Dualism in the Bible -- How The Hebrews Saw Good and Evil

by Morocco 16 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Leolaia
    Leolaia

    lovelylil.... Please note that Narkissos said that the Eden narrative (or any other OT text) does not identify the serpent with Satan and it does not even presume the existence of a "Satan" character; rather, the narrative portrays the serpent as an animal (see 3:1, 14), as the ancestor of all modern-day serpents (v. 15) in the same sense that Eve is the "mother of all living" (v. 20). Only an eisegetical reading of the passage (such as harmonistic with other later texts) would construe the serpent as "Satan". But acknowledging the original conception in Genesis does not preclude that later interpretations of the passage (such as the one in Revelation ch. 12, which however is equally dependent on OT and Canaanite/Israelite Chaoskampf traditions about Leviathan) existed, for that is exactly what is expected for such later texts (cf. the later interpretations of v. 15 as a Protevangelium or of the significance of the "fall of man"). The main point is to read each text on its own terms....

    I would also like to note that only some streams of Second Temple Jewish thought have a "Satan" or "Belial" or "Mastema" adversary to God or God's purposes....in the Book of Watchers of 1 Enoch, for instance, there is no "Satan" character who is the source of evil....rather, evil results from a perversion of the natural order that results from angels (led not by "Satan" but by a group of prominent angels including Shemihazah and Asael) interferring with life on earth. Neither are these fallen angels active in promoting wickedness on earth today (as Satan is construed in Christianity) since they have been interred in Tartarus since before the Flood; instead, the forces of evil and uncleanness unleashed by their antediluvian activity still plague humanity even tho the original agents of evil have been punished.

    There are other dimensions to dualism in early Judaism in addition to theological dualism (i.e. relating to the nature of God); there are also moral/ethical and apocalyptic dimensions which are closely related. Especially popular in Essene Judaism and early Christianity were the "two ways" moral instruction which construed the "way of light/life/God" and the "way of darkness/death/Belial" as diametrically opposed and which lead to different destinies (cf. the Manual of Discipline in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Epistle of Enoch in 1 Enoch, the Didache, Barnabas, etc.). Since apocalypticism relates to the final judgment and punishment of one's deeds in the present world, dualism in moral conduct implies dualism of final destinies (e.g. Gehenna for the wicked and Paradise for the righteous). The Manual of Discipline, the Epistle of Enoch, and the "two ways" section of Barnabas each have apocalyptic connotations, whereas the ethical instruction in the "two ways" section of the Didache lacks such a perspective. See also the allusion to the "two ways" in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:13-14 which similarly combines both moral/ethical and apocalyptic (life vs. destruction) perspectives....

  • lovelylil
    lovelylil

    Leolaia,

    Thanks for clearing that up. I guess I missed Narkissos' point on that.

    I agree you have to read all the texts individually as I pointed out, I always thought of Satan as a name and not a title. I think it is more of a title for anyone who opposes God. The fallen Angel most Christians believe in was the "original" serpent or satan (according to the NT) but anyone else who opposes God could be called a Satan. The OT also uses the terms serpent, dragon and Leviathan for all opposers of God. And I thought it interesting that it could refer to a group of people, such as a government. Lilly

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos
    In the OT, serpents or dragons are used metaphorically to depict enemies of God. (see Psalm 74:14, Isaiah 27:1)

    The background of such expressions is to be found in Ancient Near Eastern mythology, especially the creation stories where the creator god (Baal, Marduk) conquers the dragon-like monsters of a primeval oceanic chaos (in Ugarit Yamm = the Sea, Hebrew yam; Lotan = the Biblical Leviathan) -- this original struggle is what Leolaia called Chaoskampf. Isaiah 27:1, especially, uses expressions which can be found back in Ugaritic texts which are about one millenium earlier. Otoh, it is true that several OT texts uses those mythological figures in a political way, applying them as a metaphor of world powers, but this is not always the case.

    Also Satan means "slanderer" and Devil "opposer".

    Or, rather, the other way around.

    Most Christians think of Satan as only one fallen Angel. While that might be true, really anyone who slanders or opposes God could be a Satan. Satan - the fallen Angel is only the orginal slanderer and opposer of God, according to the Bible. But this does not mean he is the only one or that this title (which is really what "Satan" is) applies only to him. Hope this makes sense.

    With one probable late exception (2 Chronicles 21), satan is always a noun and not a name in the OT. Yhwh's angel is a satan to Balaam (Numbers 22:22,32); a poltical opposer is a satan (1 Samuel 29:24; 2 Samuel 19:23). It is often an adversary in court, i.e. accuser or witness for the prosecution (Psalm 109). This latter role is obvious when it applies to a heavenly character in Zechariah 3 and Job 1--2 : the satan there appears not as an enemy of Yhwh, but an enemy of man (Joshua, Job). He actually defends Yhwh's interests (even though he tends to overdo it). It is a title for a role which can be played by several distinct characters (1 Enoch 20:7 speaks of satans in the plural).

    A later text like Revelation 12 merges those traditions, making of several, originally unrelated characters (the dragon, the serpent, the satan-accuser).

  • lovelylil
    lovelylil

    Narkissos,

    oops, I got it backwards. Thanks for your help.

    Leolaia,

    Thanks for that information. I will digest it more later. Good point about Enoch. I have that book and really enjoyed it. I did note too that there were several Angels mentioned that taught man destructive things, and Satan was not mentioned. My point being that Satan is more of a title (noun like Narkissos said) and not an actual proper name of a particular fallen Angel. Satan can be applied to anyone who is in opposition to God.

    So if this is the case, what did the Bible mean when it says that Satan tempted Jesus in the Wilderness? Lilly

  • tetrapod.sapien
    tetrapod.sapien
    So if this is the case, what did the Bible mean when it says that Satan tempted Jesus in the Wilderness?

    lil, i know it was a question for leo, but if i may venture a guess?

    i see it as a very real temptation to jesus, if you see him has a highly evolved human, awakening to his true nature as a "son of god', or "linked with the cosmos". part of everything with every atom that made him.

    and with this awakening comes a responsibility. one could conceivably awaken to this state of oneness, and in turn use this unusual understanding, or power, to nefarious means. he certainly had the potential, in other words. but he stayed true to his experiences, and true to the "truth", and peace and compassion, wanting no power for himself.

    so again, the serpent, the representation of knowledge and duality, temps him toward materialistic success. instead he chose to help humanity. but the challenge came from within himself, satan representing some lingering vestage of the human ego.

    just my two pence.

    peace,

    tetra

  • Narkissos
    Narkissos

    lil,

    Satan can be applied to anyone who is in oppositionto God.

    Not necessarily "to God," cf. my previous post.

    So if this is the case, what did the Bible mean when it says that Satan tempted Jesus in the Wilderness?

    A contextual approach of the texts imply that you won't get away with one meaning for the whole "Bible".

    There is no doubt to me that in the temptation pericope of Matthew and Luke the "devil" is understood as a fairly personal character, at least at the basic narrative level. And this suits the bulk of contemporary demonology which tended to merge different villains into one (aka. Belial, Mastema...; cf. the identification of the "prince of demons" with "Satan" in Mark 3). Monodiabolism is the shadow of monotheism I guess.

    But there were many ways to understand a story back then, as there still are now.

  • lovelylil
    lovelylil

    Tetra,

    Thanks for your reply. Very interesting.

    Narkissos,

    Thank you for your replies too. Your right there is more than one way to look at many scriptures. Not all topics are as black and white in the Bible as many think. Lilly

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit