Herein we continue, from part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, considering “Serpent” and “Dragon” within the context of Satan in text generally termed the Apocrypha, Deutero Canonical, Pseudepigrapha, Gnostic Texts, etc. (see my article on the Apocrypha here). The fuller complete result consists of quotations of those sections within the text that refer to Angels, Cherubim, Seraphim, Devil, Satan, demons, serpent and dragon. The point is not to elucidate these references but to provide relevant partial quotations and citations.
The quotations within section pertain to references to serpent and dragons when the term is applied to evil entities and not merely to reptiles. For example, Bel and the Dragon obviously contains references to a dragon but it is a reptile.
See my section on Angels in general and in apocryphal texts here. See my section on Cherubim and Seraphim in general and in apocryphal texts here.
Serpent & Dragon in The Book of Adam, Greek Life of Adam and Eve aka Apocalypse of Moses and Acts of Thomas.
The Book of Adam
The citations are as per J.P. Mahe’s translation from the Georgian original.
20.1c Adam recognized her voice and said in his heart, “…Is it that the serpent is attacking her again?”
[32]7.2 And the serpent deceived your mother and caused her to eat of it, because of which, now, we are going to die.
[33].2 And at the moment of their ascent, the serpent deceived your mother and caused her to eat of the tree, for he had seen that I was not with her any more than the Angels.
[38]11.1 Then the beast replied to her and told Eve, “It is not from our greed(iness) that your discontent and your weeping come, but your discontent and your weeping come from your own greed(iness), for at the beginning of creation, it was you who hearkened to the beast, the serpent.
[44]16.2-3a, 4 The devil summoned the serpent and told him, “Arise and come to me, and I will teach you a useful word.” Then, the serpent came and the Devil told the serpent, “I (hear) that you are wiser than all the (dumb) animals and I have come to test your wisdom (science), for Adam gives food to all the (dumb-) animals, thus also to you. [a note states that the translator J.P. Mahe “has note that is unexplained”]…And the serpent told him, “How can we have them excluded?” The devil replied and told the serpent, “Be a sheath for me and I will speak to the woman through your mouth a word by which we will trick (them).”
[44]17.2a-c, 4 I stared and I saw him like an Angel and at once he became invisible for he had gone forth to bring the serpent. And he told him, ‘Arise and come and I will be with you and I will speak though your mouth that which it is proper for you to say.’ He took on the form of the serpent (to go) close to the wall of paradise and the devil slipped inside the serpent and he allowed his head to hang on the wall of paradise…The devil replied to me and told me through the mouth of the serpent, ‘Well (done!) Do you eat the fruit of every tree which is in paradise?’
[44]18.1-3, 6 Then the serpent told me, ‘I am distressed for you, for you are like the (dumb) animals. God was jealous of you and he has not permitted you, but I, I do not desire your ignorance. Rather come, eat and you will see the glory which is to be with you’…The serpent replied to me and told me, ‘What is death and how does one die? Death is life!’ I replied to him and told him, ‘I do not know’…The serpent replied to and told me, ‘Come, open the gate and I will give you of it.’
[44]23.5 And I remembered the serpent’s word and I said, “It is the serpent who deceived me!”
[44]25.1, 3 God turned to me and told me, “Why did you hearken to the serpent and abandon my commandments with which I commanded to you?…(You shall promise yourself) that if you are ever delivered from the agonies, you will never go back to (your husband) and you will harden your heart in view of the great combat which the serpent instituted with you.
[44]26.1 When he had said all this to me, he became very angry with the serpent, and he told it, “You, too, perish and be cursed among all the (dumb) animals.
Greek Life of Adam and Eve aka Apocalypse of Moses
xvi:1-2, 4-5 And the devil spake to the serpent saying, Rise up, come to me and I will tell thee a word whereby thou mayst have profit”…as we were cast out through him.” The serpent saith to him, “I fear lest the Lord be wroth with me.”
xvii:4-5 The devil answered through the mouth of the serpent: ‘Ye do well but ye do not eat of every plant.”
xviii:1 Then the serpent saith to me, “May God live! but I am grieved on your account, for I would not have you ignorant. But arise, (come) hither, hearken to me and eat and mind the value of that tree.”
xxiii:4 Then Adam called to mind the word which I spake to him, (saying) “I will make thee secure before God”; and he turned and said to me: “Why hast thou done this?” And I said, “The serpent deceived me.”
xxv:1-2 And the Lord turned to me and said: “Since thou hast hearkened to the serpent, and turned a deaf ear to my commandment, thou shalt be in throes of travail and intolerable agonies.
xxvi:1 But he turned to the serpent [in great wrath] and said: “Since thou hast done this, and become a thankless vessel until thou hast deceived the innocent hearts, accursed art thou among all beasts.
Acts of Thomas – 200-225 AD
31 …a great (Syr. black) serpent (dragon) came out of a hole, beating with his head and shaking his tail upon the ground, and with (using) a loud voice said unto the apostle: I will tell before thee the cause wherefor I slew this man…There is a certain beautiful woman in this village over against us; and as she passed by me (or my place) I saw her and was enamored of her…And the apostle inquired of him, saying: Tell me of what seed and of what race thou art.
3 And he said unto him: I am a reptile of the reptile nature and noxious son of the noxious father…I am he that entered through the barrier (fence) into paradise and spake with Eve the things which my father bade me speak unto her: I am he that kindled and inflamed Cain to kill his own brother, and on mine account did thorns and thistles grow up in the Earth: I am he that cast down the Angels from above and bound them in lusts after women, that children born of Earth might come of them and I might work my will in them…I am he that inhabiteth and holdeth the deep of hell (Tartarus).
33 And when that serpent had spoken these things in the hearing of all the people, the apostle lifted up his voice on high and said: Cease thou henceforth, O most shameless one…suck out thy venom which thou hast put into this man…the serpent said: Not yet is the end of our time come as thou hast said…the apostle said unto him: Show, then, now the nature of thy father. And the serpent came near and set his mouth upon the wound of the young man and sucked forth the gall out of it…but the serpent swelled up… the serpent had drawn up all the gall into himself, the young man leapt up and stood, and ran and fell at the apostle’s feet: but the serpent being swelled up, burst and died, and his venom and gall were shed forth; and in the place where his venom was shed there came a great gulf, and that serpent was swallowed up therein.
42 And the apostle entered into the city and all the multitude followed him. And he thought to go unto the parents of the young man whom he had made alive when he was slain by the serpent: for they earnestly besought him to come unto them and enter into their house.
44 And the apostle said: O evil that cannot be restrained! O shamelessness of the enemy! O envious one that art never at rest! O hideous one that subduest the comely! O thou of many forms! As he will he appeareth, but his essence cannot be changed. O the crafty and faithless one! O the bitter tree whose fruits are like unto him! O the devil that overcometh them that are alien to him! O the deceit that useth impudence! O the wickedness that creepeth like a serpent, and that is of his kindred! (Syr. wrongly adds a clause bidding the devil show himself.)
52 When the apostle heard this he said: O insane union how ruinest thou unto shamelessness! O unrestrained lust, how hast thou stirred up this man to do this! O work of the serpent, how art thou enraged against thine own!
In the next segment, we will consider Word and Revelation of Esdras aka Greek Apocalypse of Ezra, Infancy Gospel of James aka Protoevangelium of James aka Gospel of James, Acts of Andrew, Acts of Paul and Acts of John.