pinkvoy

Were there any first century Jewish groups that saw Satan as evil?

In the NT, Paul and Jesus and other Jewish authors saw Satan as pure evil, opposed to God.

In classical Judaism, Satan was seen as a prosecutor or adversary, an angelic servant of God who tested Jews' commitment to YWH.

The Dead Sea Scrolls and Josephus and Philo of Alexandra showed a very diverse array of first century Jewish groups and beliefs. The Dead Sea Scrolls themselves distinguish between the sons of light and sons of darkness.

I am aware, thanks to Elaine Pagels, that the idea of an ultimate evil may have originated in some Jewish groups during the Babylonian Captivity. Some Jews were exposed to Persian Zoroastrianism, which posited a dualism between light and dark, good and evil. These Jews then identified ha Satan (the adversary) with pure evil.

But are there any non-Christian Jewish groups that shared with Christians a belief in Satan as pure evil? Josephus writes of the Pharisees, who obviously did not, and the Sadducee, who also did not (apprarently they did not believe in an afterlife or angels). Did the Essenes see Satan as pure evil?
Zealots were more of a political group than a religious belief. Did Zealots see Satan as pure evil?

Were there a group of Jewish Zoroastrians who identified Old Testament Ha Satan to Pure evil?

How is it that the earliest Christian writings, such as Paul, saw Satan as pure evil, but the Pharisees, Sadducees did not see Satan as such? I am not aware of Philo of Alexandria advocating such a belief.

Josephus also wrote of the common lay Jews. Did they see Satan as pure evil?

Why did early Christians identify Satan with pure evil in opposition to the mainstay Judaism of the time? Why did the idea of Satan as pure evil die out in Judaism (but obviously survive in Christianity).

Toto

The writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls had the idea of Satan as evil. If you think the DSS were written by the Essenes, that would make the Essenes the group you are looking for. But some Jews did seem to believe that Satan was evil.

From a reference in Religioustolerance.org

A History of the Devil (or via: amazon.co.uk) By Gérald Messadié p. 243 (on Google Books

pinkvoy

I thought the Essene DSS have fallen out of favor, and that the DSS were written by Sadducees. Did Philo or Josephus ever attribute Satan as evil to Essenes?

Since some of the DSS do see Satan as evil, and Paul and other early Christians did as well, could early proto-Christians with Teacher of Righteousness and Sons of Light and Sons of Darkness referring to a Christianity (pushing back the age of Christianity a century or so)

Sheshbazzar

Ten Jews will net you at least fifteen different opinions on almost any subject.

In other words the Jewish religion has never been a monolithic bloc, and diversity of personal opinion and conviction was and is a way of life, somewhat the contrary of a willingness (founded in social identity, and the needs of cultural cohesion) -by many, to in spite of those differences of opinions, conform their lives to a set of identifiably 'Jewish' ancient practices.

Judaism is perhaps the only religion where its followers and participants can be, can become, or can remain as atheists.
Participation in one's Jewish culture and community is encouraged irregardless of ones personal opinions on the value of the beliefs or the practices of the religion.
Of course those who are devout believers will attempt to 'guide' their fellow Jews into belief. But the general understanding is that a Jew is still a Jew no matter how backslid-den, or non-believing they might be at the time.
An atheist Jew is therefore always welcome, as there is hope that tomorrow they will no longer be atheistic.
As long as he lives, the prodigal son can always return to the open arms of his people.

For any Jew, even for an Atheist with a capital A, the invitation is; Join the Synagogue near you.

Toto

It's still the majority view, but the question is not settled. But some Jews wrote the DSS.

The picture of the Essenes from Philo or Josephus is not exactly in line with what you read in the DSS.

People have tried to make these connections. See Jesus: One Hundred Years Before Christ (or via: amazon.co.uk) by Alvar Ellegard, or read Peter Kirby's summary.

neilgodfrey

The Book of Enoch and Testaments of Dan and Levi speak of Satan as evil, at least if one equates Azazel with Satan in the Book of Enoch. I have written up the citations here and here.)

Solo

I am not sure that Paul thought of Satan as the epitome of pure evil in an unreconcilable form of dualism. Other than Rom 16:20 (which may not be original Paul), he seems to have assigned to Satan the classical role of tester and tempter. 2 Cr 12:9 seems to understand and accept this role. 1 Cr 5:5 does not see the power of Satan extending to the "spirit" of a man.

Best,
Jiri

Toto

Robert M. Price discusses this issue in his Biblegeek podcast for Oct 30, 2011.

It's not up on his homepage yet, but can be accessed through the ustream link.

The first question asks about demons, in honor of Halloween - whether the demons are fallen angels, as in Milton's Paradise Lost, and whether these demons would make sense to readers in the first century.

mountainman

Whoever wrote the letters of "John" mentions the antichrist as the deceiver. Satan was obviously looking around the world to find just the kind of person who would "confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh.". According to "John" many evil satanic and antichristian deceivers had entered the world, and surrounded him on all sides. Like the graphic scenes out of "The Ghostbusters", it may have been exciting times to be an intrepid Apostle weilding True Power over Satan, the Antichrists, the hordes of demons!