Was Jesus really tested by Satan? - Part #3. Double Devil, Double Impact!

Friends,

This is Part #3 in the series "Was Jesus really tested by Satan?". If you haven't read Part #1 and #2, please do read them before reading this one. This is a quick and short one.

There are quite a few Greek words translated as Devil in the New Testament, of these only one, diabolos (G1228 in Strong's) is the exact equivalent of Satan in Hebrew. See the post "Greek words (mis)translated as Satan/Devil in the New Testament" for details.

Jesus' definition of the word Satan.

On hearing the names Satan or Devil many visualize an entity or a person with fearsome looks, forked tail and tongue, fiery eyes, and holding a trident. This kind of imagery has nothing to do with the scriptures.

Once Jesus and His disciples were proceeding to Jerusalem. He told them how would be persecuted and executed by the Jewish religious leaders. Please note how Apostle Peter responded and how Jesus castigated him:

Mat 16:22 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

Mat 16:23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

As we all know, Peter did not sprout a forked tail or horns, just because Jesus addressed him as Satan. In the same scripture, Jesus defines what it means to be Satan: not giving priority to the interests of God, or esteeming human interests above interests of God.

Simliarly, while it said that Satan entered Judas Iscariot, no one in their right mind would think that a fearsome celestial being with forked tongue and forked tongue entered through some of the openings in Judas' anatomy.

Luk 22:3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. 

 All that the expression 'Satan entered into Judas' means is that human interests got the best of him.

Double Devil, Double Impact!

Have you noticed something about Judas Iscariot? Well before Judas Iscariot's betrayal, Jesus said of him:

Joh 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? (G1228: diabolos, the exact equivalent of Satan.)

Jesus did not say, one of you is like a devil, instead, He said: one of you is a devil. So, Judas was a devil right from the beginning, and at the time of his betrayal of Jesus, Satan entered him.

Jesus statement that Judas was a devil implies he is a carnal man, having human thinking. At the time of his betrayal of Jesus Christ, his human thinking manifested in the form of greed.

to be continued in Part #4 ...

In Christ,

Tomsan Kattackal