The Black Devil: the adjective μέλας in Septuagint, New Testament, Epistle of Barnabas and the Sheperd of Hermas

Abstract

In Early Christian Literature, particularly in the Epistle of Barnabas (4:10 and 20:1), the Devil is named ὁ Μέλας, appellative translated as “the Black”. Our reflections lead us to search for the origin of the link between black and devil in previous literature: first in Greek Literature, where we find an ambiguous use of μέλας, and second in the Bible, since the Epistle of Barnabas is written in a Christian context. But, the negative connotation of μέλας in Septuagint is not so clear and it is in the New Testament, where the study must be extended to σκότος (“darkness”) to find a direct relationship with evil.