<\/p>
In her monograph on magic and the demonic in Luke-Acts (entitled The Demise of the Devil <\/i> ), Susan Garrett offers some illuminating comments on Jesus\u2019 declaration that He watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:17-20): <\/p>\n
1) She argues persuasively that Jesus is speaking prophetically of a future fall of Satan. She appeals to the parallel between Jesus\u2019 \u201cI was watching\u201d and the similar phrase that Daniel uses to introduce his prophetic visions (cf. Dan. 7:2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13). Jesus is not saying that Satan fell during the mission of the 70 (Luke 1:1ff), but that the triumphant mission of the 70 foreshadows and is an initial victory in the battle with Satan that will ultimately lead to Satan\u2019s fall. <\/p>\n
2) One reason Garrett sees the statement as prophetic is that Satan returns later in Luke to exercise authority during Jesus\u2019 arrest, trial, and death (cf. Luke 22:36). Like many commentators, she points to the contrast between Jesus\u2019 instructions to the 70 (no provision or protection) and the instructions to the disciples after Judas\u2019s plot gets underway (22:36). As she puts it, \u201cJesus\u2019 enigmatic instructions suggest that a momentous change in the distribution of power and authority (corresponding in some way to the distribution of material goods) is occurring. Whereas before the apostles had \u2018lacked nothing\u2019 (22:35), now that will alter: the authority and consequent protection on which they could earlier rely will vanish. The necessity for a \u2018sword\u2019 symbolically indicates that the new situation will be one of marked hostility, even violence\u201d (p. 54). During the \u201chour\u201d in which \u201cthe authority of darkness\u201d is exercised, the disciples will be bereft of divine protection and, like Jesus Himself, will be forsaken by the Father. <\/p>\n
3) Garrett sees this \u201chour\u201d as primarily pointing to the period between the crucifixion and the resurrection or ascension. During that period, Satan is given mastery but He will fall from heaven at the ascension. Perhaps, but I wonder if the \u201chour\u201d should be extended beyond the end of Luke into Acts. Perhaps we are to understand the instructions in Luke 22:36 as applying to the whole of the apostolic mission, until AD 70. This would suggest that this whole period is something of an extension of the cross, a \u201cfilling up of the fulness of the sufferings of Christ.\u201d Ultimately, the blood of the apostles and early martyrs that hhas been mingled with the blood of Jesus will be avenged, and Satan will come to his final demise at the fall of Jerusalem and the collapse of the old order. <\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In her monograph on magic and the demonic in Luke-Acts (entitled The Demise of the Devil ), Susan Garrett offers some illuminating comments on Jesus\u2019 declaration that He watched Satan fall from heaven like lightning (Luke 10:17-20): 1) She argues persuasively that Jesus is speaking prophetically of a future fall of Satan. She appeals to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3021,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-187","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bible-nt-luke"],"yoast_head":"\n