In the story in Matthew, when Satan tempts Jesus to fall down and worship him in exchange for riches, is Satan a spirit or a physical being?
2007-06-28 17:37:32 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes, Satan is a fallen angel and therefore is a spiritual being, but remember that angels can and do appear in the form of men.
2007-06-28 18:11:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Satan would have been a spirit. The Bible tells us that back in the days before Noah (and during Noah's day), the angels saw that the daughters of the land were beautiful, so they came down and had children with them (the Nephilim). When the Flood came, these angels (no longer serving God), were forced to return to heaven. After that, God made it so they could not materialize as humans again.
2007-06-29 01:08:01 · answer #2 · answered by ♥Catherine♥ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jesus spoke to Satan. So Satan would have minifested in some form, probably enough for Jesus to see. But we do not know if Jesus COULD HAVE SEEN SPIRITUAL BEINGS, LIKE DEMONS.
In the story where Jesus expunged the demons from the man/men, and had them go into a herd of pigs, we DO NOT KNOW if Jesus could see them. One thing the scripture does prove is that even the demons knew that Jesus IS God's son, and not just another prophet.
(Matthew 8:29) And, look! they screamed, saying: “What have we to do with you, Son of God? Did you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
(Luke 8:28-30) At the sight of Jesus he cried aloud and fell down before him, and with a loud voice he said: “What have I to do with you, Jesus Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29Â (For he had been ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For over a long time it had held him fast, and he was repeatedly bound with chains and fetters under guard, but he would burst the bonds and be driven by the demon into the lonely places.) 30Â Jesus asked him: “What is your name?” He said: “Legion,” because many demons had entered into him.
2007-06-29 01:19:23 · answer #3 · answered by pugjw9896 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Satan is a spirit being, a former angel of God.
"Now it came to be the day when the sons of the true God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and even Satan proceeded to enter right among them." Job 1:6
2007-06-29 01:02:46 · answer #4 · answered by rdb_tigers101 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
As all power was available to Christ , this story serves as an allegory to show the options available to him for spreading his message. The satan figure represents the way of the world. Whether it is literally true or not is irrelevant because it is the message of the story that is important to get. To focus on its literalness is to trivialize the concept. The point of the story is to show the subtlety of the matter and the respect shown to humanity in this manner.
He obviously chose the hard way to go, which is also the epitome of courtesy -- one heart at a time -- without the glitter, fanfare, and fireworks that would convince even a stone. His chosen way respectfully puts people in charge of their own spiritual growth process, puts them in the position of having to look inside their hearts and see with a spiritual eye, hear with a spiritual ear, and decide with their own mind whether his message was real or not. This loving courtesy allows a person to show purity of heart and motive, which in doing elevates the person to a level higher than s/he was before.
2007-06-29 00:56:53 · answer #5 · answered by jaicee 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the Absolute realm Satan does not exist. There is only God and God is Love. Here, in the world of duality Satan exist only n the mind. It is the negative aspect of ourselves. So, he is neither a spirit or a physical being.
2007-06-29 02:15:18 · answer #6 · answered by batangpinoy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could have been either one. The Bible isn't very specific on that. Satan can be anything, a voice, a spirit, a physical being.
2007-06-29 00:40:45 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Satan used a serpant to communicate with Eve at the beginning of the human history. Jesus being son of God, his ability to communicate with spirit being is beyound human capacity.
Or in other words, Satan could communicate with the son of God in the same way he could communicate with another spirit in the heaven.
2007-06-29 00:57:46 · answer #8 · answered by Keith 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dear No Spin Zone,
The Bible describes Satan in the book of Ezekiel and Revelation-- he is a fallen angel and therefore a created being.
Hope that helps. Kindly,
Nickster
2007-06-29 01:12:42 · answer #9 · answered by Nickster 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Satan never got a physical body because he was not born.
While it does not say, he is a spirit, reasoning I just stated.
2007-06-29 00:42:56 · answer #10 · answered by . 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋