Consider the John Wesley house analogy. Before going up the steps and through the door into the house one should be sure that this is the house into which one wants to go.

English novelist, journalist, merchant (and pamphleteer and spy) Daniel Defoe (1660-1731), known for Robinson Crusoe in 1719, starts his poem The true-born Englishman as follows.
How does this compare with a "vineyard"? How about a "synagogue" of "Satan"?

More: 2 Timothy 3:1-12 Silly women in the she shed

More: Wesley's front porch analogy of grace

More: Moses with horns

English translations are influenced by the Latin word "tempto" ≈ "test, try".

Some people do not believe that the "devil" or "Satan" exist.

Details are left as a future topic.

More: Matthew 4:1-11 Examining evil temptations

The first and second time Jesus uses "go away" in Matthew are in an interesting sense.

• Satan is to "go away".
• You are to "go away" from the "altar".

In both cases, there is distance between the two parties or objects. Is there a deeper connection? Satan's "examination" (temptation) centered on "health", "wealth" and "power".

What are the connections between Satan's "examination" and a "gift" "on" the "altar"?

More: Matthew 5:23-24 Alterated gifts

The ancient Greek word "ὑπάγω" ≈ "bring under, go slowly away" and is, literally, "lead under" and comes from Greek words "ὕπο" ≈ "under" and "ἄγω" ≈ "lead". The usage in the GNT (Greek New Testament) appears to be that of "go away".

More: Matthew 5:23-24 Alterated gifts

The inflection (ending) of the Greek word for "lamp" (verb) ends with the Greek for "sato" which has illusions of "Satan" and the advice in Revelation to "count" this suffix (ending).

More: Revelation: To count on ears

More: Matthew 5:16 Let the light of Jesus shine

The second type of gift appears to fit the "seek" part of "ask", "seek" and "knock".

• Who would give "bad" "gifts" to their "children"?
• Would the religious establishment give "bad" "gifts" to their "children"?

Would the religious establishment, deceptively, do any of the following?

☐ Who would make a "stone" (big piece of "sand", for a building, organization, etc.) look like the "bread" of "life"?
☐ Who would make a "serpent" (Satan. Did God really say? You can be as a god.) look like a "fish" (Christ)?
☐ Who would make a "scorpion" (judgment) look like an "egg" (life)?

More: A scatter-brained approach to the sting of a scorpion

More: Matthew 7:7-10 Ask and seek and knock gifts to children

• "δια" ≈ "through" and "της" ≈ "(of) the".
• "τι" ≈ "what" and "αδης" ≈ "hades, hell".

The Greek phrase "through the" with singular feminine noun appears 71 times in the GNT and 38 times in the LXX (Septuagint). Jesus uses the phrase 2 times, once here and once in the corresponding verses in Luke. The ending of the word has hints of Satan.

More: Matthew 7:13-14 Strait talk about narrow and wide gates

• Good: Enter through the narrow gate ...
• Bad: Enter as a way of life narrow caves/dens ...
• Ugly: Enter what hell fasting annoyance ...

The first word, "εισελθατε" ≈ "enter (you)", 1 time in this form in the GNT, has an ending hint of Satan.

More: Punishment by Spoonerisms: switched consonants

More: Matthew 7:13-14 Strait talk about narrow and wide gates

The ancient Greek word "σατανά" ≈ "Satan" comes from the Semitic and has the connotation of an "adversary" or "opponent". Even Satan is to be "behind" but not "following". Some deny that Satan exists.

• Does Satan prefer "road kill" of those who have strayed from the path?
• How might Satan encourage this?



More: Matthew 12:30-37 Pardon the idle word counting - old

More: Deny the bird denial of yourself

Who is the "thou"? Is it Peter, Satan, someone else, etc. Jesus is speaking.

Which meaning fits the best?

• offend, offended (attacks or annoys or bothers)
• stumbling block (someone else set it up, tripped up)
• ensnare, entrap (verbal or physical, get caught in it)
• misinterpret, misunderstand (verbal, self-deception), misrepresent



More: Pronouns

More: Matthew 11:6: Idiomatic misinterpretations that offend

The idea of "king" or "queen" "Satan" will be a play on words later in the discourse.
Jesus would be referring to the "queen" of "Sheba" in a few verses where using "Sheba" instead of "south" would ruin the play on words.

More: Matthew 12:38-40 Sign sign everywhere a sign

More: Matthew 12:22-28 Kingdoms divided against themselves

More: Matthew 12:41-42 Nineveh and the queen of the south

The words for "Satan" and "kingdom" will appear later in the discourse in an interesting way.
Here, Jesus uses the usual word for "cast out" rather than the word that is a play on words with "oblivion" since, with "Satan" that idea would be implicit in what is said.

[thinking outside the box, limits of computation]

More: Matthew 12:38-40 Sign sign everywhere a sign

More: Matthew 12:22-28 Kingdoms divided against themselves

• "τρεις" ≈ "three" and "δρυς" ≈ "tree".

Many associate "three" with the Holy Trinity (Father/King, Son, Holy Spirit).
Jesus tends to associate "three" with Satan (Mother/Queen, prophet/Anti-Christ, spirit of anti-Christ) and with a "tree" as "δρῦς" ≈ "tree, timber, oak" which is related to the English word "druid".

The first recorded use of the word "Trinity" appears to be by Theophilus of Antioch (or Tertullian) some 150 years after Christ spoke the words recorded in Matthew.

More: Trinitarianism and Modalism

More: Addition: mathematical dimensions of the Trinity

More: Matthew 12:38-40 Sign sign everywhere a sign

Might the "seven" "evil" "spirits" be related to the "seven" play on words of "count sato what" as in "count satan what" in Revelation?

More: Revelation: To count on ears

More: Matthew 12:43-45 One unclean spirit and seven others

• "σατα" ≈ "measures".
• "τρια" ≈ "three".
• "σαταν" ≈ "Satan".

Can you think of ways that these allusions might be "encrypted" in the "wheat" or "meal"?

☐ σατα τρια (sata tria) as "measures three" (as written)
☐ σαταν τρια (Satan tria) as "Satan three"
☐ σαταρίς τρια (sataris tria) as "woman's headdress three"
☐ στατηρα τρια (statira tria) as "temple tax coin three"



More: Matthew 17:24-27 Tacky attacks on a senseless tax

More: Matthew 13:33 KP4 Parable of the leaven

The "kings" of the "earth" and/or the "kingdoms" of the "earth" are controlled by Satan to which Jesus does not take issue in the examination (temptation) of Jesus in Matthew 4.

Since the "temple tax" is being related to the "kings" of the "earth", Jesus appears to be associating the religious establishment with the power of Satan.

Does Jesus ever associate the religious establishment with "fishing" for "men" for the purposes of getting their money, as in a "fish" with a "gold" coin from the mouth?

More: Matthew 4:1-11 Examining evil temptations

More: Matthew 17:24-27 Tacky attacks on a senseless tax

How might this relate to the "child" of the "father" who considered himself "lord"?

Traditional consensus: The "householder" is "God". Creates many issues.

More: Matthew 21:33 Parable of the householder 1

Might they have "paid no attention" because they were "not" "members" of "Satan"?

• "αμελησαντες" ≈ "pay no attention" (as written).
• "α" ≈ "(negating prefix)".
• "μέλη" ≈ "body parts, limbs, members"
• "Σατανᾶς" ≈ "Satan" as a form of "Σᾰτᾰ́ν" ≈ "Satan".

Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars: "It's a trap!".
[Santa Claus and Satan Claus, compared to Kris Kringle or Christ Child]

More: The doctrine of Santa Claus

More: Advent of the doctrine of Santa Claus

More: Matthew 22:1-5 Parable of the wedding feast 1

• "καλεσατε" ≈ "call" (as used).
• "καλέε" ≈ "call" (imperative).
• "Σατᾶν" ≈ "Satan" or "Σᾰτᾰ́ν" ≈ "Satan".

The Greek is that of "as many" "if/when" you "find" them "call" them "into" the "weddings".

How does the play on words compare to what was done by King Jehu in 2 Kings 10?

More: Matthew 22:6-10 Parable of the wedding feast 2

• "καλεσατε" ≈ "call" (as used).
• "καλέε" ≈ "call" (imperative).
• "Σατᾶν" ≈ "Satan" or "Σᾰτᾰ́ν" ≈ "Satan".

The ancient Greek word "καλεσατε" ≈ "call", in this exact form, appears 13 times in the LXX and 1 time in the GNT.

More: 2 Kings 10:16-30 King Jehu and the feast of the false prophets of Baal

The ancient Greek word "ἤθελε" ≈ "care, willing". With the negative, as in this verse, It is not that they did not do it, it is that they did not care or were not willing to do it.

The inflection of the last Greek verb in this verse has a hint of "Satan". [discussion, dis a' cuss you'n]

Jesus has done in other places. This idea appears often in Revelation. The hint here being that of "and you did not care" (hint of Satan).

More: Matthew 23:37-39 Seeing the big house as it is

• "ουκ" ≈ "not" (concrete)
• "ἤθελησατε" ≈ "care, willing"
• "ἤθελε" ≈ "care, willing"
• "σατᾶν" ≈ "Satan".

Discuss: How much theological importance should be placed on a verb tense when that verb tense appears to have been selected to have an associated play on words meaning?

More: Matthew 23:37-39 Seeing the big house as it is

The verse after the "mark" of the "beast" contains the well-known "number" of the "beast". Many who have not read nor studied the Bible have heard of the number "666" and the "mark" of the "beast".

• "ψῆφος" ≈ "pebble, counter, vote" and many variations of meaning having to do with a "vote" where a "pebble" was used to "vote" by placing it in a container, sometimes an oil lamp (without the oil) on a "lamp stand"
• "ψηφίζω" ≈ "calculations (abacus), cast one's vote" and many definition variations having to do with voting.
• "ψηφοποιός" ≈ "rigging the vote" and, literally, "make a pebble".

The word used for "count" often used for "vote" using a "pebble". It is not common and can be a play on words. The Greek word translated as "number" is that of "reckoning" as in "accounting". Might the 666 be a distractor?


Jesus uses similar play on words with Satan in other places.

More: Revelation 13:16-18 The mark of an impressive character

• "ψηφισάτω" ≈ "count" and "τον" ≈ "the" (accusative).
• "ψῆφοι" ≈ "pebble, counter" (plural vocative) and "Σατάν" ≈ "Satan".

This command to "count" "σατω" provided the motivation to "count" "σατω".

• "ψῆφος" ≈ "pebble, counter".
• "ψηφίζω" ≈ "calculations (abacus), cast one's vote".



More: Revelation: To count on ears

• 1-7: Churches: "hear" "sato" "what?" Might these be related to the seven evil spirits that return to the "house" in Matthew 12?
• 9: Bowls: "count" "Satan" (serpent, dragon).



More: Matthew 12:38-40 Sign sign everywhere a sign

More: Revelation: To count on ears

The Greek for "false accusers" is that of an "accuser". The "false" is inferred.

The ancient Greek word "διάβολος" ≈ "accuser" which is, literally, to "throw across" as a calque of the Hebrew "Satan" as "accuser".

Such a person would always be "accusing" the other side of something, perhaps, as a psychological projection, something they are already doing or plan to do.

The ""accuser"" is associated with "wind". Jesus can calm the "wind".

More: An unlawful wind as an air of the spirit

More: Matthew 21:44-46 Winnowing the wheat and chaff to stone-ground powder

More: 2 Timothy 3:1-12 Silly women in the she shed

The author is bold to drop the name of "Satan" many times.

The name "Satan", from the Hebrew (and Greek), has the meaning of the "accuser". Here, Paul is playing the role of an "accuser".

More: 1 Timothy 1:1-20 Style and content issues

Substitution: Even him, whose coming is after the actuality of Satan with all potentiality and signs and lying wonders,

In this case, Satan has "potential" and not absolute "power".

Satan does not have "all" "power". Satan has "all" "potentiality" which appears to be limited by God as to "actuality" or "working".

That "potentiality" may include "bluffing" using "deception" and "signs", etc.

More: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 End game deceptions

The ancient Greek word "οἰκοδεσπότης" ≈ "steward of a house, native ruler" (as in not a foreign ruler) and comes from two words.

• "οἶκος" ≈ "house, household". [OIKOS Yogurt]
• "δεσπότης" ≈ "master, ruler" and is the source, through Latin and French, of the English word "despot" - a ruler with absolute power and who exercises that power in an oppressive (evil) way.

In what sense is Satan a "householder"? Does Satan have a "house"? What might Satan do as a "householder"? Might that "house" be related to the "synagogue" of Satan?
Who is the "strong" man? What is the "house" of the "strong" man?

More: Matthew 12:29 Snatching the raptured goods from the strong man

More: Matthew 24:43 Identity of the householder

More: Matthew 24:43 Identity of the householder

The Greek for "hid" is seldom, if ever, used in a good context in the LXX or GNT. The "many" who are on a "mountain" cannot be "hid".

The Greek word for "covered" and "secret" or "hidden" are related.

The "them" are the religious establishment (i.e., "birds" and "pigs") who have (in the previous verses) attributed the power of Jesus as coming from Satan or Beelzebub.

Discuss: Do modern pastors effectively attribute the power of Jesus to Satan when they preach, not about what Jesus actually says, but the opposite of what Jesus says?

More: Matthew 5:14: Light of the world

More: Matthew 5:13-16 Animal crackers

More: Matthew 10:26-27 The fear deception: focus on friends rather than Jesus

These verses appear to indicate that this discourse is carefully worded to apply to all time and not just this particular mission or to just the House of Israel.

The ancient Greek word "συνέδριον" ≈ "council" as in an "advising body" or "governing body". This is a man-made organization. The word comes from two words and means, literally, "sitting together". This word can be a play on words with "together three" as in the "three" parts of Satan, also represented as "gold", "silver" and "copper".

The ancient Greek word "συναγωγή" ≈ "gathering" as in a "synagogue" and can be a play on words with the three constituent words "together", "lead, bring, go" and "earth".

More: Matthew 10:17-25 What to say about levels of persecution

Satan tells Eve the following.


I heard one pastor say that, each day, we are becoming more and more like "God". Is this not the same argument and reasoning that Satan used with Eve?

What is the difference between the following?

• People should see Jesus in us.
• We should become more and more like God. (The pastor consistently avoided the name of Jesus and, instead, used God).



More: Imitator or impersonator of Christ

More: Clothes and lack of clothes

Walter Wink (1935-2012) was a American theologian and activist and an important port in Progressive Christianity (i.e., advocating views that do not appear to agree with what the Bible and Jesus actually say). He was ordained as a Methodist minister in 1961. To use the "w" sound, one web pages had the title "The weird and wacky wokeness of Walter Wink". Here are some quotes.
If Satan authored an article for publication and the subject was himself, he would do no better job vindicating his evil than Walter Wink has done in tackling the subject. Wink was a twentieth-century theologian who significantly influenced the discussion of spiritual warfare in Protestant liberalism. ... he adopted typical non-evangelical positions such as rejection of biblical inspiration and authority. He supported radical political views and was an early advocate for homosexuality.

https://www.proclaimanddefend.org/2020/04/16/the-weird-and-wacky-wokeness-of-walter-wink/ (as of 2025-04-29)

More: United Methodist vision statement

From the same web page above:

First, he argues that spiritual warfare is primarily social justice. ... Wink also demythologizes Satan and demons. (verses from, say Colossians, on spiritual warfare, are twisted to support this view).
How to describe Wink’s argument? Perhaps the best we can do is this: Imagine reading the Bible but taking every obvious, common-sense interpretation and flipping it upside down. It is not that extreme, but almost. David Powlison refers to it as “imaginative exegesis.”

Wink defends Satan as being God’s servant who occupies a role resembling a prosecuting attorney. ... He argues that by persecuting Job, Satan was actually blessing the world.

More: United Methodist vision statement