Why is Satan commonly believed to rule in hell?

I would have to agree with above comments. an my answer to where the theory came from that Satan rules in hell is this Hollywood..( take the movie little Nicki for example) And I believe it to be misconception because Satan (plz correct me if I'm wrong) was a fallen angel that God cast out for his rebellion an also his attempts to over throw God because of his jealousy problem he wanted to be worshiped he wanted to have the most power about like today's world of politics. So I believe the closest he has ever gotten to rule over anything which is still yet another deception is hell an he used Hollywood to decieve people into believing it So my final answer is Holly wood

Below copy an pasted 1st segment from earlier comment I was referring to I do not take any credit for it used only as reference to what I agreed with in aove coment

Protestant Christian Response: Satan is not the ruler of hell. It is God who is in charge. Jesus says, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that can do no more. . . . Fear Him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell” (Luke 12:4–5). Jesus is referring to God here. He alone has the power to throw someone into hell. Who holds the keys of death and hades? Jesus has absolute control over that domain (Revelation 1:18). Jesus assures all believers that not even the gates of hades can overcome His church (Matthew 16:18)

Why is Satan commonly believed to rule in hell?

Some believe Satan is a Seraphim and chief of the sinning angels, is probably the highest of all the angels. There are some who think that Lucifer was highest only among the rebel angels in hell.

This answer will be based on the Catholic traditions in regards to Satan and the nine choirs of angels.

Although it is now generally accepted that there are nine choirs of angels and each choir is of angel is different and ranked accordingly.

During the Middle Ages, many schemes were proposed, some drawing on and expanding on Pseudo-Dionysius, others suggesting completely different classifications. According to medieval Christian theologians, the angels are organized into several orders, or "Angelic Choirs.

Pseudo-Dionysius (On the Celestial Hierarchy) and Thomas Aquinas (Summa Theologica) drew on passages from the New Testament, specifically Ephesians 1:21 and Colossians 1:16, to develop a schema of three Hierarchies, Spheres or Triads of angels, with each Hierarchy containing three Orders or Choirs. Although both authors drew on the New Testament, the Biblical canon is relatively silent on the subject, and these hierarchies are considered less definitive than biblical material.

Choirs in medieval theology

St. Thomas Aquinas in Summa Theologica (1225–1274):

1.Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones;

2.Dominations, Virtues, and Powers;

3.Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. - Christian angelology (Wikipedia)

St. Thomas Aquinas' list is by far the most widely accepted list of angelic choirs and places the Seraphic order of angel as being at the highest level of angels followed by the Cherubim, and so on. According to St Thomas:

1.The angels that rebelled and became demons did not lose their nature or their connatural gifts. They cast away, by their sin, the grace in which they were created. They did not cast away the beatific vision, for they never had it. Now, if we think of angelic orders as orders of angels in glory, then, of course, there are no orders of bad angels. But if we consider angelic orders as order of angelic nature simply, there are orders among the demons.

2.Certainly, there is a precedence among bad angels; there is a subjection of some to others.

3.Demons of superior nature do not enlighten inferior demons; enlightenment here could only mean the manifestation of truth with reference to God, and the fallen angels have perversely and permanently turned away from God. But demons can speak to one another, that is, they can make known their thoughts to one another, that is, they can make known their thoughts to one another, for this ability belongs to the angelic nature which the demons retain.

4.The nearer creatures are to God the greater is their rule over other creatures. Therefore, the good angels rule and control the demons. - ORDERS AMONG THE FALLEN ANGELS

This stated it only makes sense that Satan was a Seraphim, for surely some of the Seraphim fell in great revolt against God. Although one can not say with certainty it is generally believed Satan was a Seraphim.

SIN OF THE FALLEN ANGELS

3.Lucifer who became Satan, leader of the fallen angels, wished to be as God. This prideful desire was not a wish to be equal to God, for Satan knew by his natural knowledge that equality of creature with creator is utterly impossible. Besides, no creature actually desires to destroy itself, even to become something greater. On this point man sometimes deceives himself by a trick of imagination; he imagines himself to be another and greater being, and yet it is himself that is somehow this other being. But an angel has no sense-faculty of imagination to abuse in this fashion. The angelic intellect, with its clear knowledge, makes such self-deception impossible. Lucifer knew that to be equal with God, he would have to be God, and he knew perfectly that this could not be. What he wanted was to be as God; he wished to be like God in a way not suited to his nature, such as to create things by his own power, or to achieve final beatitude without God's help, or to have command over others in a way proper to God alone.

4.Lucifer, chief of the sinning angels, was probably the highest of all the angels. But there are some who think that Lucifer was highest only among the rebel angels. - ANGELS: FROM THE TEACHINGS OF SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS

I can only answer from a Protestant perspective and that perspective would be from scripture itself, since Protestants professedly believe that scripture is 'binding' (I am quoting here from the the first of the 39 articles of the C of E for want of anything more broadly indicative.)

I cannot find anything that 'explains' why there is a misconception. But misconception, I agree, there definitely is, through (I would say) ignorance of the scripture itself.

So I would suggest that ignorance is the reason for the misconception rather than any party or parties deliberately putting about an error.

I would suggest that it is just superstitious rumour from non-religious sources and from paintings which attempt to depict hellfire, such as those paintings accompanying the written work of Dante Alighieri.

A previous question dealt with the common misconception that the Entity variously referred to as Serpent, Satan and Lucifer (in Hebrew descriptions); as Diabolos, Poneros and Antidikos (in Greek descriptions); and as 'the Devil' (a rather poor English translation) will have the power to torment the souls and bodies of resurrected humans in the lake of fire.

The first answer to that previous question explained from scripture that the misconception was false. However the second answer to the question introduced the concept of the Entity "ruling" in hell - something that the question had not asked.

So this present question focuses on the matter of 'ruling'.

I would agree with the OP here as I, also, cannot find any text of scripture that attributes future 'rule' (in hell) to the Entity so described above. (They are not personal names for no personal name is ever given to that individual, only descriptive titles that convey his activities and characteristics).

The texts only convey (as the OP states) the fact of the presence of Satan, not any activity open to him to conduct in the future.

==========================================================================

The last - specific - mention in the bible of that individual is in Revelation 20:10 :

... the diabolos that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone ... [KJV] (I have written 'diabolos' rather than 'devil'.)

Thereafter, in the closing two chapters of scripture, there are two general references in which he would be included with all who are in the same state as he.

• Firstly there are those who did not overcome within the context of time and who shall therefore not inherit anything in the new heaven and the new earth, Revelation 21:8. The multiple description ends with the category 'all liars'.

... and all liars, shall have their part in the lake of fire which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. [KJV].

• Secondly, there are those have no right to the tree of life and thus may not enter the gates of the new city, Revelation 22:15. This multiple description ends with the category 'and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie'.

They are described as being :

without.

=====================================================================

Thus after being described for the last time, the individual under discussion is no longer given any specific attention and is classed among all those who behaved in similar fashion.

Which, I would say, is conclusive proof that the idea of him 'ruling' anything is a fiction.

To those men, who behaved towards Jesus in a way which was exactly the same as the way in which the Entity behaved towards him, he said :

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. John 8:44 [KJV].

The last chapters of the Apocalypse indicate that both the father of liars and all who are liars like him, shall be together, none ruling another, for ever in the lake of fire.