Mat 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.
The first question is whether to take this verse, the third temptation, literally or in other cognisance.
If taken literally we need explanations. Which was that very high mountain, where one can see the Kingdoms of the world ? This is followed by another question, that when the earth is spherical, how could Satan show him all the kingdoms of the world.
( By :Godwin Nickelson) M:9426426305
The first question is whether to take this verse, the third temptation, literally or in other cognisance.
If taken literally we need explanations. Which was that very high mountain, where one can see the Kingdoms of the world ? This is followed by another question, that when the earth is spherical, how could Satan show him all the kingdoms of the world.
- There were higher mountains in the near vicinity. Both Barnes and Clarke (e sword commentaries) suggest this. Abbe Maritti ( Travels through Cyprus) speaks of a mountain on which he was, which answers to the description here. “This part of the mountain,” says he, “overlooks the mountains of Arabia, the country of Gilead, the country of the Amorites, the plains of Moab, the plains of Jericho, the River Jordan, and the whole extent of the Dead Sea.” Other references and findings of the Palestinian studies also reveal this.
- The highest mountain on the face of the globe could not suffice to make evident even one hemisphere of the earth, and the other must of necessity be in darkness. Pointing to this verse, one can not conclude that Scripture is contradicting the scientific spherical nature of the earth. Like Moses had seen the Canaan from the top of Mt Piscah, there are areal views (like we see in aeroplane). That does not mean earth is flat.
- The term “world” in the Bible is often used in this limited sense to denote a part or a large part of the world, particularly the land of Canaan. See Rom_4:13, where it means the land of Judah; also Luk_2:1 (Barnes). In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. So when Mathew said about the world, he might have mentioned the land of Judea only.
- The high mountain may also mean other things. This can be either a physical or a spiritual high place. KJV translates as mountain 41 times, mount 21 times, and hill three times (Strong). This demonstrates that there is no clue as to exactly where and what.
- The text could be a figure of speech but that still would not dilute the message in the text. The writer was speaking from his point of view as many of them did many times in explaining things to us in scripture. The point was the temptations and how Christ dealt with Satan on the questions.
( By :Godwin Nickelson) M:9426426305
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