The Meaning Of The Word "Devil"

In all this we may seem to have wandered far from the subject of the evil one, but it is not so. We cannot speak of the result of the sacrificial work of Christ, without speaking of the devil, though we may not mention his name, because the object of that work, in scriptural language, was, as we have seen, to destroy the devil and his works. What is manifest is that sin and the devil are in their radical relations equivalent terms. What we have to consider is, how it comes that sin in the abstract should be spoken of and personified as the "devil". The answer is to be apprehended in view of the meaning of the word. It is a common noun, such as enemy, liar, thief, etc. This would be seen if the word were translated. Strictly speaking, it is not translated, but lifted out nearly unchanged from the Greek and set down into English. In one or two cases it is translated, such as in 1 Tim. 3:11, where the wives of the deacons are forbidden to be slanderers (the word in the original is the word elsewhere rendered Devil). Here we get a peep at the real meaning of the word as given to us by Parkhurst in his Lexicon, where he tells us that diabolos (the word translated devil) is a compound of dia through, and ballo to cast, and means to dart or strike through; hence, to slander, to utter falsehood maliciously, to speak lies. "The Devil" therefore, for purposes of understanding, is best to be read in English as The Liar, The Slanderer, or The Accuser; and then the way lies open to ask, Why sin should be personified as a liar, a slanderer? The answer to this will be seen in the nature of sin. It is the doing of that which God has forbidden, not because God has forbidden it, but because gratification or advantage will come of it. When Adam disobeyed in the garden of Eden, it was not from a bad motive, as men talk; it was from a conviction that the forbidden tree was good, and would open his eyes and make him wise. So the narrative informed us in Eve's case (Gen. 3:6). A man may not commit sin from sheer wickedness, but to get some good for himself. The good he seeks cannot come of it. Hence, sin universally is a lie, and, when personified, is a liar. It is also a slanderer, and a slanderer of God. It so to speak presents itself to its victim, and says, "Listen to me; do as I tell you and you shall have great enjoyment and benefit. God is unkind in putting restrictions upon you: He keeps you from much happiness. Life and joy are in my ways and not in His". Thus it slanders God and utters falsehood to the ruin of those who listen; for destruction and misery are in the ways of sin; and the highest joy and purest well-being are connected with that loving submission to God in which we are exercised in the keeping of His commandments.

Sin, as the great deceiver of mankind, is there well spoken of as the Liar, the Accuser, the Slanderer of God-alias the Devil. In its literal aspect, it is, of course, an impersonal thing, tempting without being a conscious tempter, as expressed by James. "Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed; then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death" (James 1:14).

Satan

So with the word "Satan": this also is an untranslated word. It is not an English word. It is not even a Greek word, except by adoption. It comes from the Hebrew, from which it has passed into Greek and thence into English. If it had been translated, the Bible doctrine of Satanism would not have been so obscure to many. It simply means an adversary, as will be evident to the least instructed from the following instances of its use: "The Lord stirred up an adversary (A SATAN) unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite" (1 Kings 11:14). "Lest in the battle, he (David) be an adversary (A SATAN) to us" (1 Sam. 29:4). "There is neither adversary (Satan) nor evil occurrent " (1 Kings 5:4).

There are New Testament instances, such as where Jesus addresses Peter as "Satan" when he opposed Christ's submission to death (Matt. 16:23): and where Pergamos, the headquarters of the enemies of truth, is described as Satan's seat (Rev. 2:13).

Now if Satan means adversary, we will read the scriptures intelligently if we read adversary wherever we find Satan. When we do this we shall find it easy to avoid the popular conception when we come across the personification of sin in this term. The adversary entering into Judas (John 13:27) leads us to inquire, What adversary ? The facts supply the answer. We are informed that Judas was a thief and bare the bag and what was put therein (John 12:6). At the last Supper, his avaricious disposition led him to entertain the purpose of selling Christ. This purpose was the adversary entering into him. "It were good for that man", said Jesus "that he had not been born", showing that the sin of Christ's betrayal was charged upon the man Judas

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"An Evil Heart"
"The Enemies of God"
"Sin Personified"