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Satan: A Biography
Christians traditionally think of Satan as Lucifer, God's enemy, who rebelled against Him out of pride and then caused Adam and Eve to sin. But, as Kelly shows, this portrayal is not biblical but a scenario invented by the early Fathers of the Church which became the 'New Biography of Satan'. The 'Original Biography' must be reconstructed from the New Testament where Satan is the same sort of celestial functionary we see in the Book of Job - appointed to govern the world, specifically to monitor and test human beings. But he is brutal and deceitful in his methods, and Jesus predicts that his rule will soon come to an end. Kelly traces the further developments of the 'New Biography': humankind's inherited guilt, captivity by Satan, and punishment in Hell at his hands. This profile of Satan remains dominant, but Kelly urges a return to the 'Original Biography of Satan'.
376 pages, Paperback
First published August 14, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 2, 2011
A strange book; I’m not entirely sure what to make of it. Kelly’s premise, and he is quite serious, is that Satan is a badly misunderstood fellow. That the Satan we know today bears little or no resemblance to the Biblical Satan.
As far as I can tell, Kelly is a believer in the Bible and in Satan, and wants to set the record straight. He doesn’t appreciate the legends that have sprung up about Satan since the writing of the Bible. Satan, for example, has nothing to do with the serpent in the Garden of Eden; that association began with the early church fathers. He has not yet been thrown out of heaven. He is not evil, and certainly will not be put in charge of punishing the damned in Hell.
Rather, Satan is merely an Accuser, and a useful one at that. Kelly begins with the oldest Biblical books, travels through the Septuagint translation and inter-testamental writings such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees, and wraps up the first half of his book with the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament. In these writings, we see the picture of Satan remaining largely unchanged: Satan is a functionary of the Divine Government, charged with testing and disciplining mankind. He is suspicious of everyone, including Jesus. He is hostile to Jesus’ followers, constantly trying to trip them up and then lodge complaints against them before God. He is God’s Chief Tester, at worst a homicidal liar.
Then in the second half, Kelly methodically traverses the next 2,000 years and how Satan’s name has been corrupted.
I agree with Kelly that the understanding of Satan/Devil/Lucifer has evolved quite radically. I’m just not sure I agree with his timing. For example, I think Satan had evolved into God’s adversary in the minds of most believers before the New Testament was written, and I think the same about Satan’s connection with the serpent of Eden. Moreover, different Biblical writers appear to have had different ideas. I just don’t think the line is as crisp as Kelly draws. Nevertheless, it’s a book to make you think, and though the writing is a bit dry, I did enjoy the discussion, so I’ll give it four stars.
As far as I can tell, Kelly is a believer in the Bible and in Satan, and wants to set the record straight. He doesn’t appreciate the legends that have sprung up about Satan since the writing of the Bible. Satan, for example, has nothing to do with the serpent in the Garden of Eden; that association began with the early church fathers. He has not yet been thrown out of heaven. He is not evil, and certainly will not be put in charge of punishing the damned in Hell.
Rather, Satan is merely an Accuser, and a useful one at that. Kelly begins with the oldest Biblical books, travels through the Septuagint translation and inter-testamental writings such as 1 Enoch and Jubilees, and wraps up the first half of his book with the Dead Sea Scrolls and the New Testament. In these writings, we see the picture of Satan remaining largely unchanged: Satan is a functionary of the Divine Government, charged with testing and disciplining mankind. He is suspicious of everyone, including Jesus. He is hostile to Jesus’ followers, constantly trying to trip them up and then lodge complaints against them before God. He is God’s Chief Tester, at worst a homicidal liar.
Then in the second half, Kelly methodically traverses the next 2,000 years and how Satan’s name has been corrupted.
I agree with Kelly that the understanding of Satan/Devil/Lucifer has evolved quite radically. I’m just not sure I agree with his timing. For example, I think Satan had evolved into God’s adversary in the minds of most believers before the New Testament was written, and I think the same about Satan’s connection with the serpent of Eden. Moreover, different Biblical writers appear to have had different ideas. I just don’t think the line is as crisp as Kelly draws. Nevertheless, it’s a book to make you think, and though the writing is a bit dry, I did enjoy the discussion, so I’ll give it four stars.
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May 29, 2017I'm only 45 pages in and I've been in continuous argument with Kelly about translation of Hebrew, Greek, Latin - particularly about definite vs. indefinite article usage. Sloppy discussion of translation & interpretation. Unclear explanation of composition histories. I suspect my first & second year college students would be even more confused than I am (and I teach HB & NT!). This reads like it wants to be a popular book accessible to non-scholars (minimal foot notes, not quoting in original languages etc), but it assumes a lot of knowledge & gives inadequate explanations/introductions to the primary sources used as examines & case studies.
Now that I've finished the book, I'll say that the later chapters are better than the earlier ones. Overall, tho, this is a challenging read, and the most useful aspect is the collection of sources.
Now that I've finished the book, I'll say that the later chapters are better than the earlier ones. Overall, tho, this is a challenging read, and the most useful aspect is the collection of sources.
April 30, 2025
I absolutely loved this book. I am not a scholar, I just enjoy reading about religion.
The author goes through the biblical texts chronologically and explores each mention of Satan, then looks at Satan in art, literature, etc. later on.
He is incredibly engaging, funny in parts, and keeps things incredibly clear for a ley reader.
He does express his own opinions, but is very clear when he is doing so.
The structure of the book is excellent as it regularly summarises the learning. When referring back to previous chapters, he'll give a brief summary, so if ur memory isn't great (like mine) u don't waste loads of time skipping back and forth searching for passages, which makes it a much more enjoyable read if ur not super familiar with the subject.
Wish more books were written in such a logical way, would highly recommend.
The author goes through the biblical texts chronologically and explores each mention of Satan, then looks at Satan in art, literature, etc. later on.
He is incredibly engaging, funny in parts, and keeps things incredibly clear for a ley reader.
He does express his own opinions, but is very clear when he is doing so.
The structure of the book is excellent as it regularly summarises the learning. When referring back to previous chapters, he'll give a brief summary, so if ur memory isn't great (like mine) u don't waste loads of time skipping back and forth searching for passages, which makes it a much more enjoyable read if ur not super familiar with the subject.
Wish more books were written in such a logical way, would highly recommend.
June 18, 2017
Copiando parte da orelha:
"Quem é Satã? Um monstrengo (...)de, grandes chifres (...) que se compraz em fazer arder as almas dos pecadores no fogo eterno dos infernos?
Um anjo decaído, expulso do Céu por causa da sua imensa inveja e soberba?
Este livro, (...), mostra que todas as figuras tradicionalmente associadas ao Diabo não passam de construções históricas, sem nenhum fundamento bíblico."
Excelente.
"Quem é Satã? Um monstrengo (...)de, grandes chifres (...) que se compraz em fazer arder as almas dos pecadores no fogo eterno dos infernos?
Um anjo decaído, expulso do Céu por causa da sua imensa inveja e soberba?
Este livro, (...), mostra que todas as figuras tradicionalmente associadas ao Diabo não passam de construções históricas, sem nenhum fundamento bíblico."
Excelente.
November 14, 2017
This was interesting, but not as interesting as I'd hoped. I did like getting a look at how the devil is actually portrayed in the bible and what has sprung up over the years. There are surprisingly few mentions in the Old Testament and only a little more in the New Testament, and a lot of what I had assumed was straight from the bible actually isn't.
November 28, 2016
Di tutte le biografie che mi è capitato di leggere questa è certamente una delle più interessanti. La vita degli uomini è sempre e comunque un percorso degno di essere descritto e fatto conoscere per iscritto, a futura memoria, al colto ed all’inclita.
Uno scrittore che si cimenta nella stesura di una biografia è sempre il segnale di un lavoro importante, da consultare come documento e, se è il caso, conservare come un modello di riferimento esistenziale.
Magari senza averlo mai letto, si citano fatti riportati in quella vita ritenuta esemplare e degna di essere narrata e testimoniata agli altri. La biografia di cui parliamo riguarda qualcuno che tutti conosciamo, ma non abbiamo mai incontrato.
Almeno io credo di non avere mai incontrato qualcuno che mi abbia detto, o che abbia scritto, di avere conosciuto il Diavolo in persona. La cosa, del resto, riguarda tanto me che tutti gli altri. Devo confessare, comunque, di avere spesso avvertito la sua presenza, se non dentro, almeno intorno a me. Ho avuto come la sensazione di udire la sua voce, vedere il suo volto, in chi mi stava di fronte, a scuola, al bar, all’oratorio, in aereo, a cinema, alla TV e in Parlamento.
A parte, forse, qualche esorcista, nessuno può onestamente dire di averlo incontrato o di averci parlato, di aver preso un caffè insieme.Un personaggio davvero importante, quindi, degno di tutta la nostra attenzione, oltre che della lettera maiuscola. Nelle trecento e più pagine, firmate da un professore emerito dell’università della California e pubblicate dalla Cambridge University Press, si avverte la turbante presenza di questo “signore” delle tenebre che ci accompagna nel cammino della “selva oscura” della nostra vita.
E allora chi è il Diavolo? Bisogna subito dire che chi vuole scrivere una biografia su un personaggio del genere deve affrontare innumerevoli problemi come quelli che deve fronteggiare chi vuole scriverla su Dio. In effetti i due personaggi hanno le stesse caratteristiche. E non consideratemi blasfemo, vi prego. Lasciatemi spiegare.
In effetti sia Dio che il Diavolo non hanno un inizio né una fine. Avete mai sentito parlare dell’infanzia di Dio, della sua fanciullezza, di quando era un signore di mezza età o in età avanzata? Sono sicuro di no. Se è così di Dio è la stessa cosa del Diavolo, con l’aggravante che questo turbolento personaggio si presenta con diversi nomi e quindi gli si possono cucire addosso biografie diverse.
Nelle scritture rabbiniche viene chiamato Sammael; nel Corano è detto Iblis; in vari testi apocalittici lo si incontra col nome di Sataniele. I Testimoni di Geova lo chiamano l’angelo caduto Azaziel e in altri luoghi diventa un gigante dal nome di Mastema. Sono nomi riferiti allo stesso personaggio oppure sono diavoli con nomi diversi come i nomi dati agli dei nella Bibbia?
Satana venne chiamato Lucifero, “stella del mattino” da Origene, un teologo demente del tredicesimo secolo, tanto matto che, a detta dell’autore di questo libro, si castrò in nome di Gesù Cristo. Ma, secondo Henry Angsar Kelly, l’autore della biografia sul Diavolo di cui stiamo parlando, il Satana del Cristianesimo non ha nulla a che vedere col Satana della Bibbia.
Con questa sua ricerca egli si propone di mettere la figura del Diavolo al posto giusto sulla scena biblica. Un compito davvero titanico, che sembra però avere del satanico nel suo intento, se si pensa a quante sono le presenze demoniache nel libro più venduto al mondo, quale è la Bibbia ed alle controversie che gli studiosi potrebbero sollevare alle sue scoperte riportate nella sua ricerca.
Va anche detto che se la Bibbia è il libro più venduto, è anche quello meno letto, e che, pertanto, pochissime persone avranno voglia di leggerselo insieme ad una discutibile biografia scritta soltanto perché la Bibbia a distanza di millenni continua a vendere in nome sia di Dio che del Diavolo. Un solo Libro, (e che libro!) credo che basti per tutti e due, non vi pare?
Uno scrittore che si cimenta nella stesura di una biografia è sempre il segnale di un lavoro importante, da consultare come documento e, se è il caso, conservare come un modello di riferimento esistenziale.
Magari senza averlo mai letto, si citano fatti riportati in quella vita ritenuta esemplare e degna di essere narrata e testimoniata agli altri. La biografia di cui parliamo riguarda qualcuno che tutti conosciamo, ma non abbiamo mai incontrato.
Almeno io credo di non avere mai incontrato qualcuno che mi abbia detto, o che abbia scritto, di avere conosciuto il Diavolo in persona. La cosa, del resto, riguarda tanto me che tutti gli altri. Devo confessare, comunque, di avere spesso avvertito la sua presenza, se non dentro, almeno intorno a me. Ho avuto come la sensazione di udire la sua voce, vedere il suo volto, in chi mi stava di fronte, a scuola, al bar, all’oratorio, in aereo, a cinema, alla TV e in Parlamento.
A parte, forse, qualche esorcista, nessuno può onestamente dire di averlo incontrato o di averci parlato, di aver preso un caffè insieme.Un personaggio davvero importante, quindi, degno di tutta la nostra attenzione, oltre che della lettera maiuscola. Nelle trecento e più pagine, firmate da un professore emerito dell’università della California e pubblicate dalla Cambridge University Press, si avverte la turbante presenza di questo “signore” delle tenebre che ci accompagna nel cammino della “selva oscura” della nostra vita.
E allora chi è il Diavolo? Bisogna subito dire che chi vuole scrivere una biografia su un personaggio del genere deve affrontare innumerevoli problemi come quelli che deve fronteggiare chi vuole scriverla su Dio. In effetti i due personaggi hanno le stesse caratteristiche. E non consideratemi blasfemo, vi prego. Lasciatemi spiegare.
In effetti sia Dio che il Diavolo non hanno un inizio né una fine. Avete mai sentito parlare dell’infanzia di Dio, della sua fanciullezza, di quando era un signore di mezza età o in età avanzata? Sono sicuro di no. Se è così di Dio è la stessa cosa del Diavolo, con l’aggravante che questo turbolento personaggio si presenta con diversi nomi e quindi gli si possono cucire addosso biografie diverse.
Nelle scritture rabbiniche viene chiamato Sammael; nel Corano è detto Iblis; in vari testi apocalittici lo si incontra col nome di Sataniele. I Testimoni di Geova lo chiamano l’angelo caduto Azaziel e in altri luoghi diventa un gigante dal nome di Mastema. Sono nomi riferiti allo stesso personaggio oppure sono diavoli con nomi diversi come i nomi dati agli dei nella Bibbia?
Satana venne chiamato Lucifero, “stella del mattino” da Origene, un teologo demente del tredicesimo secolo, tanto matto che, a detta dell’autore di questo libro, si castrò in nome di Gesù Cristo. Ma, secondo Henry Angsar Kelly, l’autore della biografia sul Diavolo di cui stiamo parlando, il Satana del Cristianesimo non ha nulla a che vedere col Satana della Bibbia.
Con questa sua ricerca egli si propone di mettere la figura del Diavolo al posto giusto sulla scena biblica. Un compito davvero titanico, che sembra però avere del satanico nel suo intento, se si pensa a quante sono le presenze demoniache nel libro più venduto al mondo, quale è la Bibbia ed alle controversie che gli studiosi potrebbero sollevare alle sue scoperte riportate nella sua ricerca.
Va anche detto che se la Bibbia è il libro più venduto, è anche quello meno letto, e che, pertanto, pochissime persone avranno voglia di leggerselo insieme ad una discutibile biografia scritta soltanto perché la Bibbia a distanza di millenni continua a vendere in nome sia di Dio che del Diavolo. Un solo Libro, (e che libro!) credo che basti per tutti e due, non vi pare?
July 3, 2026
“In the Old Testament, the word ‘satan’ is a common noun meaning ‘adversary,’ translated into Greek as diabolos, ‘devil.’” (2) This term - when applied to an angelic figure - only appears a handful of times in the Old Testament: as a tempter in Job 1-2, and as an accuser in the book of Zechariah 3. By the time of New Testament, various of its authors use this term almost exclusively as a spiritual tempter. St. Paul once or twice uses the term for a being who impedes him (sometimes, as in 2 Corinthians, for his own good). He is called the Prince of Death in Hebrews and Jude.
However, As this book amply demonstrates, there is significant discrepancy between the Satan we meet in Scripture and the mythology that has been handed down. Satan’s fall and his war in heaven are conspicuously absent. Where Adam’s temptation is mentioned, the serpent is not identified with Satan. (Only the author of Revelation calls Satan the ancient serpent.) The title Lucifer refers to the morning star and is exclusively a symbol for Christ. Where the antichrist is mentioned, Satan is not connected with him. Only once in Paul is Satan connected to the worshipping of pagan idols. Nowhere is he depicted as warden of Hell the infernal prison, and nowhere are demons explicitly linked with magic. These are nascent in the New Testament if they are present at all.
After the Apostolic period, the fathers of the church quickly developed a backstory for this Adversary, identifying him with the serpent in Genesis 3, with the morning star (Lucifer) in Isaiah 14 (linking it to Luke 10:18), and with the dragon in the future war prophesied in Revelations 13. Before the creation of the world, Satan, out of pride, initiated a war in heaven leading a host of angels to overthrow God. They were defeated and cast out into Hell. Later, after mankind was created, Satan, out of envy, later tempted mankind as the Serpent. He has continually hindered mankind with temptations, including taking the form of idols, and being the source of magic. Eventually, he would become the warden of Hell.
Insofar as it collects all the references to a ‘satan’ and the traditions about him in one place, it is helpful. As David Bentley Hart notes, the author’s style is annoyingly colloquial, and I could not wait to finish the book.
...
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "satan" is a common noun, meaning "adversary," translated into Greek as diabolos, "devil." However, there is a linguistic peculiarity in each language: both Hebrew and Greek have definite articles, but they mean the opposite thing. In Hebrew, "the satan" designates a common noun, "the adversary" in the sense of "an adversary." But satan by itself, without the article, can either mean "a satan" ("an adversary") or stand as a proper name, "Satan." In Greek, on the contrary, a proper name is signaled by the presence of the definite article: "the diabolos" means either "the devil" (that is, "a devil"), or "Devil," a proper name. It's the same with God: in Greek, ho theos can mean either "the god" or "God." In modern English, we signal the difference by capitalization: "the superman," "a superman," "Superman." In the pages that follow, whenever diabolos is used as the proper name of Satan, I will signal it by small caps: DEVIL. I will not use the definite article: saying "the DEVIL" to refer to Satan is like saying "the God" to refer to "God."
However, As this book amply demonstrates, there is significant discrepancy between the Satan we meet in Scripture and the mythology that has been handed down. Satan’s fall and his war in heaven are conspicuously absent. Where Adam’s temptation is mentioned, the serpent is not identified with Satan. (Only the author of Revelation calls Satan the ancient serpent.) The title Lucifer refers to the morning star and is exclusively a symbol for Christ. Where the antichrist is mentioned, Satan is not connected with him. Only once in Paul is Satan connected to the worshipping of pagan idols. Nowhere is he depicted as warden of Hell the infernal prison, and nowhere are demons explicitly linked with magic. These are nascent in the New Testament if they are present at all.
After the Apostolic period, the fathers of the church quickly developed a backstory for this Adversary, identifying him with the serpent in Genesis 3, with the morning star (Lucifer) in Isaiah 14 (linking it to Luke 10:18), and with the dragon in the future war prophesied in Revelations 13. Before the creation of the world, Satan, out of pride, initiated a war in heaven leading a host of angels to overthrow God. They were defeated and cast out into Hell. Later, after mankind was created, Satan, out of envy, later tempted mankind as the Serpent. He has continually hindered mankind with temptations, including taking the form of idols, and being the source of magic. Eventually, he would become the warden of Hell.
Insofar as it collects all the references to a ‘satan’ and the traditions about him in one place, it is helpful. As David Bentley Hart notes, the author’s style is annoyingly colloquial, and I could not wait to finish the book.
...
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "satan" is a common noun, meaning "adversary," translated into Greek as diabolos, "devil." However, there is a linguistic peculiarity in each language: both Hebrew and Greek have definite articles, but they mean the opposite thing. In Hebrew, "the satan" designates a common noun, "the adversary" in the sense of "an adversary." But satan by itself, without the article, can either mean "a satan" ("an adversary") or stand as a proper name, "Satan." In Greek, on the contrary, a proper name is signaled by the presence of the definite article: "the diabolos" means either "the devil" (that is, "a devil"), or "Devil," a proper name. It's the same with God: in Greek, ho theos can mean either "the god" or "God." In modern English, we signal the difference by capitalization: "the superman," "a superman," "Superman." In the pages that follow, whenever diabolos is used as the proper name of Satan, I will signal it by small caps: DEVIL. I will not use the definite article: saying "the DEVIL" to refer to Satan is like saying "the God" to refer to "God."
September 11, 2011
А вот это реально интересно. Собственно, основную мысль можно (как и в ЛЮБОЙ хорошей книге) изложить в двух словах: Сатана ЦЕЛИКОМ изобретён разноообрзаными соборами в раннем средневековье - и не имеет НИКАКОГО отношения ни к Ветхому, ни к Новому Заветам. Но, разумеется, дьявол кроется в деталях!!))) В общем, я - как заядлый неофит - узнал много нового и поучительного!
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