Santa is NOT Satan!
Santa Claus is not the evil one
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Santa is NOT Satan
Question: Is the name, Santa Claus the same thing as "Satan Claws?"
Is the word "Santa" really the same thing as "Satan"?
Certain, folks assert that the terms are similar based on the Bible.
The Bible was originally written in Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. The New Testament (NT) was originally written in Greek with some Aramaic phrases and Hebrew transliterations. The original word, we translate as "Satan," comes from three letters in Old Testament Hebrew … generally written as STN. (The vowels are often supplied and are really just a scholarly guess.) In the original NT Greek, the word is Satanas. ("Satan" is a shortened English word.)
There are other biblical terms often used in connection with Satan. These included …
Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12). This term is used in literature for "Satan." It is Latinized from the Hebrew word Hillel in Isaiah 14 used only in the King James Version. The other versions usually translate this term as "Day Star" or something similar. The term actually refers to a sinful king in Isaiah 14 … not Satan.
The most common New Testament word for the Evil One is Diabolos (translated "Devil" in the English versions.)
Now, some well-intentioned but uninformed people try to draw a link between the English terms "Satan" and "Santa" because they are spelled similar. However, there are many terms in both English and Greek that sound similar and are spelled similar. Yet, they have different (and often) opposite meanings. For instance, we have the words "craft" and "crafty." In the NT, "craft" means "builder" and can be used to describe God himself as in Heb. 11:10 which refers to the artistic side of creation. A very positive term. However, "crafty" means "unscrupulous conduct, craftiness," and is always used in a bad sense in the NT (see Vines Dictionary of the New Testament). In the Old Testament (OT) the English term "crafty" is used to describe Satan (example, Genesis 3:1, NIV). So here we have two terms that are spelled similar but one refers to our Holy God and the other refers the evil devil.
What does the word, "Santa" mean?
Santa is the word for "saint." This word, "Santa," is found in Dutch, Swiss and even Italian and Spanish. Tell a Spaniard that the word "Santa" is the word for "Satan" and he will laugh in your face. There are many towns in the U.S. named "Santa." Here are a few examples: Santa Monica, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, Santa Rosa, Santa Clara, Santa Maria. Texas has many towns named "Santa" … such as Santa Anna; Santa Catarina; Santa Clara; Santa Cruz; Santa Elena; Santa Fe (there is also a Santa Fe in New Mexico); Santa Margarita; Santa Maria; Santa Monica; Santa Rita; Santa Rosa.
In each of these instances, the word "Santa" means "Saint". Each of these cities, in fact all cities that begin with the word "Santa" (in any country), refer to a hero of the Christian faith … many of which are mentioned in the Bible. Santa Maria, for instance, is "Saint Mary" the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The term, saint, in the Bible literally means "Holy One." With this in mind, in Italian, the word "santa" means "holy" for instance, acqua santa (holy water); città santa (holy city); santa croce (holy cross); terra santa (holy land). In Italian, the word, Santa, even refers to God (in the sense of God the Spirit). Spirito Santo (the masculine form of Santa) is the Italian phrase for Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit.
Would those who identify the word "Santa" as "Satan" dare identify the Holy Spirit as "Holy Satan?"
What does the word "Claus" mean? (Is it really the same thing as "claws" as some assert?
I have read one very silly attempt to identify this term with "Lucifer." What a joke!
Claus is a masculine word from the German and Danish. It is a shortened form of the word, NICHOLAS. Nicolas comes from the Greek and means "Victory of the people." Also a slight variation of the spelling, klause, means "a mountain."
Playing around with words that seem similar is not Scriptural. There are many terms in the original languages of the Bible (Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic) that sound similar and are spelled similar but have different and even opposite meanings. For instance,
Lucas and Lucius sound a lot like "Lucifer." But Lucas is "Luke" the writer of the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts and the trusted companion of the Apostle Paul (Philemon 1:24). And Lucius of Cyrene was a prophet with Paul (Acts 13:1). Both were good and Godly men. Both of their names mean "light."
Beelzebub (meaning "Lord of Flies") is actually the name of a Philistine god, but is also used in the New Testament as a synonym for Satan.
Using the logic of some, Shorten Beelzebub to just Bub. So that means that anyone from Bub Asman to Bub Moose is the devil. Or we note that "Bub" looks like "Bud." Therefore anyone from Bud Collyer to Bud Abbott is really just Satan in disguise.
Ridiculous!
Question: Because Santa comes down a chimney … does that mean that he is associated with fire? And is fire a symbol of Satan?
Some anti-Santa folks say that Santa and Satan are both identified with fire because Santa comes down a chimney. However, the legend is that he comes down the chimney, late at night, when the fire is out. But is fire really a symbol of Satan? Absolutely not. In the Bible, fire is a symbol of the power and presence of God … or the judgment of God. For instance, when God appeared to Moses, he appeared in a burning bush (Exodus 3:2). And when God’s Spirit was poured out on his disciples in Acts 2, "tongues of fire" came to rest on each of these Godly servants (Acts 2:3).
Fire is described as coming from the mouth of God (Psalms 18:6-8).
At the Second Coming, Jesus will be "revealed from heaven in blazing fire" (2 Thessalonians 1:7).
And furthermore, the Bible tells us that God’s servants are made into "flaming fire" (Psalms 104:4). In Ezekiel 1, the four great spirits of God are described as coming in fire. Fire moved back and forth among the creatures; it was bright, and lightning flashed out of it (Ezekiel 1:13).
And God’s word is described as being like fire (Jeremiah 23:29).
It is a burnt offering, an offering made by fire, that the Bible describes as "an aroma pleasing to the LORD" (Leviticus 1:13).
It is true that fire is a tool of God's judgment. "If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God" (Hebrews 10:26-27).
Hence Satan's final home will be in the "eternal fire" (Matthew 25:41).
But please remember, fire is not a symbol of Satan. It is a symbol of God's power or sometimes it is a symbol of God’s judgment.
The fact that Santa is described as coming down the chimney has nothing to do with any Satanic imagery.
Is Red Evil?
Question: Is the color, red, a symbol of Satan?
What about identifying the color "red" with Satan? Some point to Revelation 17:3 which says:
"Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns."
First of all, this is not just red, but scarlet. Deep, bright red. In the Bible, scarlet is often the sign of expensive clothing (and often coupled with purple) (ie Revelation 18:16).
But scarlet is not an evil color in the Bible! In fact, God commanded that the Israelites to donate scarlet cloth to decorate His temple (Exodus 25:4). The holy tabernacle, God’s first "temple" was made out of scarlet according to the command of God (Exodus 26:1). The great curtain that separated the holy place and the holy of holies was to be made out of scarlet (Exodus 26:31). The hem of the Old Testament priests' robes was to be made out of scarlet, according to God’s command (Exodus 28:15, 33). It was a scarlet cord that saved Rahab (Joshua 2:21).
Solomon’s blessed wife, whom some identify as a symbol of the Church, is described as having a beautiful mouth with scarlet lips (Song of Solomon 4:3). And the Godly woman dresses her family in the finest clothing. These clothes are described as "scarlet clothing" (Proverbs 31:21).
But in all of the Bible, Satan is never described as wearing scarlet clothing and it is not his symbol!
Even if red was the color of Satan, Santa Claus was originally described as wearing red only in America. A 19th century printer (Louis Prang) was probably the first to depict Santa dressed in red (in 1855). Printer's in those days used red because it was a primary color and could be printed without an extra impression or having to mix inks to get different bright colors.
In other countries, Santa is described as wearing white or green. In Washington Irving's story and Clement Moore's poem, Santa is simply described as being dressed in furs. The black and white images accompanying those stories show a Santa who looks more like a mountain man – probably with brown furs – not red.
Some people contend that Nicolas was not a real Christian hero. That he was all myth.
If Nicolas wasn’t a real man, then whose bones are buried at Bari, Italy?
And while one of two attendance lists of the Council of Nicaea does not contain his name, Nicolas' name does appear on the oldest Greek list of the Council of Nicaea and on five other ancient lists. It is possible on the lists that do not contain the name "Nicolas" that he was listed under a nickname. This was a common practice among the ancients and is even done that way in the Bible (ie Acts 1:23; Acts 4:36, etc.).
What about identifying the color "red" with Satan? Some point to Revelation 17:3 which says:
"Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns."
First of all, this is not just red, but scarlet. Deep, bright red. In the Bible, scarlet is often the sign of expensive clothing (and often coupled with purple) (ie Revelation 18:16).
But scarlet is not an evil color in the Bible! In fact, God commanded that the Israelites to donate scarlet cloth to decorate His temple (Exodus 25:4). The holy tabernacle, God’s first "temple" was made out of scarlet according to the command of God (Exodus 26:1). The great curtain that separated the holy place and the holy of holies was to be made out of scarlet (Exodus 26:31). The hem of the Old Testament priests' robes was to be made out of scarlet, according to God’s command (Exodus 28:15, 33). It was a scarlet cord that saved Rahab (Joshua 2:21).
Solomon’s blessed wife, whom some identify as a symbol of the Church, is described as having a beautiful mouth with scarlet lips (Song of Solomon 4:3). And the Godly woman dresses her family in the finest clothing. These clothes are described as "scarlet clothing" (Proverbs 31:21).
But in all of the Bible, Satan is never described as wearing scarlet clothing and it is not his symbol!
Even if red was the color of Satan, Santa Claus was originally described as wearing red only in America. A 19th century printer (Louis Prang) was probably the first to depict Santa dressed in red (in 1855). Printer's in those days used red because it was a primary color and could be printed without an extra impression or having to mix inks to get different bright colors.
In other countries, Santa is described as wearing white or green. In Washington Irving's story and Clement Moore's poem, Santa is simply described as being dressed in furs. The black and white images accompanying those stories show a Santa who looks more like a mountain man – probably with brown furs – not red.
Some people contend that Nicolas was not a real Christian hero. That he was all myth.
If Nicolas wasn’t a real man, then whose bones are buried at Bari, Italy?
And while one of two attendance lists of the Council of Nicaea does not contain his name, Nicolas' name does appear on the oldest Greek list of the Council of Nicaea and on five other ancient lists. It is possible on the lists that do not contain the name "Nicolas" that he was listed under a nickname. This was a common practice among the ancients and is even done that way in the Bible (ie Acts 1:23; Acts 4:36, etc.).
Who is he?
Who is Santa Claus?
Built upon well intentioned myth, Santa was originally Nicolas of Myra – a real, dedicated Christian. The legends tell of a man who loved and protected people. He was deeply generous and caring.
Is it right to have Santa Claus as part of our celebrations?
Many Americans have a very dim view of myth. But most other people – including many Christians – have used myth as a way to teach eternal truths. We even find this in the Bible. In Judges chapter nine, God's prophet was directed by God is tell a myth about talking trees. (Reminds me of the talking trees in Christian writer C.S. Lewis's writings.) The trees were symbolic of real people. Some people call this a parable. But a parable is a short story of things that "really happen." A myth uses "pretend" things – often giving human characteristics to make believe beings. In the Bible's case, it was "talking trees." In our 21st century world, it is a Christian hero with special powers.
We must never forget, the first Santa was a Christian – just as Christmas is a Christian holiday. Admittedly, we don't know for certain when Christ was born. But to rejoice with the angels at his birth (Luke 2:8-14) seems a great idea to me. And, as part of that celebration, to honor a Christian man of charity like Nicolas also seems right and good.
Today, whenever we practice the Christian ideals of charity and concern for children, we are all "Santa Claus."
To celebrate using Santa is really up to your conscience. But if you chose to have Santa then you have not done wrong. It is really just a matter of conscience (see the principle in Romans 14:1-8). But whatever we do, we should to the glory of the Lord.
Built upon well intentioned myth, Santa was originally Nicolas of Myra – a real, dedicated Christian. The legends tell of a man who loved and protected people. He was deeply generous and caring.
Is it right to have Santa Claus as part of our celebrations?
Many Americans have a very dim view of myth. But most other people – including many Christians – have used myth as a way to teach eternal truths. We even find this in the Bible. In Judges chapter nine, God's prophet was directed by God is tell a myth about talking trees. (Reminds me of the talking trees in Christian writer C.S. Lewis's writings.) The trees were symbolic of real people. Some people call this a parable. But a parable is a short story of things that "really happen." A myth uses "pretend" things – often giving human characteristics to make believe beings. In the Bible's case, it was "talking trees." In our 21st century world, it is a Christian hero with special powers.
We must never forget, the first Santa was a Christian – just as Christmas is a Christian holiday. Admittedly, we don't know for certain when Christ was born. But to rejoice with the angels at his birth (Luke 2:8-14) seems a great idea to me. And, as part of that celebration, to honor a Christian man of charity like Nicolas also seems right and good.
Today, whenever we practice the Christian ideals of charity and concern for children, we are all "Santa Claus."
To celebrate using Santa is really up to your conscience. But if you chose to have Santa then you have not done wrong. It is really just a matter of conscience (see the principle in Romans 14:1-8). But whatever we do, we should to the glory of the Lord.
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