“Satan Made Him Do It!” The Development of a Satan Figure as Social-Theological Diagnostic Strategy from the late Persian Imperial Era to Early Christianity
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Keywords

Satan
Persian dualism
Social-theological diagnostics
1 Chronicles 21
1

How to Cite

Jonker, L. C. (2017). “Satan Made Him Do It!” The Development of a Satan Figure as Social-Theological Diagnostic Strategy from the late Persian Imperial Era to Early Christianity. Old Testament Essays, 30(2), 348–366. Retrieved from https://ote-journal.otwsa-otssa.org.za/index.php/journal/article/view/142

Abstract

The purpose of this article is, first of all, to provide a short overview of the socio-religious development to personalize evil into a Satan figure alongside God. Thereafter, I will provide one biblical example which stands at the beginning of this development, namely 1 Chronicles 21. This text analysis will merely serve as one example to illustrate the relationship between the socio-religious developments in the Second Temple period and biblical textual formation through the reinterpretation of earlier traditions. In a last section, I will reflect on how our awareness of this relationship between socio-religious development and reinterpretation impacts on how Christian theology participates in social-theological diagnostics today.
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