Satan (or Shaetan, if you prefer) is described by Jesus as a liar. “He … does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8: 44)
We can think of the serpent’s lie in Genesis 3: 4, “You will not die…”. [Job] will curse you to your face,” the Accuser (in Hebrew, hasatan; in Greek, diabolos) tells God (1: 11, 2: 4). “The accuser” appears again in Zechariah 3:1–7, as a kind of judge. Satan “accuses” Jesus in the temptation story relayed by Matthew and Luke. “If you are the Son of God,” do this or that, implying that Jesus is not. This plays on Jesus’ self-examination in the desert. Ultimately, Satan’s goal is to tempt Jesus to worship him.
Think about that. What would it have meant if, in fact, Jesus accepted all the material wealth and power of Earth if in fact Satan could deliver—another lie) in exchange for worshipping that thing? He would have been exposed to God and to himself as a fraud—no son of God at all.
You know how that story turns out, however.
Jesus even calls Peter “Satan” after he denies that Jesus will die (Matt. 16: 23; Mark 8: 33). Satan “enters into Judas” the apostle, to turn him against Jesus (more accusing—see Luke 22: 2–4). In John, Jesus calls him “the ruler of this world” (literally “of…
