 His demonic retinue, which includes witches, vampires, and a gigantic talking cat, his role in the plot, and the fact that "Voland" is a (now outdated) German word for a devil or evil spirit, all imply that he is, in fact, the Devil.More controversial interpretations see him as the Apostle Peter (based on Jesus’ remark to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan") or even the Second Coming of Christ.Edward Ericson argues that Woland is essentially "the Satan of orthodox (specifically Russian Orthodox) Christian theology [...] He is both a tempter of men and an unwitting instrument of divine justice, a being who owes his existence and power to the very one he opposes."