Abstract
'Is the devil on the loose?' New Testament perspectives on the struggle between Christ and Satan A brief summary of the views of Jesus, Paul and John regarding the struggle between Christ and Satan is first presented. This is followed by a discussion of the position of the followers of Jesus in this “eschatological” battle. Apart from modern theological epistemologies that interpret early Christian views regarding the struggle between Christ and Satan in terms of a primitive, mythical worldview, the metaphysical worldview of the New Testament is taken seriously in this article. It is argued that both God’s metaphysical involvement in history, as well as the reality of evil, must be taken into consideration if modern believing communities still want to lay claim to legitimately being part of the apostolic tradition. This, however, does not call for any fixation on evil in its various manifestations, but for a constant awareness of Christ’s eschatological victory over all opposing forces.
Highlights
There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about devils
Apart from modern theological epistemologies that interpret early Christian views regarding the struggle between Christ and Satan in terms of a primitive, mythical worldview, the metaphysical worldview of the New Testament is taken seriously in this article
Vir Nel (1987:13) vereis “die konflikterende getuiensis oor die Bose in die Ou Testament en die voorChristelike Judaïsme(s)” byvoorbeeld dat individue nie in die bestaan van Satan hoef te glo nie
Summary
As dit aan die een kant waar is dat die duiwel binne intellektuele Westerse kringe min of meer van die toneel verwyder is, is dit aan die ander kant waar dat daar tans in kerklike kringe ’n “nuwe belangstelling” in die Satan is. Hierdie belangstelling in die Bose is ’n indirekte gevolg van die sogenaamde postmodernistiese tydsgees waarin ons tans verkeer wat onder andere as ’n protes teen die outoritarisme en vaste sekerhede van die modernisme ontwikkel het Andersyds is hierdie belangstelling in die duiwel ’n teenreaksie teen die twintigste-eeuse stilswye oor hom binne intellektuele en kerklike kringe. It is spiritually unhealthy to dwell upon the idea of the Devil in any way that lessens one’s attention to grace. In the late twentieth century the Devil seems to be receiving too little attention than too much
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