Herein we conclude, from part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, 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 Infancy Gospel of James aka Protoevangelium of James aka Gospel of James and Preaching of Peter.
Infancy Gospel of James aka Protoevangelium of James aka Gospel of James – 140-170 AD
13 For just as Adam was in the hour of his singing praise, and the serpent came, and found Eve alone, and completely deceived her, so it has happened to me also.
Preaching of Peter – 100-150 AD M.R. James’ The Apocryphal New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press 1924 AD) which contains The Preaching of Peter includes a note which states, “There are certain other fragments of a ‘Teaching of Peter’ which may be another name for the Preaching. Opinion is divided. Probably the first, from Origen, is from the Preaching. The others are of a different complexion”:
Origen on First Principles i, prologue 8. But if any would produce to us from that book which is called The Doctrine of Peter, the passage where the Saviour is represented as saying (lit. seems to say) to the disciples: I am not a bodiless spirit (demon): he must be answered in the first place that that book is not reckoned among the books of the church: (and then) it must be shown that the writing is neither by Peter nor by any one else who was inspired by the spirit of God.
In the next segment, we will begin a section on Demons.