The Name of "Satan" pt.2

Saturn, the sixth planet from the sun, was also a legendary being in Roman mythology. Saturn was originally the Roman name of the Greek god, Khronus, or Chronos. To the Greeks he represented the image of an old bearded man. His name, Chronos, actually is translated as "time". (Chronos, from whence we get the word, chronicle) This being was named "Father Time" by the Greeks for its slow orbit in the sky, being the planet which took the longest to make it's orbit.(19)

Chronos, in legend, was a god who fell in league with Gaea, who wished to overthrow Uranus's rule of the titans. Chronous was offered rule of the world by Gaea, but was punished for acting on his own desire. Uranus, cursed him so that his children would suffer punishment for his rebellion.(20)

Because of this curse, Chronos spent eternity devouring his own children to prevent the curse from coming true. This story had much to do with the shaping of Satan's destiny as a devourer of souls at the gates of Hell. In medieval times, there were many biblical artworks depicting a demon swallowing human souls at the gates of Hell.

The legend of Chronus, and the Greek Hades can be comparatively referenced with the Christian description of the place called Hell. The Greek underworld was known as Hades, a place of limbo four souls of those who died, who waited to be judged, similar to the Christian concept of Purgatory. Purgatory is the place in hell where souls reside until the final judgment. Deeper into Hades, is what as known as Tartarus, which later became symbolic within Christian mythos as the "Lake of Fire", a place of eternal torture and punishment for the wicked.(21)

The conquests of Alexander the Great spread the Greek culture, into non-Greek areas of the world. This was the rise of an age called Hellenism, and this made its way into the Middle East and far into Asia. After Alexanders death in 323 BC,(22) the influence of Greek civilization continued to expand over the Mediterranean world and West Asia.

Satan, Hades, and Hell

In these times, the act of idol worship and sacrifice, both human and animal, were commonplace to pagan peoples. In the Hellinistic-Greek versions of the Bible, a place famous for sacrifice, "Hades" is renamed into the Hebrew word, "Sheol." However, sheol was not a place created from Hebrew mythology. Sheol, was in fact, a place outside of the city limits of Jerusalem where the garbage was burned daily. In the new testament, this place was also called Ghenna, in the Valley of Hinnom.

In this valley, once resided the ancient cult of Moloch, whose traditions are found as early as the 3rd millenium BC. This cult, performed human sacrifices of children to appease their pagan god. This is similar to the method of Chronus's tale of devouring his children. Moloch, was a giant statue-like idol that was in the form of a bull, was a giant metal machine, hollowed out and filled with fire. The human sacrifices were placed in the hands of the god, and raised to the mouth, where they fell into the fire.(23)

The Mighty god Moloch

A quote from the bible describes the cult of Moloch. 2 Kings 23.10: "And he defiled the Tophet, which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter pass through the fire." (24) Moloch Chronus, and Saturn were three deities that, in their time, and during the cult worship of these beings, their religious practice demanded the sacrifice of children. In the Roman pagan cult of Saturn, children were placed in huge metal pots, and were passed through a very hot, roaring fire.(25)

The etymology of the word molech has been traced back to a pre-pagan, Phonecian god, Melek or malik. It has been translated as a descriptive term meaning "To pass through the fire". (26) This is similar to the Christian ideas of purgatory and Hell, a gathering place for souls in the underworld. The legends of these three human sacrificing gods, became a Hebrew and Christian parable for the medieval depiction of the three headed demon gathering the souls of damnation into the mouth of Hell.

Ideas of Hell, and eternal punishment in the afterlife, had been developed from these ancient ideas. These symbolism, and similarities are what helped to shape the middle-age ideals of hell, showing images of a mouth swallowing souls into hell. This image is often referred to as the "Mouth of Hell". Most most of Christianity adheres to these ideas of eternal punishment, even to this modern day.

Satan of Sabea

The god of the ancient Sabeans, in the age of the 5th through the 9th Ct.BCE, the god named Shemal was perhaps the earliest prototype for the name of the Jewish spiritual being named Samael. The meaning of the name "shemal" has been interpreted as, "he who lets his arrows fly". This god, who was worshipped by the ancient Sabeans, was represented in legend as the lord and genii of the demons. Some of his rituals included feasting and smelling of roses during the festivals.

On one of their holidays the god was honored by the gathering of the twelve priests who shot their burning arrows to the north in unison. For them, it was a magic ritual to prevent sickness and illness. The Sabeans also practiced a form of human sacrifice by making a cake from the flesh of a newborn baby, and partaking of it at the festivals. In early, 11th century Jewish rabbinical literature,the Qabalah (27) and in the book called the Zohar, written in the 13th century AD., this god is often referred to as Shemael.(28) From this origin, The Jewish Qabalah tradition translated and interpreted into the name Samael. In Rabbinical literature, the name Samael means "venom of god", and he is portrayed as an angel, or administrator of death. Later on,when the book of Enoch(29) was discovered in the 2nd century BC, the name Samael is related with a being known as Shemal.

Hundreds of years later, within in the book named the Heptameron, written in 1588 (30)however, the name Santanail is used, claiming that this is the true (angelic)name of Samael.(31) The name, Santanail is very similar to the word "Satan", and upon observation seems very similar in sound and form.

Information about Samael's origins are also hidden in the works of the Bible that are not generally made public. These writings, named "apocryphal" books of the Bible, were not accepted by the church for public consumption. In the apocryphal writings of the Jewish prophet John (32) found in a jar in December 1945 in the desert, the information about comparisons between Samael, and pagan gods are numerous. In these collections of works, known as the Nag Hamadi library,John gives a description of Samael as "the blind god", and connects this name to Yaldaboth and Saklas, a name given to the Demiurge.(33) He describes this being as a lion faced-serpent. The origins of these beings, and the Demiurge come from ancient Greece, and these legends have been compared to the works of the Bible by Gnostics.

The Satan of Egypt, Set

Set was a mighty god of the Egyptian desert, and was worshiped as far back as recorded Egyptian history. Set was also worshiped by the Greeks who had called him Seth. Being a very powerful desert god, he was often identified with the regions other storm deities. For many centuries, he reigned the region of Lower Egypt. Set was a sun god of pre-dynastic Egypt, but in time his image came to reflect something quite different.(34) Set was a strange creature, being composed of several different parts that combined to create one strange looking animal. He had the body of a jackal, the snout of an aardvark. He is also represented in art with the head of a crocodile and falcon.

In time, he fell out of worship and favor, and Set was embodied as a god representing the enemy, and enemy foreigners. Some of the names for Set was "Set-anup", or "Set-aun". His cult was known as the "Set-Hen", and some may think that it is also likely that the name of Satan could have resulted from this pagan Egyptian source. (35)

Satan in the Middle-ages

Puck, an old English, pagan being from pre-Christian times, was seen as a trixter and a mischievous sort of spirit. Puck, also known as Robin Goodfellow, was most legendary for performing duties for those who he fell in favor with.(36) A being similar to Pan, Puck was also known as a woodland creature who would lead people astray in the forests with music and ethereal lights.

There were many spirits with similar origins and names, such as the the puca, (Germanic, putz) and in Sweden, Pocker who was known as the pre-Christian "devil" in pagan Europe. Conversion of the Germanic culture to Christianity began as early as the 4th cent. AD, but it took many centuries for the new religion to spread throughout the northern lands of Europe. (37)Another well known pagan trixter god, is the Norse legend of Loki. His tales come from the writings of the Old Norse manuscripts, believed to be from the 12th century AD.(38). He is the Norse god of mischief and trouble. He delighted in interfering with the business of the gods, tricking and beguiling them for his own amusement. He tricked the gods, and acted as a friend to man to gain what he wanted. In some tales, he takes on a dual nature of acting by trickery, and then acting out of an evil nature.

In comparison to other pagan beliefs, there are several tales about this god who delights in trickery, the character known as Loki can be compared to Hermes, who continuously tricked Apollo. Hermes, the Greek god in popular literature is parallel in concept to the Satyr Pan, who was also known as a trickster god. Some have related Loki to Saturn and chronus, for his chaotic nature, calling him Saeter.(39)This name and this archetype are unique to the image of "Satan".

Satan's many non-Christian historical references

In conclusion, the history of the name of Satan, and the concepts of the afterlife and punishment, evil and Hell, are not originally a Christian creation. The many concept of Satan, and the definitions of his name have been linked to European, African, Asian, Greek, Indian, and even the Middle East origins. It is my belief that the names and stories of Satan were developed from many sources. It is an archetype, representing that which is not understood, or that which is feared, and many paths of spirituality have added their own dimension to its meaning. The name or, concept of "Satan" still survives today and will survive as long as man seeks to know its meaning.

Refrences:

1. 1. Torah 2005 Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/J/Judaism.asp "It was after the Babylonian captivity (not later than the 5th cent. BC) that a compilation of earlier texts and oral traditions was made, forming the canon of the Torah, the Five Books of Moses Subsequently 34 other books were added to form the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament , though the canon was not finalized until perhaps as late as the 2d cent."
   
   
2. 2. Age of Zoroastrianism Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/Z/Zoroaste.asp "[Zoroaster] , c.628 BC-c.551"
   
   
3. 3. Zoroaster Pantheon.org http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/angra_mainyu.html
   
   
4. 4. The Islamic Satan, Iblis Brittanica.com http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9067083
   
   
5. 5. Shaytans http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9067083 ..In the stories of Solomon, the Shaytans seem to be no more than particularly knowledgeable jinn.
   
   
6. 6. The Age of Solomon Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/S/Solomon.asp "[Solomon] c.930 BC"
   
   
7. 7. Jainism (Origins of)Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/J/Jainism.asp.
   
   
8. 8. Satan-Ikas http://www.viewzone.com/origins44.html Unverified, historically. This article seems to be the only refrence.Interesting.
   
   
9. 9. Old Testament 2005 Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/O/OldTesta.asp)) "[Old Testament] Christian name for the Hebrew Bible, which serves as the first division of the Christian Bible
   
   
10. 10. New Testament http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_testament
    
    
11. 11. Greek New Testament http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_testament
    
    
12. 12. Ancient Greece (Greek religion is thought to date from about the period of the Aryan invasions of the 2d millennium BC http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/G/Greekrel.asp))
    
    
13. 13. From Brittanica.com, shaitan Shaitan http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9067083 They functioned as familiars, or Greek demons, providing inspiration for soothsayers and poets.Not Confirmed
    
    
14. 14. From Wikipedia, Demon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demon In Ancient Greek,"demon" meant "spirit" or "higher self",
    
    
15. 15. satyr Myths of greece and rome h.a. Guerber p.426
    
    
16. 16. Pan Myths of greece and rome h.a. Guerber P.300
    
    
17. 17.The age of Arcadia http://www.bartleby.com/65/ep/Epaminon.html 362 B.C
    
    
18. 18. Sh'lrlm Isaiah 13:21 and 34:14
    
    
19. 19. Diabolus : http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9030155 (from Greek diabolos, "slanderer," or "accuser"), However, the Hebrew is itself derived from the Greek aitia - "an accusation" - qv. Aeschylus: aitiau ekho. In Greek of the classical period aitia and diabole were often used for the same thing, particularly when a 'bad' or 'false' sense was required.
    
    
20. 20. Saturn's orbit in Greek Mythology orbit.http://www.pantheon.org/articles/c/cronus.html The name may derive from the classic Greek verb kreno, which means 'to exercise sway', 'to reign over', 'to govern'.
    
    
21. 21. Uranus and Gaea H.A. Guerber P.18 Uranus and Gaea angry beyond expression, Gaea swore revenge...none were couragous enough to carry out her plans except Chronus.
    
    
22. 22. Hades and Hell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell
    
    
23. 23. Alexander the Great http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander#Death
    
    
24. 24. Age of Moloch Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/M/Molech.asp. "He is attested as early as the 3d millennium BC"
    
    
25. 25. KJV Bible 2 Kings 23.10. Refering to the sacrifice of Moloch
    
    
26. 26. Unverified [legend, perhaps not history]
    
    
27. 27. Moloch, (etymology of) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moloch
    
    
28. 28. The Qabalah Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/k/kabbalah.asp
    
    
29. 29. Shemal http://bopedia.com/en/wikipedia/s/sh/shemal.html
    
    
30. 30. Book of Enoch http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_enoch
    
    
31. 31. Heptameron Marguerite of Navarre, Written in 1558 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heptameron
    
    
32. 32. Santanael http://www.hermetic.com/enochia/ces-I-5.html Later on in history, samael appears, as "santanael" in enochian literature as the angel of death
    
    
33. 33. John the Baptist Encyclopedia.com [John the Baptist, Saint] AD 28-AD 30 http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/J/JohnBaptSt.asp
    
    
34. 34. Nag Hamadi library Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nag_Hamadi
    
    
35. 35. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samael In the Apocryphon of John, found in the Nag Hammadi library, Samael is the third name of the evil demiurge, whose other names are Yaldabaoth and Saklas.
36. 36. Pre-dynastic Egypt http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/S/Set.asp
    
    
37. 37. Satan and Set:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Set_(mythology)
    
    
38. 38. The Legend of Puck: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puck_%28mythology%29
    
    
39. 39. Pre-Christian Europe Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/G/GermancRe.asp
    
    
40. 40. 11th century Norse Manuscript Encyclopedia.com http://www.encyclopedia.com/html/N/Norse.asp The earliest extant Old Norse manuscripts in the Roman alphabet are from the 12th cent.
    
    
41. 41. Satan and Loki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki