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If the vision of the kingdoms of the world was spiritual, why did the devil take Jesus to a high place?
In the temptation narrative (Matthew 4:8; Luke 4:5), it says the devil “took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.”
Many interpreters suggest this was a spiritual or visionary experience, since no mountain could provide a literal view of all the world’s kingdoms.
But if the event was purely visionary, why would there be any need for a physical relocation to a high place?
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2 Answers
The best deceptions work best in the right environment. The top of a mountain is the best place for a broad view, and a great setting for even a brief vision. (Luke says the view took a "moment in time.") The trip showed that the angel making the offer did, indeed, have supernatural power that could take any nation with a brief show of force.
But briefly, the moment of time is the second reason that a vision is involved in reading this story. And a mountain top is where man meets with God at times in the human story.
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Having fasted forty days, Jesus was at the point of death.
He was therefore extremely vulnerable to suggestion and to hallucination.
Alone in the wilderness, isolated, too weakened to reach civilisation again, unaided, the Tempter approached and tried the lone man on every possible level of humanity.
Once the Tempter departed, angels ministered to him. Else he would have died.
'Took' should be seen as internal, not locational.
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If the vision of the kingdoms of the world was spiritual, why did the devil take Jesus to a high place?
In the temptation narrative (Matthew 4:8; Luke 4:5), it says the devil “took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.”
Many interpreters suggest this was a spiritual or visionary experience, since no mountain could provide a literal view of all the world’s kingdoms.
But if the event was purely visionary, why would there be any need for a physical relocation to a high place?
3,7953 gold badges12 silver badges45 bronze badges
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The best deceptions work best in the right environment. The top of a mountain is the best place for a broad view, and a great setting for even a brief vision. (Luke says the view took a "moment in time.") The trip showed that the angel making the offer did, indeed, have supernatural power that could take any nation with a brief show of force.
But briefly, the moment of time is the second reason that a vision is involved in reading this story. And a mountain top is where man meets with God at times in the human story.
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