foundational understanding on the subject of Satan.

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Author: Michael Skobac

Keywords: Devil, Satan, Evil inclination, Yetzer hara, Yetzer ha Ra, Yetzer ha Rah, Diabolos, Satanas, yetser hara, Yetser ha ra, Yetzer, Yetser, Temptation, Evil urge, Evil desire, Jesus temptation, Jesus tempted, Tempted by the devil, Tempted by Satan, Jesus tempted by Satan, Jesus tempted by the devil, Christ tempted, Christ tempted by Satan, Christ tempted by the devil, Internal temptation, Wiles of the devil, Fallen angel, Lucifer, Rebel angel, Adversary

Bible reference(s): 1 Corinthians 5:5, 1 Corinthians 7:5, 1 John 2:13-14, 1 John 3:10, 1 John 3:12, 1 John 3:8, 1 John 5:18-19, 1 Thessalonians 2:18, 1 Thessalonians 3:5, 1 Timothy 1:20, 1 Timothy 3:6-7, 1 Timothy 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 11:14, 2 Corinthians 12:7, 2 Corinthians 2:11, 2 Corinthians 6:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 2 Timothy 2:26, Acts 13:10, Acts 26:18, Acts 5:3, Deuteronomy 10:16, Ephesians 4:27, Ephesians 6:11, Ephesians 6:16, Ezekiel 36:26, Galatians 1:4, Genesis 1:31, Genesis 2:7, Genesis 6:1-4, Genesis 8:21, Hebrews 2:14, Isaiah 57:14, Isaiah 5:18, Jam 1:14, James 4:7, Job 1:12, Job 1:6-9, Job 2:1-4, Job 2:6-7, Joel 2:20, John 13:2, John 13:27, John 17:15, John 6:70, John 8:44, Jude 1:9, Luke 11:4, Luke 13:16, Luke 22:3, Luke 22:31, Luke 4:2-13, Luke 8:12, Mark 1:13, Mark 4:15, Matthew 13:19, Matthew 13:38, Matthew 16:23, Matthew 25:41, Matthew 4:1-11, Matthew 5:37, Matthew 6:13, Proverbs 25:21, Psalms 51:10, Revelation 12:12, Revelation 12:9, Revelation 20:10, Revelation 20:2, Revelation 20:7, Revelation 2:13, Revelation 2:24, Revelation 2:9-10, Revelation 3:9, Romans 16:20, Zechariah 3:1-2, Numbers 22:22, Numbers 22:32, 1 Samuel 29:4, 2 Samuel 19:22, 1 Kings 5:4, 1 Kings 11:14, 1 Kings 11:23, 1 Kings 11:25, 1 Chronicles 21:1, Ezra 4:6, Psalms 38:20, Psalms 71:13, Psalms 109:4, Psalms 109:6, Psalms 109:20, Psalms 109:29

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