Satan is called the father of lies because he originated the first recorded lie in the Garden of Eden, and Jesus explicitly identifies him as 'a liar, and the father of it' (John 8:44).
The Bible shows the serpent denying exactly what God had said to Eve: 'Ye shall not surely die' (Genesis 3:4). Jesus later said the devil abode not in the truth and is the father of the lie. Les Feldick teaches that this same lie has never changed—Satan still tempts people to doubt God's Word and to reach for the promise that they can be like God.
John 8:44 — Jesus directly states that the devil is a liar and the father of it, giving the phrase its biblical basis.
Genesis 3:4 — The serpent's denial of God's warning is the first recorded lie in Scripture.
Genesis 3:6 — The woman's response shows how the lie worked through the lust of the eyes and the desire to be wise.
In Genesis 3, Eve tells the serpent what God commanded: the tree in the midst of the garden was not to be eaten or touched, lest she and Adam die (Genesis 3:2-3). The serpent answered with a direct contradiction: 'Ye shall not surely die' (Genesis 3:4). This denial is the first recorded lie in the Bible, and it was aimed at God's word. Later, Jesus makes the origin of lying explicit: 'Ye are of your father the devil... When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it' (John 8:44). Scripture also shows the appeal Satan used with Eve and still uses with humanity: 'the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life' (1 John 2:16).
Les Feldick traces the title 'father of lies' back to the Garden of Eden. He says Satan's big gun is doubt: as soon as a person doubts or disbelieves God's Word, Satan has him 'right in his hip pocket' [Clip 0]. The moment God placed the perfect pair in the garden, Satan came in to throw a monkey wrench into the plan of the sovereign God, and he has never changed [Clip 2]. Les summarizes Satan's method this way: everything God says is best for us not to do, Satan says 'Do it' [Clip 3]. He also reads Jesus' words in John 8:44 and shows that Jesus plainly called the devil a murderer from the beginning and 'the father of it' [Clip 1]. Les points out that Eve already had everything good, including a sinless husband, but Satan persuaded her there was something more to be gained [Clip 6]. The heart of that lie, Les says, is found in the tempting promise, 'You can be like God'—and he expects Satan to use the same approach on new generations after the Millennial Kingdom [Clip 7].
The first lie Scripture records is in Genesis 3:4. The serpent told Eve, 'Ye shall not surely die,' directly contradicting the command that Eve had just repeated (Genesis 3:3). This is the first denial in the Bible of a clear statement from God, and Jesus traces the whole family of lies back to the devil in John 8:44.
Les says the first part of Satan's appeal to Eve was to get her to look at the fruit; it appealed to the eye and to something more to be gained [Clip 4, Clip 6]. Eve already had it good, with a perfect, sinless husband, but the serpent offered the pride-of-life temptation: the idea that eating would make her wise (Genesis 3:6). Les summarizes the deepest lie as 'You can be like God' [Clip 7].
Les teaches that Satan has never changed; his entire role is to thwart God's plan [Clip 2]. He still answers every divine prohibition with 'do it' [Clip 3], and he still holds out the same promise that people can be like God [Clip 7]. Les also says Satan is the god of this world and has prompted everything mankind accomplishes, which is why the world lies under his influence [Clip 5].
Doubt vs. Belief
Les teaches that doubt is Satan's big gun; once a person doubts God's Word, Satan has them in his control—this is how the first lie began.
Jesus Names the Devil as Father of the Lie
Les reads John 8:44, where Jesus says the devil is a murderer from the beginning and 'a liar, and the father of it.'
Satan's Unchanging Mission
Les says Satan has never changed; from the Garden of Eden onward his purpose has been to thwart the sovereign plan of God by causing humans to sin.
'Do It' vs. 'Thou Shalt Not'
Les summarizes the father of lies' method: whatever God forbids, Satan immediately tells people to do.
The Appeal to the Eye
Les points out that Satan's first appeal to Eve was to make her look at the fruit, pulling her through the lust of the eye.
Satan as God of This World
Les says Satan has prompted everything mankind accomplishes because he is the god of this world, a background that explains his ongoing deceptive influence.
Eve Already Had Everything
Les notes Eve had a perfect, sinless husband and a perfect environment, so the lie had to promise something more—what she could gain by disobedience.
'You Can Be Like God'
Les identifies the core lie offered to Eve—'you can be like God'—and says the same temptation will be used again on generations after the Millennial Kingdom.
Genesis 3:3: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
Eve repeats God's command just before the serpent's denial, showing the lie contradicts a clear divine word.
Genesis 3:4: And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
This flat denial is the first recorded lie and the reason Satan can be called the father of lies.
Genesis 3:6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The text shows Eve was drawn by the lust of the eye and the desire for wisdom—the avenues of the lie.
John 8:44: Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Jesus directly identifies the devil as the originator of lies, giving the phrase 'father of lies' its biblical foundation.
1 John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
These are the same three areas of temptation that Satan used on Eve and continues to use.
Because he originated the first lie in Eden. Jesus said in John 8:44 that when the devil speaks a lie he speaks of his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
The first recorded lie was to Eve: 'Ye shall not surely die' (Genesis 3:4), which directly denied what God had said about eating from the forbidden tree.
Les Feldick teaches that Satan has never changed. He still says 'do it' to everything God forbids and still tempts people with being like God, just as he tempted Eve.
Watch the Teaching: Genesis 2-3 Bible Study: How the Fall of Man Changed Everything