Table of Contents
Was Satan an angel?
Yes, Satan was an angel.
God cast him out of heaven with great force like lightning for wanting to usurp God's authority. C. F. Keil and Charles Hodge affirm Satan as a created angel who fell through pride and rebellion (Isaiah 14:12–15; Luke 10:18). His fall transformed him into the ruler of spiritual darkness (Ephesians 6:11–12), leading angelic beings in opposition to divine authority and human redemption
| Scholar, Institution & Work | View on Satan’s Nature |
|---|---|
| John Gill – University of Aberdeen (Exposition of the Old and New Testaments) | Satan is a real fallen angel who opposes God and tempts humanity. |
| Adam Clarke – Kingswood Methodist School (Clarke’s Commentary) | Satan acts as a tempter and accuser, active in moral testing. |
| Joseph Benson – Wesleyan Academy (Benson’s Commentary) | Depicted Satan as a wicked spiritual being with real influence over human sin. |
| Franz Delitzsch – University of Leipzig (Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament) | Saw Satan as the chief adversary of righteousness, motivated by pride. |
| C. F. Keil – University of Erlangen (Keil & Delitzsch Commentary) | Argued Satan has power but remains under God’s sovereign control. |
| Charles Hodge – Princeton Theological Seminary (Systematic Theology) | Rejected symbolic interpretations; affirmed Satan as a personal, real being. |
| Johann Peter Lange – University of Bonn (Commentary on the Holy Scriptures) | Viewed Satan as the embodiment of rebellion and spiritual apostasy. |
| John Milton – Cambridge University (Paradise Lost) | Depicted Satan as a former glorious angel corrupted by pride and ambition. |
| E. W. Hengstenberg – University of Berlin (Christology of the Old Testament) | Understood Satan as the enemy of messianic purpose and divine order. |
| A. H. Sayce – University of Oxford (The Religions of Ancient Egypt and Babylonia) | Compared Satan to ancient spiritual adversaries, but affirmed biblical uniqueness. |
Satan, The Devil As The Adversary
The Hebrew satan means opposer or adversary, denoting one who obstructs God’s plans. Adam Clarke states that Satan’s primary energy is directed against righteousness and covenant. He resists God’s messengers (Zechariah 3:1) and influences unbelief (1 Peter 5:8), acting as a spiritual enemy to God's purpose.
| Scholar, Institution & Work | View |
|---|---|
| John Gill – University of Aberdeen (Exposition of the Old and New Testaments) | Gill interprets Satan as the legal adversary who stands to accuse believers before God, especially seen in Job 1–2. He states that Satan’s adversarial role emphasizes opposition to divine righteousness. |
| Adam Clarke – Kingswood Methodist School (Clarke’s Commentary) | Clarke emphasized that Satan’s title means a deliberate opponent to God’s redemptive plan. He also saw this adversary as working through temptation and deception rather than physical force. |
| Joseph Benson – Wesleyan Academy (Benson’s Commentary) | Benson argued that “the adversary” is best understood as an active spiritual personality, not a mere symbol. His role is to resist holiness and create moral conflict in mankind. |
| Franz Delitzsch – University of Leipzig (Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament) | Delitzsch viewed Satan as a hostile figure motivated by rebellion and pride. The adversarial nature reflects his contrast to divine order and covenant. |
| C. F. Keil – University of Erlangen (Keil & Delitzsch Commentary) | Keil saw Satan as a restrained adversary—powerful but limited by God’s sovereignty. His role is to test and refine human faith through accusation. |
| Charles Hodge – Princeton Theological Seminary (Systematic Theology) | Hodge rejected symbolic interpretations and argued firmly that Satan is a real adversary with intentional opposition against God’s kingdom. He believed the term carries judicial and spiritual conflict. |
| Johann Peter Lange – University of Bonn (Commentary on the Holy Scriptures) | Lange believed the adversary embodies spiritual rebellion and moral corruption. He argued that Satan’s opposition to God displays the cosmic nature of the spiritual battle. |
| E. W. Hengstenberg – University of Berlin (Christology of the Old Testament) | Hengstenberg noted that Satan’s adversarial role appears especially in relation to messianic prophecy. He saw this figure as a real enemy seeking to oppose God’s redemptive history. |
| George H. Pember – King’s College London (Earth’s Earliest Ages) | Pember stated that Satan functions as the world’s adversary by manipulating cultures and ideologies. His influence, though strong, ultimately prepares the way for God to reveal truth. |
| S. R. Driver – University of Oxford (Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament) | Driver interpreted the adversary as a being allowed to test mankind under divine permission. He viewed this as central to understanding spiritual struggle in the Old Testament. |
Satan as The Accuser
Satan functions as a heavenly prosecutor, accusing believers before God (Job 1:6–11; Revelation 12:10). John Gill notes his role highlights human frailty under divine scrutiny. Franz Delitzsch explains that accusation allows God to test true faith. His power is limited, operating only under God’s sovereign permission (Job 2:6).
| Aspect | Explanation | Scriptural Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hebrew Term – הַשָּׂטָן (ha-satan) | Literally means “the accuser” or “the adversary,” often used in a legal or judicial context. | Job 1:6–9; Zechariah 3:1 |
| Heavenly Courtroom Scene | Satan appears before God to accuse humanity, functioning like a prosecutor questioning human loyalty. | Job 1:6–12 |
| Accuser of Priestly Office | Satan accuses Joshua the high priest, challenging his worthiness to serve God. | Zechariah 3:1–2 |
| Greek Term – διάβολος (diabolos) | Means “slanderer” or “false accuser”; used in the New Testament to describe Satan’s opposition. | Revelation 12:10 |
| Ongoing Accusation Against Believers | Satan is described as continually accusing believers before God. | Revelation 12:10 |
| Testing Through Accusation | Satan’s accusations allow divine testing to demonstrate genuine faith. | Luke 22:31 |
| Christ as the Answer to Accusation | Jesus intercedes for believers, defeating accusation through atonement. | Romans 8:33–34; 1 John 2:1 |
| Accusation as Strategy | Satan seeks to condemn rather than redeem, emphasizing guilt over grace. | 2 Corinthians 2:10–11 |
| Limited Authority | Even as the accuser, Satan operates only under God’s permission and restraint. | Job 2:6 |
| Final Defeat of the Accuser | Satan’s role as accuser ends at Christ’s final victory and judgment. | Revelation 20:10 |
The Luke 10:18-20 Explanation of Satan's fall
Summarized look at Satan, the devil
| Role | Core Function | Scriptural Example | Scholar & View (Pre–1920) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accuser | Acts like a prosecutor in a heavenly courtroom, highlighting sin to challenge human righteousness. | Job 1:6–11; Revelation 12:10 | John Gill – Says Satan’s accusations reveal human weakness but also God’s justice and mercy. |
| Adversary | Opposes God’s purposes and seeks to obstruct His messengers and covenant. | Zechariah 3:1; 1 Peter 5:8 | Adam Clarke – Interprets satan as active resistance to divine will and truth. |
| Fallen Angel | Once a created being of light who rebelled through pride and became the chief of evil. | Isaiah 14:12–15; Luke 10:18 | Charles Hodge – Argues Satan fell by rebellion and now leads spiritual forces of darkness. |
In closing, Satan is a fallen angel who rebelled against God (Luke 10:18; Isaiah 14:12–15) and will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire for eternity, in judgment (Revelation 20:10). His defeat is certain and final under the sovereign authority of Almighty God.
