Serpent, Devil, Satan, Beast
Serpent
In Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the writer describes the 
creation of the world and humankind by God. Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, are placed by God in the beautiful Garden of Eden, sometimes also called Paradise. There is only one restriction placed by God on Adam and Eve: they are not to eat the fruit of one particular tree – the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. (See Big ideas: Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, ‘Second Adam'; Creation, creativity, Image of God.) They are, however, tempted by the serpent to disobey God, and their following actions result in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden to live in toil and sorrow.
Devil, Satan
Following a tradition developed by early Christian commentators, the serpent came to be identified with the Devil, or Satan, the enemy of mankind, whose name in Hebrew means ‘adversary, enemy, accuser'. The serpent also came to be identified with Lucifer (meaning ‘Light Bearer') who rebelled and fell from heaven (see Big ideas: Devils; Angels).
In the book of Job, Satan is allowed to test Job's faith in God. The most commonly held view of Satan is that of an evil spirit who seeks the damnation of humankind – and therefore appears in the New Testament as the direct antagonist of Christ, who wishes to bring redemption. He is the evil force who tempts Jesus in the wilderness, urging him to take earthly rather than spiritual power (see Big ideas: Temptation).
Another name sometimes used of the Devil is ‘Beelzebub', which translates as ‘Lord of the Flies'.
Beast
In the book of Revelation, chapter 13, two fearsome ‘beasts' are described which are the enemies of God and those who serve him.
Serpent, Devil, Satan, Beast in literature
Milton's Paradise Lost
In his epic poem Paradise Lost, Milton uses traditional ideas to identify both the serpent as well as the fallen angel as manifestations of Satan. He also identifies the serpent with the dragon who is described in Revelation, the last book of the Bible, as fighting against God.
‘And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back' (Revelation 12:7).
Miller's The Crucible
The idea of ‘satanism', or devil worship, was closely associated with a belief in ‘witchcraft' in the Middle Ages and later centuries. A witch-hunt in the New England town of Salem in the seventeenth century is the topic of Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, which shows how personal greed and spite can unleash horrific forces within an apparently Christian community.
Golding's Lord of the Flies
William Golding, in his novel Lord of the Flies, uses the term ‘The Beast' to suggest the innate evil in humans.
Related topics
Big ideas: Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve, ‘Second Adam'; Creation, creativity, image of God; Devils; Angels; Temptation
Other cultural references
Milton's Paradise Lost
Arthur Miller's The Crucible
William Golding's Lord of the Flies
- English Standard Version
- King James Version
1And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. 2She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. 3And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. 4His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. 5She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, 6and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. 7Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, 8but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. 9And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world - he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. 10And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short! 13And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. 15The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. 16But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. 17Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.
1And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. 7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
A great debate on why, if God is just and good, he allows innocent people to suffer (theodicy); recognised as a literary masterpiece for the wealth and energy of its language and the power of its thought
The Christian Bible consists of the Old Testament scriptures inherited from Judaism, together with the New Testament, drawn from writings produced from c.40-125CE, which describe the life of Jesus and the establishment of the Christian church.
In the Bible, 'creation' can mean both the process by which the universe was made by God and the created order which emerged.
The Bible describes God as the unique supreme being, creator and ruler of the universe.
According to Genesis (the first book of the Old Testament), Adam is the first human being, made in the image / likeness of God, placed in the Garden of Eden and given dominion over the earth.
According to the book of Genesis in the Bible the first woman, said to have been created by God out of Adam's rib, to be his companion.
The place described in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, in which God placed his first human creatures, Adam and Eve.
A place of beauty and perfection, associated in the Bible and literature with both the Garden of Eden before the Fall, and heaven. Often used as a synonym for heaven.
Fruit is often used in the Bible metaphorically to mean the result of an action / word / behaviour.
In biblical times Palestine was not well supplied with large trees and wood had to be imported for major projects such as the building of the Temple. Trees mentioned in the Bible include cedar, apple, palm and olive.
According to the Book of Genesis, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil grew in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat its fruit by God. When they disobeyed, they lost their innocence and close relationship with God.
The opposite of goodness; thoughts and actions which are in opposition to God's will and result in wrongdoing and harm. That which opposes God.
A snake. In some religions and mythologies seen as the embodiment of deceit, cunning and evil, and associated with Satan.
The place described in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, in which God placed his first human creatures, Adam and Eve.
Name originally given to disciples of Jesus by outsiders and gradually adopted by the Early Church.
Also known as Satan or Lucifer, the Bible depicts him as the chief of the fallen angels and demons, the arch enemy of God who mounts a significant, but ultimately futile, challenge to God's authority.
The devil; the term 'Satan' actually means 'Enemy' and is often used to refer to the force of evil in the world.
1. Language in which the Old Testament was written.
2. Jew, Jewish; belonging to Israel
Name used as a synonym for the Devil or Satan.
In many religions, the place where God dwells, and to which believers aspire after their death. Sometimes known as Paradise.
Main character in the Old Testament Book of Job. He experiences extreme hardship but remains faithful to God.
A non-physical being, or the non-physical but vital and intelligent part of a being, not limited by physical constraints.
Word used in the Authorised Version of the Bible for punishment or destruction, referring to the fate of those who are found on the Day of Judgement to have rejected Jesus Christ (Revelation 20:12-15).
A 'testament' is a covenant (binding agreement), a term used in the Bible of God's relationship with his people. The New Testament is the second part of the Christian Bible. Its name comes from the new covenant or relationship with God.
Title (eventually used as name) given to Jesus, refering to an anointed person set apart for a special task such as a king.
In Christian belief, the redemption of humanity was achieved by Jesus who in his death on the cross made a complete sacrifice sufficient to pay for the sins of the world.
The name given to the man believed by Christians to be the Son of God. Also given the title Christ, meaning 'anointed one' or Messiah. His life is recorded most fully in the Four Gospels.
In the Old Testament wilderness is comparable to the word desert. It usually means a rocky, dry wasteland. It is also the traditional place of trial and temptation, as Jesus encountered after his baptism.
1. Consisting of or relating to (the) spirit(s), rather than material or bodily form.
2. Relating to matters of the soul, faith, religion, or the supernatural.
3. A type of religious song whose roots are in the slave communities of North America.
Used in the New Testament of Satan or the prince of demons.
In the New Testament Book of Revelation, the symbol of an empire which persecutes Christ and his followers but is finally destroyed by him at the Second Coming.
Supernatural beings closely linked with the work of God; his messengers, traditionally portrayed as having a winged human form.
