John, in turn, implicates "the Jews" in general in the Savior's crucifixion, thus laying the groundwork for Christian anti-Semitism. Pagels argues that while both Mark and Matthew downplay the role of the Romans and accentuate that of the Jewish authorities in their account of Jesus' arrest and persecution, Luke explicitly links Jewish leaders who were enemies of Jesus to the designs of an evil spirit. by the authors of the New Testament Gospels. While the earlier Jewish practice of demonizing one's enemies antedated the appearance of Christianity, a crucial turn was given the story between 70 and 100 A.D. Thus was born the figure of Satan as a great demon or spirit who contended with God and the faithful. Over time, a more personified figure emerged in the form of a powerful fallen angel-fallen either because his lust for women had drawn him to Earth or because prideful struggle with his Creator had brought expulsion from Heaven. In Old Testament Hebrew, "the satan" originally designated an adversary and came to refer to a messenger from God who would oppose human design or test human resolution, as with Job. This strategy, while not exactly new, says Pagels, was an intensification of earlier practice. In claiming that Satan inspired their opponents-largely the Temple authorities and other established Jewish leaders-those proto-Christians confirmed the truth and solidified the ranks of their new faith.
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