Bible Dictionaries
Satan

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

a Greek form derived from the Aramaic (Heb., Satan), "an adversary," is used (a) of an angel of Jehovah in Numbers 22:22 (the first occurrence of the Word in the OT); (b) of men, e.g., 1 Samuel 29:4; Psalm 38:20; 71:13; four in Psalm 109; (c) of "Satan," the Devil, some seventeen or eighteen times in the OT; in Zechariah 3:1 , where the name receives its interpretation, "to be (his) adversary," RV (see marg.; AV, "to resist him").

In the NT the word is always used of "Satan," the adversary (a) of God and Christ, e.g., Matthew 4:10; 12:26; Mark 1:13; 3:23,26; 4:15; Luke 4:8 (in some mss.); 11:18; 22:3; John 13:27; (b) of His people, e.g., Luke 22:31; Acts 5:3; Romans 16:20; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 7:5; 2 Corinthians 2:11; 11:14; 12:7; 1 Thessalonians 2:18; 1 Timothy 1:20; 5:15; Revelation 2:9,13 (twice),24; 3:9; (c) of mankind, Luke 13:16; Acts 26:18; 2 Thessalonians 2:9; Revelation 12:9; 20:7 . His doom, sealed at the Cross is foretold in its stages in Luke 10:18; Revelation 20:2,10 . Believers are assured of victory over him, Romans 16:20 .

The appellation was given by the Lord to Peter, as a "Satan-like" man, on the occasion when he endeavored to dissuade Him from death, Matthew 16:23; Mark 8:33 .

"Satan" is not simply the personification of evil influences in the heart, for he tempted Christ, in whose heart no evil thought could ever have arisen (John 14:30,2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15 ); moreover his personality is asserted in both the OT and the NT, and especially in the latter, whereas if the OT language was intended to be figurative, the NT would have made this evident. See DEVIL.