◼ “The Devil is merely a principle of evil” To consider the Devil a mere principle of evil would make some Bible passages almost impossible to understand. For instance, as described at Job 2:3-6, with whom was God having a conversation? Was he possibly speaking to an abstract principle of evil in Job, or was he perhaps even talking to himself? Furthermore, would God be praising the virtues of Job at one moment and allowing Job to be tested by a principle of evil the next? Ascribing such motives to God would amount to making him a perverse Being, not the one “in whom there is no unrighteousness.” (Psalm 92:15) Quite the contrary, God refused to ‘thrust out his hand’ to harm Job. Clearly, the Devil is not a principle of evil or a dark side of God’s personality but a spirit person who made himself God’s Adversary.

“The Ruler of This World” Reveals Himself

Just as a master criminal often takes pride in boasting about his power, so did the Devil when tempting Jesus, the Son of God. After showing Jesus “all the kingdoms” of the world, Satan made him this offer: “I will give you all this authority and the glory of them, because it has been delivered to me, and to whomever I wish I give it. You, therefore, if you do an act of worship before me, it will all be yours.”​—Luke 4:5-7.

If the Devil were merely a principle of evil, as some have suggested, how could that temptation be explained? Was Jesus being tempted by some evil thought or by some inner turmoil that possibly followed his baptism? If so, how could it be said that “there is no sin in him”? (1 John 3:5) Far from denying the Devil’s power over mankind, Jesus actually confirmed it by speaking of him as “the ruler of the world,” describing him as “a murderer” and “a liar.”​—John 14:30; 8:44; The New Jerusalem Bible.