Herein we continue, from part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, 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 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.
Word and Revelation of Esdras aka Greek Apocalypse of Ezra – 2nd to 9th century AD
But if Thou hadst not given him Eve, the serpent would not have deceived her; but whom Thou wilt Thou savest, and whom Thou wilt Thou destroyest.
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.
Acts of Andrew – 150-200 AD
8 But if I were thrust out hence, even I, who, it may be, might avail through thee to profit others that are akin to me, and if thou wert persuaded by the discourse of Aegeates and the flatteries of his father the serpent, so that thou didst turn unto thy former works, know thou that on thine account I should be tormented until thou thyself sawest that I had contemned life for the sake of a soul which was not worthy.
10 Is there one within that is strange to me? an adversary, a breaker of peace, an enemy, a cheat, a sorcerer, a crooked dealer, unsound, guileful, a hater of men, a hater of the word, one like a tyrant, boastful, puffed up, mad, akin to the serpent, a weapon of the devil, a friend of the fire, belonging to darkness?
19 After this a youth who followed the apostle sent for his mother to meet Andrew. She came, and after being instructed, begged him to come to their house, which was devastated by a great serpent. As Andrew approached, it hissed loudly and with raised head came to meet him; it was fifty cubits long: every one fell down in fear. Andrew said: ‘Hide thy head, foul one, which thou didst raise in the beginning for the hurt of mankind, and obey the servants of God, and die.’ The serpent roared, and coiled about a great oak nearby and vomited poison and blood and died. Andrew went to the woman’s farm, where a child killed by the serpent lay dead.
Acts of Paul – 150-200 AD M.R. James’ The Apocryphal New Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924 AD) contains The Acts of Paul which notes, “The page of the Coptic MS. on which the correspondence begins is fragmentary at the beginning” and is a page which states:
III:19-21 They therefore…are not children of righteousness but children of wrath who reject the wisdom (providence?) of God, saying that the heaven and the Earth and all that are in them are not the work of God. THEY THEREFORE ARE CHILDREN OF WRATH, for cursed are they, following the teaching of the serpent, whom do ye drive out from you and flee from their doctrine.
Acts of John – 150-200 AD
69 …a soul as full of faith and worthy (or receptive) of God when it hath paid its promise in full: not that soul…which hath received the serpent into its own house.
71 And as these men were speaking thus, and only the accustomed shift now remained on her body, a strange spectacle was seen, such as they deserve to suffer who do such deeds. A serpent appeared from some quarter and dealt the steward a single bite and slew him: but the young man it did not strike; but coiled about his feet, hissing terribly, and when he fell mounted on his body and sat upon him.
73 And John, turning to the other side of the sepulchre, saw a young man-even Callimachus, one of the chief of the Ephesians-and a huge serpent sleeping upon him, and the steward of Andronicus, Fortunatus by name, lying dead.
94 …the lawless Jews, who also were governed by (had their law from) the lawless serpent.
XVII For now in a little time ye have lost the kingdom that was prepared for you…and have gotten yourselves places of darkness, full of dragons, of roaring flames, of torments, and punishments unsurpassable, of pains and anguish, fear and horrible trembling.
XX Jesus Christ, by whose word the heavens were established, unto whom all things are subject, whom all creation serveth, whom all power obeyeth, feareth, and trembleth, when we call on thee for succour: whose name the serpent hearing is still, the dragon fleeth, the viper is quiet, the toad (which is called a frog) is still and strengthless, the scorpion is quenched, the basilisk vanquished, and the phalangia (spider) doth no hurt -in a word, all venomous things, and the fiercest reptiles and noisome beasts, are pierced (or covered with darkness).
In the next segment, we will consider Infancy Gospel of James aka Protoevangelium of James aka Gospel of James and Preaching of Peter.