Friday, 23 February 2024

Is it true that the Jewish view of Satan is different from Christians? Jews do not see Satan as a rebelling angel but an angel doing God's work.

Yes, that's correct. In Judaism, the figure commonly referred to as Satan or the "adversary" (Ha-Satan in Hebrew) is not typically viewed as a fallen or rebelling angel in the same way as in some Christian traditions. Instead, Satan is often understood as an angelic being who acts as a sort of prosecutor or tester, carrying out tasks assigned to him by God.

In Jewish theology, Satan's role is more akin to that of an adversary in a legal or judicial sense. He may challenge individuals or humanity as a whole, testing their faithfulness to God or serving as an agent of divine judgment. However, Satan does not possess the same level of autonomy or opposition to God as portrayed in some Christian interpretations.

In the Hebrew Bible, Satan appears in various roles, such as in the Book of Job, where he challenges Job's righteousness at God's permission, or in Zechariah 3, where he serves as an accuser in a heavenly court scene. In these instances, Satan is acting within the framework of God's divine plan and is ultimately subordinate to God's authority.

It's important to note that interpretations of Satan and other theological concepts can vary within Judaism, just as they do within Christianity. However, the general understanding of Satan in Jewish tradition tends to emphasize his role as an obedient servant of God rather than a rebellious adversary.

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