Character Sketch

*Perhaps not my best (or most well-written/well-researched piece*

The Devil/Satan in the Book of Luke

The story of the devil in the gospel of Luke starts with the devil tempting Jesus (Luke 4: 1-13). Jesus had been fasting for forty days when the devil appeared before him. The tempting took place in three different locations: the desert near Jordan, a high place in the wilderness, and the highest point of the temple in Jerusalem. The devil used his gift of words to try and fool Jesus. He pulled out his three biggest deceptive thoughts on Jesus in an attempt to make him sin; yet Jesus never fell for them.

 The devil is knowledgeable as to what the scriptures say and attempts to use that against Jesus (Luke 4: 10). However, where the devil could fool most any human being, he could not fool the Son of God. The devil showed Jesus at one point all the kingdoms of the world from a high place in the wilderness, and told Jesus that if he worshiped the devil, he could have all the world’s kingdoms (Luke 4: 5-7). The devil is also good at discerning when to pick his fights. He came to Jesus after forty days of fasting (Luke 4:1-3) and left to regroup when his tactics had no affect of Jesus (Luke 4: 13).

In the parable of the sower and the seed he is mentioned. It reinforces, in a sense, the devils great decision to start causing trouble. They speak of the those along the path, new Christian believers, and the devil will come take the word from their hearts that they may not believe nor be saved (Luke 8:12). The most fragile section of a new journey in Christ is the beginning when nothing is quite certain yet. The devil recognizes that and takes everything away so that people lose hope, perhaps permanently. He is great at picking and choosing when to attack. He knows when humans are at their weakest and most vulnerable stages.

Satan is an evil being hell-bent on revenge. Jesus replies to those seventy-two he sent out to prepare people for his coming to town. They were in awe that the demons submitted to normal people in the name of Jesus. He then tells them that he saw Satan cast from heaven and all his evil angels (Luke 10:1-20). Satan never wanted to be cast out of heaven; he wanted to be above the Lord. However, that was taken from him and he was cast out, and ended up being substantially lower than he was in the first place. Those it was his greed and envy that caused him to be cast away, he still starves for revenge. He is miserable and wants anyone he can get to feel that misery with him.

The devil’s devious and cunning side is revealed more in depth when Jesus healed a cripple woman on the Sabbath (Luke 13:10-17). The Lord set the lady free from her infirmity; the Lord had done a miracle in front of many onlookers. Then the synagogue rulers attacked him for his work. The devil found a way to manipulate the mind of some of the “most holy people,” and cause them to lash out against the Lord. Although Jesus outwitted them and people delighted in his acts, the words spoken from the hypocritical synagogue rulers could have snuffed the flame in a few individual’s searching for God. In the broad spectrum, people delighted, but the devil was working on hearts just as much as God was. Even to get a mere few to turn from Jesus, the devil is delighted.

Satan was relentless in his attacks and attempts to turn people away from Jesus. On three different occasions recorded in the book of Luke, Jesus had to cast evil spirits out of people. The first was a man possessed by an evil spirit (Luke 4:33-35). The second was also a demon-possessed man (Luke 8:26-37). And lastly, the evil spirit was among a boy (Luke 9:37-42). The devil never rests on his attempts to destroy people. Even if it does not seem as if we are being attacked, some person out in the world is. Satan came into those three individuals knowing that no one had enough faith to cast the spirit out except Jesus. All other people steered clear of those people. Satan is always on the attack hoping to finish us off forever.

The last great act the devil instigated in the gospel of Luke was coming upon Judas (22:3-6). Satan was the spirit that moved Judas to go to the chief priests and deceive the Lord. His attacks on Jesus and Jesus’ character never ended and still have not. He still comes upon people today and attempts to use them to deceive the Lord. The devil thought that he had finally defeated Jesus, but it was only the beginning! He knew the scriptures well enough that he knew what was prophesied. Satan did all he could to keep the prophecy from actually being fulfilled, however in the end, Jesus outdid him. Yet, the devil is not done. The devil still deceives and possess. But Satan is weak and has no authority in the presence of the Lord.