Serpent: (Heb. nahash; Gr. ophis), frequently noticed in Scripture. More than
forty species are found in Syria and Arabia. The poisonous character
of the serpent is alluded to in Jacob's blessing on Dan
(Genesis 49:17)
see
(Proverbs 30:18,19; James 3:7; Jeremiah 8:17)
(See ADDER)This word is used symbolically of a deadly, subtle, malicious enemy
(Luke 10:19) The serpent is first mentioned in connection with the
history of the temptation and fall of our first parents
(Genesis 3:1-6)
It has been well remarked regarding this temptation: "A real serpent
was the agent of the temptation, as is plain from what is said of the
natural characteristic of the serpent in the first verse of the
chapter
(Genesis 3:1) and from the curse pronounced upon the animal
itself. But that Satan was the actual tempter, and that he used the
serpent merely as his instrument, is evident
1. from the nature of the transaction; for although the serpent may
be the most subtle of all the beasts of the field, yet he has
not the high intellectual faculties which the tempter here
displayed.
2. In the New Testament it is both directly asserted and in various
forms assumed that Satan seduced our first parents into sin"
(John 8:44; Romans 16:20; 2 Corinthians 11:3,14; Revelation 12:9; 20:2) Hodge's System.
Theol., ii. 127
