伟大的新教神学家加尔文在他的 Institutes of the Christian religion Book 1 chapter 14 中有这么一段论述：
(https://www.ccel.org/ccel/c/calvin/institutes/cache/institutes.pdf)
14. That we may feel the more strongly urged to do so, the Scripture declares that the enemies who war against us are not one or two, or few in number, but a great host. Mary Magdalene is said to have been delivered from seven devils by which she was possessed; and our Saviour assures us that it is an ordinary circumstance, when a devil has been expelled, if access is again given to it, to take seven other spirits, more wicked than itself, and resume the vacant possession. Nay, one man is said to have been possessed by a whole legion. By this, then, we are taught that the number of enemies with whom we have to war is almost infinite, that we may not, from a contemptuous idea of the fewness of their numbers, be more remiss in the contest, or from imagining that an occasional truce is given us, indulge in sloth. In one Satan or devil being often mentioned in the singular number, the thing denoted is that domination of iniquity which is opposed to the reign of righteousness. For, as the Church and the communion of saints has Christ for its head, so the faction of the wicked and wickedness itself, is portrayed with its prince exercising supremacy. Hence the expression, “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” (Mt. 25:41).
下面分段解析一下。
That we may feel the more strongly urged to do so, the Scripture declares that the enemies who war against us are not one or two, or few in number, but a great host. 这一段没有什么问题。
Mary Magdalene is said to have been delivered from seven devils by which she was possessed; and our Saviour assures us that it is an ordinary circumstance, when a devil has been expelled, if access is again given to it, to take seven other spirits, more wicked than itself, and resume the vacant possession. Nay, one man is said to have been possessed by a whole legion. By this, then, we are taught that the number of enemies with whom we have to war is almost infinite, that we may not, from a contemptuous idea of the fewness of their numbers, be more remiss in the contest, or from imagining that an occasional truce is given us, indulge in sloth.
这一段也没有什么问题。如果说有一点小小的不严谨的话，就是Calvin提到主从抹大拉的玛利亚身上赶出了七个鬼，这个记载在马太福音16：9中用的是demons (daimonia)在路加福音8：2中用的是 evil （ponērōn） spirits （pneumatōn） 都不是Calvin用的 devil (Diabolos)。与此相似，马可福音5：8中主耶稣从格里森人身上赶出的群（legion）是污（akatharton）灵（pneumatōn）而不是devil。
Calvin这一段的核心论述是撒旦、魔鬼有很多而不止一个，但这只是他自己的观点没有任何圣经支持。这个观点是这样表述的：
In one Satan or devil being often mentioned in the singular number, the thing denoted is that domination of iniquity which is opposed to the reign of righteousness.
他的这个观点把圣经中有位格的（personal）魔鬼（the devil)又称龙（dragon）或撒旦（Satan）虚化成与“the reign of righteousness”对立的“that domination of iniquity”。可惜他没有提出任何经文支持他的这个观点。唯一勉强可以作为“证据”的，是他很隐晦地举了一个教会的例子：For, as the Church and the communion of saints has Christ for its head, so the faction of the wicked and wickedness itself, is portrayed with its prince exercising supremacy。但这个例子并不恰当，因为教会是由有位格的圣子耶稣为元首的。如果要类比，这个例子反证魔鬼的国也就是世界也是有一个有位格的邪灵（堕落天使）为首的，这个邪灵就是撒旦。
事实上圣经用提到魔鬼撒旦都是用的单数特指，并且用位格人称代词he, his, him来指代。有意思的是，Calvin自己在同一章紧接Section 14的Sections 13，15，16中也一直用单数特指的the devil or Satan, 并且用位格人称代词he, his, or him来指代魔鬼撒旦。
Calvin的上面这段论述，是顺着他在同一章Section 8 中关于天使的论述的逻辑推论来的。这段论述是这样的：
8. Those who presume to dogmatize on the ranks and numbers of angels, would do well to consider on what foundation they rest. As to their rank, I admit that Michael is described by David as a mighty Prince, and by Jude as an Archangel.60 Paul also tells us, that an archangel will blow the trumpet which is to summon the world to Judgment. But how is it possible from such passages to ascertain the gradations of honour among the angels to determine the insignia, and assign the place and station of each? Even the two names, Michael and Gabriel, mentioned in Scripture, or a third, if you choose to add it from the history of Tobit, seem to intimate by their meaning that they are given to angels in accommodation to the weakness of our capacity, though I rather choose not to speak positively on the point.
他的观点是，天使很多，但无所谓大小order，尽管他自己就引用了一些经文显示天使长（Archangel）米迦勒（Michael）的特殊地位却没有举出一条支持自己论点的经文。
个人认为启示录：12：7 无容置疑地表明了米迦勒的天使长的地位和魔鬼撒旦的邪灵之首的地位：
天上发生了战争：米迦勒和他的天使与龙作战。龙和牠的天使也起来应战. 8龙却抵挡不住，天上再也没有牠们的地方了。 9於是那大龙被摔了下来。牠就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的人的。牠被摔在地上，牠的天使也跟牠一同被摔了下来.
7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.
(https://www.ccel.org/ccel/c/calvin/institutes/cache/institutes.pdf)
14. That we may feel the more strongly urged to do so, the Scripture declares that the enemies who war against us are not one or two, or few in number, but a great host. Mary Magdalene is said to have been delivered from seven devils by which she was possessed; and our Saviour assures us that it is an ordinary circumstance, when a devil has been expelled, if access is again given to it, to take seven other spirits, more wicked than itself, and resume the vacant possession. Nay, one man is said to have been possessed by a whole legion. By this, then, we are taught that the number of enemies with whom we have to war is almost infinite, that we may not, from a contemptuous idea of the fewness of their numbers, be more remiss in the contest, or from imagining that an occasional truce is given us, indulge in sloth. In one Satan or devil being often mentioned in the singular number, the thing denoted is that domination of iniquity which is opposed to the reign of righteousness. For, as the Church and the communion of saints has Christ for its head, so the faction of the wicked and wickedness itself, is portrayed with its prince exercising supremacy. Hence the expression, “Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” (Mt. 25:41).
下面分段解析一下。
That we may feel the more strongly urged to do so, the Scripture declares that the enemies who war against us are not one or two, or few in number, but a great host. 这一段没有什么问题。
Mary Magdalene is said to have been delivered from seven devils by which she was possessed; and our Saviour assures us that it is an ordinary circumstance, when a devil has been expelled, if access is again given to it, to take seven other spirits, more wicked than itself, and resume the vacant possession. Nay, one man is said to have been possessed by a whole legion. By this, then, we are taught that the number of enemies with whom we have to war is almost infinite, that we may not, from a contemptuous idea of the fewness of their numbers, be more remiss in the contest, or from imagining that an occasional truce is given us, indulge in sloth.
这一段也没有什么问题。如果说有一点小小的不严谨的话，就是Calvin提到主从抹大拉的玛利亚身上赶出了七个鬼，这个记载在马太福音16：9中用的是demons (daimonia)在路加福音8：2中用的是 evil （ponērōn） spirits （pneumatōn） 都不是Calvin用的 devil (Diabolos)。与此相似，马可福音5：8中主耶稣从格里森人身上赶出的群（legion）是污（akatharton）灵（pneumatōn）而不是devil。
Calvin这一段的核心论述是撒旦、魔鬼有很多而不止一个，但这只是他自己的观点没有任何圣经支持。这个观点是这样表述的：
In one Satan or devil being often mentioned in the singular number, the thing denoted is that domination of iniquity which is opposed to the reign of righteousness.
他的这个观点把圣经中有位格的（personal）魔鬼（the devil)又称龙（dragon）或撒旦（Satan）虚化成与“the reign of righteousness”对立的“that domination of iniquity”。可惜他没有提出任何经文支持他的这个观点。唯一勉强可以作为“证据”的，是他很隐晦地举了一个教会的例子：For, as the Church and the communion of saints has Christ for its head, so the faction of the wicked and wickedness itself, is portrayed with its prince exercising supremacy。但这个例子并不恰当，因为教会是由有位格的圣子耶稣为元首的。如果要类比，这个例子反证魔鬼的国也就是世界也是有一个有位格的邪灵（堕落天使）为首的，这个邪灵就是撒旦。
事实上圣经用提到魔鬼撒旦都是用的单数特指，并且用位格人称代词he, his, him来指代。有意思的是，Calvin自己在同一章紧接Section 14的Sections 13，15，16中也一直用单数特指的the devil or Satan, 并且用位格人称代词he, his, or him来指代魔鬼撒旦。
Calvin的上面这段论述，是顺着他在同一章Section 8 中关于天使的论述的逻辑推论来的。这段论述是这样的：
8. Those who presume to dogmatize on the ranks and numbers of angels, would do well to consider on what foundation they rest. As to their rank, I admit that Michael is described by David as a mighty Prince, and by Jude as an Archangel.60 Paul also tells us, that an archangel will blow the trumpet which is to summon the world to Judgment. But how is it possible from such passages to ascertain the gradations of honour among the angels to determine the insignia, and assign the place and station of each? Even the two names, Michael and Gabriel, mentioned in Scripture, or a third, if you choose to add it from the history of Tobit, seem to intimate by their meaning that they are given to angels in accommodation to the weakness of our capacity, though I rather choose not to speak positively on the point.
他的观点是，天使很多，但无所谓大小order，尽管他自己就引用了一些经文显示天使长（Archangel）米迦勒（Michael）的特殊地位却没有举出一条支持自己论点的经文。
个人认为启示录：12：7 无容置疑地表明了米迦勒的天使长的地位和魔鬼撒旦的邪灵之首的地位：
天上发生了战争：米迦勒和他的天使与龙作战。龙和牠的天使也起来应战. 8龙却抵挡不住，天上再也没有牠们的地方了。 9於是那大龙被摔了下来。牠就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的人的。牠被摔在地上，牠的天使也跟牠一同被摔了下来.
7And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels going forth to war with the dragon; and the dragon warred and his angels; 8And they prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9And the great dragon was cast down, the old serpent, he that is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world; he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.
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