why is satan portrayed as evil, when "lucifer" translates to "bringer of light"?

Answer 1

Black light not white light.

Answer 2

First of all, Satan wasn't the original name. Look that one up as well, you will find it doesn't have anything to do with the Advesary ( which is the true name used in the Old Testament).

Lucifer is the Advesary, because he is the Angel that betrayed God. While his name is 'The Bringer of Light' He has fallen. He is also called the Evening star- this is because he has fallen as well, and ancient peoples noticed Venus in the night sky, was usually low on the Horizon. Before it was known as a planet, Venus was called the Evening Star.

Answer 3

In ancient Jewish tradition Satan is simply an angel doing the work that God assigned to Satan to do.

The word Satan means challenger. With the idea of Satan challenging us, or tempting if you will. This description sees Satan as the angel who is the embodiment of man's challenges. This idea of Satan works closely with God as an integral part of God plan for us. His job is to make choosing good over evil enough of a challenge so that it becomes clear to us that there can be only one meaningful or logical choice.

Contrast this to Christianity, which sees Satan as God's opponent. In Jewish thought, the idea that there exists anything capable of setting itself up as God's opponent would be considered polytheistic or setting up the devil to be an equally powerful polarity to god or a demigod.

Oddly, proof for The Christian satan/devil mythology is supposedly found in the ancient Jewish texts that were borrowed to create the bible. One can’t help but wonder how Christians came up with such a fantastically different interpretation of Gods assistant Satan in their theology.

Other hints about Satan’s role in human relations can be seen if you look at the name Lucifer. It meaning in the original tongue translates as Light bearer or light bringer. Essentially the bringer of enlightenment. The temptations of the Satan idea bring all of us eventually into Gods light. Hardly the Evil entity of Christian mythology.

Love and blessings
don

Answer 4

"Lucifer was originally a Latin word meaning "light-bearer" (from lux, "light", and ferre, "to bear, bring"), a Roman astrological term for the "Morning Star","


In the fully-developed Christian interpretation, Jerome's Vulgate translation of Isaiah 14:12 has made Lucifer the name of the principal fallen angel, who must lament the loss of his original glory as the morning star. This image at last defines the character of Satan; where the Church Fathers had maintained that lucifer was not the proper name of the Devil, and that it referred rather to the state from which he had fallen; St. Jerome gave it Biblical authority when he transformed it into Satan's proper name.

Answer 5

Because Satan was once an angel named Lucifer and became Satan and the devil as a result of his rebellion to try to take over God's throne in heaven= I think it's Isaiah 14 that speaks of this.

Answer 6

Lucifer was originally one of God's Angels. I believe he even had one of if not the highest of honor in God's eyes. Over time he got greedy and led a revolt with I believe one third of the other angels. Obviously, God won and Lucifer and his fallen angels were cast out. Satan and his minions walk the earth causing all of the pain and misery they can until Jesus comes for His Church. Then they are cast into the depths of Hell.

Answer 7

(l´sĭfr) [Lat.,=light-bearing], in Christian tradition a name for Satan. In the Vulgate, Lucifer served as a translation of the Hebrew epithet meaning "Day Star," a name associated with the presumptuous King of Babylon in the Book of Isaiah. Some early Christian writers found a parallel in the Gospel of St. Luke, where Jesus refers to Satan falling like lightning from heaven. On this basis they identified Isaiah's "Day Star" with Satan and concluded that there was scriptural authority for designating him "light-bearer." In antiquity Lucifer was also the name given Venus as the morning star.

Answer 8

Because Lucifer was once a Pagan god. His name means "Bringer of Light" as well as "Enlightener" but Christians vilified all the deities of other religions when they took over Europe and among the fallen gods was the "Father of Truth" who is now the "Father of Lies".
Oh and if you haven't figured it out, I derive my user name from "Lucifer" and add "Darkness" to make in a sort of oximoron.

Answer 9

Simply because of this: Satan was once an angel. He was,

Isaiah 14:12 (KJV)
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Isaiah 14:13-15 (NIV)

13 You said in your heart,
"I will ascend to heaven;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High."

15 But you are brought down to the grave,
to the depths of the pit.

Satan was once an angel. However, he became jealous of God, so God cast him out of Heaven, into a place He created for the Devil and his angels. "But where do demons come from?" one might ask. When Satan was conspiring against God, he decieved 1/3 of the angels of Heaven. So, when God cast him out, the angels were cast out with him into hell. Hell was made for Satan and his angels, but any who choose to follow him will also end up in that horrible place also--for all eternity. Being "good" doesn't keep one from hell, only the saving grace of Christ Jesus; ask Him to save you, and if you follow HIM, He will, and when either you die or He returns, you will live with Him for all eternity. When one thinks about it, one realizes that eternity
is a LONG time. Where do you want to be? Heaven, rejoicing in God's presence, or hell, burning in a pit of fire, tortured in numerous ways, and utterly miserable? Don't take this as a threat; it is only a friendly warning from one who does not know your spiritual situation, but either way is concered about you. If you were sleeping in a hotel, and there was a fire, I'm sure that you would appreciate it if someong took the time to warn you of it. You would probably forgive them for inconvienincing you by waking you, would you not? This situation is very similiar. I hope this answered your quesion, and God bless!

Answer 10

GOD created SATAN to be a tempter to lead souls astray from the word and laws of GOD.
ST. LUCIFER is a fallen ARCH ANGEL that was supposed to be this planets GUARDIAN ANGEL. But fell from grace through arrogance . thinking HE could do a better job at running creation than the CREATOR.
Also like Prometheus he wanted to bring the gift of fire and light to humanity.

Answer 11

Fine question.
Lucifer is the name of an angel, the one who supposedly revolted against God.
In the early Hebrew tradition (Book of Job), Satan meant "accuser" and was a title for God, sort of like a prosecutor. When the people fell short of the covenant, Satan (God) would bring the charges against the people and argue the case (confusingly) before God. God was both judge and accuser. Satan has juridical significance, but it was only a title
After the Seleucid invasion of Israel in the 3rd century (BCE), the Jews developed a style of leterature called apocalyptic. It's useful for people who are oppressed, because it reassures them that they are favored by God and will triumph over their oppression. Because God could not be evil, the title of Satan was appropriated for the supreme force of evil.