A demon is a supernatural figure associated with harm, disorder, or misfortune. In early Greek and Near Eastern usage, such beings were understood as spirits or intermediaries and were not defined as fallen angels or rebels against a single high god. Over time, especially in Jewish and Christian traditions, demons were redefined as hostile entities opposed to divine order. This later framing linked demons to moral evil, temptation, illness, or chaos. Literary depictions of demons reflect this historical shift, showing how changing theological systems reshaped older categories of supernatural beings into figures of opposition and threat.
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References
- Kissling, Paul J., "The Near-Sacrifice of Isaac: Monstrous Morality or Richly Textured Theology?" in Carroll, M. Daniel, and J. Blair Wilgus (eds.) Wrestling with the Violence of God: Soundings in the Old Testament
- Smith, Mark S., The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel
- Eubank, Nathan Paul, Wages of Righteousness: The Economy of Heaven in the Gospel According to Matthew
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