Do you believe Satan is a literal being?

[Chazemataz]

And why? I've been wanting to ask this for a long time, but havent gotten around to it. I do not believe Satan is a literal, physical being. I believe the devil is a metaphor for the concept of sin and wrongdoing, and I see nothing that would lead anybody to believe otherwise.

Well, there is maybe the Isiah passage that speaks about a "lucifer" which could lead some to beleive that, but maybe they are talking about the King of Babylon at the time. idk, i am always open to new interpretations of the Bible and Christianity, so any thoughts/ideas?

 

[MezzaMorta]

Yep

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

And why? I've been wanting to ask this for a long time, but havent gotten around to it. I do not believe Satan is a literal, physical being. I believe the devil is a metaphor for the concept of sin and wrongdoing, and I see nothing that would lead anybody to believe otherwise.

I would tend to agree. Satan simply means "Adversary" and I suppose the evil is an adversary to the good and vice versa.
I would like to think I am a "Good Adversary"

Reve 12:14 And were given to the woman the two wings of the eagle/vulture, the great, that she may be flying into the wilderness, into the place of her, where she is being nourished there season, seasons and half equal season from Face of the Serpent.

Reve 6:16 And they are saying to the mountains and to the rocks: Be ye falling upon us! and hide Ye us! from Face of the One sitting upon of the throne and from the wrath of the lambkin

 

[DrBubbaLove]

why would (and how could) Jesus be tempted by a metaphor?

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

why would (and how could) Jesus be tempted by a metaphor?

True, as that would make the "serpent" a metaphor also. Hmmm.

Gene 3:1 And the nachash becomes crafty from all of life of the field which YHWH 'Elohiym made/`asah. And he is saying to the woman: "indeed! that 'Elohiym says 'not you shall eat from any of tree of the garden'"?

 

[Jon0388g]

why would (and how could) Jesus be tempted by a metaphor?

I was going to ask the same thing. Who was Christ tempted by? His imagination?

So there are also no such thing as fallen angels/demons? Matthew 8:28-29 describes Christ casting out demons who were so evil they had to take the lives of a herd of swine. Do you therefore not accept this passage as literal?


I'm afraid satan is a real, physical being, who took 1/3 of the angels with him when he was thrown out of heaven.

Jon

 

[craig_on_fire]

why would (and how could) Jesus be tempted by a metaphor?

Remember that Matthew is elaborating on Mark's version which just states that 'Jesus was led into the wilderness and was tempted'. Jesus would have been tempted internally (his own thoughts and fears) as well as by possible outside forces. This personification of an adversary or a 'satan', could well be a story/metaphor to highlight Jesus' struggle with his vocation ie. the kind of Messiah he was going to be. This is obviously merely conjecture and I am not explictly going to read that directly into the texts.

 

[jckstraw72]

did a metaphor mess with Job? Christ saw Satan fall from Heaven -- he is absolutely a literal being.

 

[GrannieAnnie]

satan is an angel......the same as all angels....a real spiritual being...but he's a "baddie"....not a .... "goodie"

 

[breakfastclub17]

did a metaphor mess with Job? Christ saw Satan fall from Heaven -- he is absolutely a literal being.

Exactly.

The Bible clearly says what are demons (the possesed people and the swine), and what is our Sinful Body at work in us (Romans 7).

I would think Matthew would have said Jesus was at battle with his Body, if Satan is truly a metaphor.

 

[Miracle Storm]

The enemy is real.

The enemy would love for you to believe he's not real...why? You don't fight or rebuke, in the name of Jesus, something you don't believe in...

Why do I believe the enemy and the other fallen angels are real?
The Bible tells me so.

 

[Uphill Battle]

Shoot, in the book of Job, God has a conversation with the supposed "metaphor." I don't think God is prone to talking to figments of imagination.

 

[Miracle Storm]

Shoot, in the book of Job, God has a conversation with the supposed "metaphor." I don't think God is prone to talking to figments of imagination.

LOL

I think your on to something there!

 

[DArceri]

There is definitely a spiritual realm. If one believes in Angels, then one must also believe in Satan and his demonic forces.

Here's a question to all those who don't believe Satan is a spiritual being...... Do you also believe Angels are a "metaphor"?

 

[DrBubbaLove]

Remember that Matthew is elaborating on Mark's version which just states that 'Jesus was led into the wilderness and was tempted'. Jesus would have been tempted internally (his own thoughts and fears) as well as by possible outside forces. This personification of an adversary or a 'satan', could well be a story/metaphor to highlight Jesus' struggle with his vocation ie. the kind of Messiah he was going to be. This is obviously merely conjecture and I am not explictly going to read that directly into the texts.

while am sure Jesus is 100% man, and could feel or think as we do, am not sure it is appropriate to attribute to Him from these passages temptation from internal struggle.

As a sinless man, indeed born without the fallen nature of the rest of us, think only an external force could represent a temptation to such a Being. In fact Jesus said himself that the thought alone is sin. So do we see Jesus as without sin or not?

So for us to see these passages as a metaphor of an internal struggle within Jesus would be to acknowledge that He was not sinless, which makes no sense with Him being divine or being born without the stain of sin.

 

[Splayd]

This little gem comes from the movie The Usual Suspects:

The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist.

 

[angelmom01]

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Num 21:8-9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery SERPENT, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. 9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if A SERPENT had bitten any man, when he beheld THE SERPENT OF BRASS, he LIVED.


There is a reason that it was a brazen SERPENT that was lifted up in the wilderness.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Both the devil and the tongue are said to hold the power of death.

To be "carnally minded" is DEATH (but to be "spiritually minded" is LIFE and PEACE).

Satan was a liar and a murderer FROM THE BEGINNING (He who HATETH HIS BROTHER is a MURDERER... there is NO TRUTH in him).

Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Satan is "real" but what exactly does that mean?

 

[angelmom01]

while am sure Jesus is 100% man, and could feel or think as we do, am not sure it is appropriate to attribute to Him from these passages temptation from internal struggle.

As a sinless man, indeed born without the fallen nature of the rest of us, think only an external force could represent a temptation to such a Being. In fact Jesus said himself that the thought alone is sin. So do we see Jesus as without sin or not?

So for us to see these passages as a metaphor of an internal struggle within Jesus would be to acknowledge that He was not sinless, which makes no sense with Him being divine or being born without the stain of sin.

How could Christ be 100% MAN and not be born with the same nature that MEN are born with?

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.


It seems to me that it is not the temptation that is "sin", but the giving in to the temptation that results in sin.

Heb 2:14-15 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Christ overcame the flesh (the carnal mind) so that we can overcome also (through Him). He comes to us and does IN US what He accomplished IN HIMSELF - so that AS HE IS SO ARE WE.

Would you disagree?

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Originally Posted by jckstraw72
did a metaphor mess with Job? Christ saw Satan fall from Heaven -- he is absolutely a literal being.

Btw, what is this "Star" symbolizing in Revelation 9:1? If it is "Satan", is he "fallen out of heaven" a second time? Just curious.

http://www.scripture4all.org/

Luke 10:18 He said yet to them: "I beheld the Satan, as lightning out of the heaven, falling/pesonta <4098> (5631)".

Reve 9:1 And the 5th messenger sounds a trumpet, and I perceive a Star out of the heaven, having fallen/peptwkota <4098>(5761) into/to the land[f], and was given to him the key[f] of the well/pit[n] of the Abyss[f], 2 and he opens up the well/pit of the abyss, and did ascend/anebh <305> smoke out of the well/pit, as smoke of great furnace,

 

[DrBubbaLove]

AngelMom (love the name),
the whole stain of sin stuff goes off topic, but no I do not agree. Adam and Ever were created without the stain of our fallen nature, yet were able to sin because they were free to choose.
​

Jesus IS 100% Man because everything that made Him human came from Mary, another human. Humans are free to make choices. As a Man, Jesus was free to choose when tempted by Satan. His life does indeed shows us that it is possible overcome, to always make the right choice. But saying all that is VERY different than the claim being made here.​

It is being said here that Jesus could sin in his mind, ie for example contemplate tempting God or rejecting God in order to have all earth bow to Him. Sin is sin, whether an act or thought. You cannot have Jesus commiting sin by saying these verses represent him contemplating sinful acts in His mind. Even if you say well He overcame sin and did not do it. He would still be sinning.​