The Devil as a Murderer in Scripture and Tradition
The New Testament identifies the devil as "a murderer from the beginning" in John 8:44, where Jesus confronts religious leaders who seek his death. This designation appears in a context of moral genealogy: those who pursue murderous intent reveal their spiritual parentage. The Greek term diabolos means "slanderer" or "accuser," one who distorts truth to destroy [4], and the epithet "murderer" (anthrōpoktonos) links Satan's character to the destruction of human life from the earliest moments of biblical history.
The Primordial Murder
Commentators trace this murderous identity to Genesis 3, where the serpent's deception led to the fall and introduced death into human experience. Matthew Henry identifies the tempter as "the devil, in the shape and likeness of a serpent," describing Satan as "a malignant spirit, by creation an angel of light" who became "an apostate from his first state and a rebel against God's crown and dignity" [6]. The murder was not physical violence against Adam and Eve but the spiritual homicide of bringing death through sin. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes that the reference in John 8:44 is "not to Cain" but to this original act of destruction [5], though Cain's fratricide becomes the first human echo of Satan's murderous nature.
The connection between serpent and devil receives explicit confirmation in Revelation 12:9, which calls Satan "that old serpent," with both Greek (diabolos) and Hebrew (Satan) titles marking "the twofold objects of his accusations and temptations, the elect Gentiles and the elect Jews" [7]. Isaiah 27:1 employs the imagery of Leviathan—"the piercing serpent" and "crooked serpent"—which Israel adapted "to refer to evil powers that oppose God," with Leviathan's death symbolizing "the end of evil, Satan, the demonic, and the dominion of forces hostile to God" [9].
Power Over Death
Hebrews 2:14 attributes to the devil "the power of death," stating that Christ took on flesh and blood "that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil" [3]. This power is not absolute sovereignty—God alone holds ultimate authority over life and death—but rather the devil's role as the one who introduced death's reign through temptation and continues to wield death as a weapon of spiritual destruction. The devil's titles catalog this destructive work: "Abaddon" and "Apollyon" (both meaning "destroyer"), "angel of the bottomless pit," and "adversary" [2].
Murderous Agency in Possession and Accusation
The Gospels present demons—spiritual beings under Satan's dominion—as agents of destruction who afflict humanity with disease and "spiritual pollution" [1]. These entities "believe" in God's power and "tremble," recognizing Jesus as "the Son of God" while opposing his work [1]. In Mark's Gospel, demons cause "disease" and "self-destructive behavior," with one commentary noting they "consistently testify" to Jesus' identity even as they resist his authority to "interfere with and destroy evil" [8].
The devil's murderous work extends beyond physical destruction to accusation. Revelation 12:10 calls him "the accuser of the brethren," one who slanders "man to God" by imputing "selfish motives," as illustrated in Job 1:9-10 [4]. This accusatory function seeks the spiritual death of believers through condemnation, a work refuted by "the self-sacrifice of those 'who loved not their own lives unto death'" [4].
Objective Personality
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown emphasizes that Jesus' statement in John 8:44 constitutes "one of the most decisive testimonies to the objective (outward) personality of the devil," making it "quite impossible to suppose an accommodation to Jewish views, or a metaphorical form of speech, in so solemn an assertion" [5]. The devil's murderous nature is not symbolic abstraction but the character of a personal adversary whose "impure, malignant, ungodly propensities" [5] drive a campaign against human life that began in Eden and continues until his final defeat.
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Demon — In the Gospels generally, in (James 2:19) and in Reve 16:14 The demons are spoken of as spiritual beings, at enmity with God, and having power to afflict man not only with disease, but, as is marked by the frequent epithet "un-clean," with spiritual pollution also. They "believe" the power of God "and tremble," (James 2:19) they recognized the Lord as the Son of God, (Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:41) and acknowledged the power of his name, used in exorcism. In the place of the name of Jehovah, by his appointed messengers, (Acts 19:15) and looked forward in terror to t”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Titles and Names of the Devil — Abaddon -- Re 9:11. Accuser of our brethren -- Re 12:10. Adversary -- 1Pe 5:8. Angel of the bottomless pit -- Re 9:11. Apollyon -- Re 9:11. Beelzebub -- Mt 12:24. Belial -- 2Co 6:15. Crooked serpent -- Isa 27:1. Dragon -- Isa 27:1; Re 20:2. Enemy -- Mt 13:39. Evil spirit -- 1Sa 16:14. Father of lies -- Joh 8:44. Great red dragon -- Re 12:3. Leviathan -- Isa 27:1. Liar -- Joh 8:44. Lying spirit -- 1Ki 22:22. Murderer -- Joh 8:44. Old serpent -- Re 12:9; 20:2. Piercing serpent -- Isa 27:1. Power of darkness -- Col 1:13. Prince of this wo”
- King James Version “[KJV] Hebrews 2:14 — Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Devil — (slanderer). The name describes Satan as slandering God to man and man to God. The former work is of course, a part of his great work of temptation to evil and is not only exemplified but illustrated as to its general nature and tendency by the narrative of Gen. 3. The other work, the slandering or accusing men before God, is the imputation of selfish motives, (Job 1:9,10) and its refutation is placed in the self-sacrifice of those "who loved not their own lives unto death." [[430]Satan; [431]Demon]”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 8:44: Ye are of your father the devil--"This is one of the most decisive testimonies to the objective (outward) personality of the devil. It is quite impossible to suppose an accommodation to Jewish views, or a metaphorical form of speech, in so solemn an assertion as this" [ALFORD]. the lusts of your father--his impure, malignant, ungodly propensities, inclinations, desires. ye will do--are willing to do; not of any blind necessity of nature, but of pure natural inclination. He was a murderer from the beginning--The reference is not to Cain (as LOCKE, D”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 3:1: We have here an account of the temptation with which Satan assaulted our first parents, to draw them into sin, and which proved fatal to them. Here observe, I. The tempter, and that was the devil, in the shape and likeness of a serpent. 1. It is certain it was the devil that beguiled Eve. The devil and Satan is the old serpent (Rev 12:9), a malignant spirit, by creation an angel of light and an immediate attendant upon God's throne, but by sin become an apostate from his first state and a rebel against God's crown and dignity. Multitudes of the angels fell; but th”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 12:9: that old serpent--alluding to Gen 3:1, Gen 3:4. Devil--the Greek, for "accuser," or "slanderer." Satan--the Hebrew for "adversary," especially in a court of justice. The twofold designation, Greek and Hebrew, marks the twofold objects of his accusations and temptations, the elect Gentiles and the elect Jews. world--Greek, "habitable world."”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 1:23: 1:23-24 The demon spoke through the man who was possessed by an evil spirit (1:24). Demons frequently cause disease (9:17, 27; Matt 17:15) and self-destructive behavior (Mark 1:26; 5:2-5; 9:17-18, 20-22). Demons know who Jesus is (1:34); they consistently testify that he is the Holy One of God (see 3:11; 5:7). • In saying us, the evil spirit spoke on behalf of all demons. It recognized Jesus’ complete authority and understood that he had come to interfere with and destroy evil.”
- Isaiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Isaiah 27:1: 27:1 Israel adapted the imagery of Leviathan to refer to evil powers that oppose God. Leviathan’s death symbolizes the end of evil, Satan, the demonic, and the dominion of forces hostile to God (see 51:9; Pss 74:14; 104:7-9, 26; see also the serpent in Gen 3; Rev 12; 13; 16:13; 20:2, 10).”