The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer: A Review

Naselli, Andrew David. The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer. Short Studies in Biblical Theology 11. Wheaton: Crossway, 2020. 141pp excluding end matter.

Summary and Critique

The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer is a simple book.  It accurately demonstrates that (1) the serpent in Genesis 3 is Satan who deceives and devours, (2) that (for the most part) those who act serpent-like by deceiving and devouring are offspring of Satan, the serpent, and (3) that God through Jesus Christ defeats the serpent. 

There are, however, two major flaws in this book that that lead me to not recommend it.  First, the book quotes far too much.  After the two prefaces and the introduction (which focus on books that feature dragons), there are only 100 pages left for the actual topic and argument (not much space).  However, at least 50% of these 100 pages are quotes!  This means that of the 131 pages that should treat the topic of the serpent and the serpent slayer from the Bible, only 50 actually do so!  Because of the massive waste of space by the excessive quoting (sometimes quoting entire chapters of the Bible!), this book would have done better as a journal article and is not worth the price of a book.  Naselli justifies his excessive quoting by claiming (1) it helps the reader engage directly with the Bible by helping the reader connect what he says with Scripture and (2) it helps the reader realize that the serpent theme is throughout all of Scripture.  My response to #2 is that Naselli should have written in such a way that the reader should realize the serpent theme is throughout Scripture without Naselli quoting every passage.  My response to #1 is that the reader has a Bible and can use it if he/she desires.  The topic could have been treated at much greater depth had Naselli minimized the quotations and assumed his readers have a Bible. 

Second, Naselli fails to mention that all who are not the people of God (offspring of the woman) are offspring of the Serpent (Satan).  This is a point made in a couple other books in the SSBT series and one that should have been made at length in this book.  Had Naselli not used half his page allowance on quoting the Bible, he could have dedicated an entire chapter to this important aspect of the serpent theme. 

In conclusion, there is nothing incorrect in The Serpent, but there are some glaring omissions. This book would have been better as an article and is not worth the price of a monograph. I do not recommend this book. 

Summary of Each Chapter

Introduction: Why We Love Dragon-Slaying Stories

Naselli summarizes the Bible’s storyline with the pithy statement: “Kill the Dragon, get the girl” (17). 

“Serpent is an umbrella term that includes both snakes and dragons . . . . A serpent has two major strategies: deceive and devour . . . . When a serpent in Scripture attempts to deceive, it’s a snake. When a serpent attempts to devour, it’s a dragon” (18). 

Chapter 1: The Deceitful Snake in Genesis 3

Genesis 3 teaches twelve “notable” truths about the snake: 

1. The snake is deceitful (33–34). The term “crafty” used in Genesis 3 is a neutral term on its own (34).
   
2. The snake is a beast that God created (34).
   
3. The snake deceives by questioning God (34–35).
   
4. The snake deceives by contradicting God (35).
   
5. The snake deceives by tempting with worldliness (35–37).
   
6. The snake deceives Eve to rebel against God, and Adam follows Eve (38–39). 
   
7. As a result of the snake’s deceit, Adam’s and Eve’s sins separate them from God (39–40).
   
8. As a result of the snake’s deceit, God curses the snake and promises a snake crusher (40–41).
   
9. As a result of the snake’s deceit, God punishes Adam and Eve (41–43).
   
10. As a result of the snake’s deceit, God clothes Adam and Eve with garments of skin (43).
    
11. As a result of the snake’s deceit, God banishes Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden (44–46). The garden of Eden connects to two major themes in the Bible’s storyline: (1) exile and exodus and (2) temple. 
    
12. The snake is Satan (46–47): “when we read Genesis 3 in light of the whole Bible, we must identify the snake as Satan” (47). 

Chapter 2: Snakes and Dragons between the Bible’s Bookends—Part 1: The Good, the Bad, and the Ultimate Serpent

Serpents can symbolize either good or evil. In the Bible, serpents sometimes symbolize good, but most often symbolize evil or are seen as negative (50–51). Frequently, serpents symbolize God’s enemies (53), with Satan being the ultimate serpent (54–55). 

Satan’s strategy is to deceive, lie, and backstab (55). His primary prey is God’s people (55). “Jesus became human to decisively defeat the snake and save his people. Thus, Jesus can help his people when Satan tempts them” (57). 

Throughout this chapter, Naselli argues that most references to Leviathan refer to both an actual creature, but also Satan (62–65). 

Chapter 3: Snakes and Dragons between the Bible’s Bookends—Part 2: Six Offspring of the Serpent

Satan, the ultimate serpent, has evil offspring.  This chapter identifies and explains the six categories of the serpent’s offspring: 

1. Egypt and Pharaoh (70–82).
2. Wicked leaders in Canaan and Moab (82–91). 
3. The King of Babylon (92–93).
4. King Herod (93–95).
5. Pharisees and Sadducees (95–97).
6. Other false teachers (97–103).

The biggest weakness of this chapter is the failure to mention that all who are not the people of God (offspring of the woman) are offspring of the Serpent (Satan). This is a point made in a couple other books in the SSBT series. 

Chapter 4: The Devouring Dragon in Revelation 12 and 20

“At the end of this age, Satan’s strategy is not merely to deceive as the snake but also to devour as the dragon” (105).  Naselli identifies thirteen “notable” truths about the dragon from Revelation 12 and 20: 

1. The dragon is the ancient serpent (105–06).
   
2. The dragon is a murderer (107).
   
3. The dragon is powerful (107–08).
   
4. The dragon plans to devour the Messiah (108–09).
   
5. The dragon fails to devour the Messiah (109).
   
6. The dragon and his angels get thrown down to earth (110). Naselli identifies the timing of this at Jesus’ resurrection. 
   
7. The dragon is conquered on the basis of the blood of the Lamb and the word of the Saints’ testimony (111–12).
   
8. The dragon furiously persecutes God’s people (112–16). Naselli identifies the woman of Revelation 12 as God’s people and the 1,260 days as the period between Christ’s two advents. 
   
9. The dragon cannot destroy God’s people (116–17).
   
10. The dragon empowers the beast (117–18). Naselli identifies the beast as a symbol representing “Satan-empowered empires that persecute God’s people” (118). 
    
11. The dragon is bound for a thousand years (118–19). Naselli is an Amillennialist. Thus, the thousand years is the period between Jesus’ two comings. 
    
12. The dragon attempts to deceive the nations (120–21). 
    
13. The dragon is tormented forever in the lake of fire and sulphur (121–22). 

Naselli concludes this chapter with a good summary: “At the end of Revelation, God conquers the dragon, banishes sin, destroys death and lives among his people in the Most Holy Place, the worldwide garden” (122). 

Conclusion: Living in Light of the Story of the Serpent and the Serpent Slayer

Naselli suggests six ways Christians should live in light of the Serpent and the Serpent Slayer storyline: 

1. Don’t imitate the poisonous serpent by murdering, rejecting the truth, and lying/deceiving (123–25).
2. Beware of the serpent as the deceiving snake and devouring dragon (125–26).
3. Fight the serpent as the deceiving snake and devouring dragon (127–29).
4. Exult in the serpent slayer (129–30). 
5. Enjoy good serpent-slaying stories as echoes of the greatest story (130).
6. Τrust the serpent slayer (131).