A student once asked me from which mountain Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Matthew 4:8-11). We discussed how the mountain is not given a name in the account and it might even have been visionary, but also the word for "mountain" (ὄρος) appears numerous times in Matthew's Gospel (5:1; 5:14). However, these mountains are left nameless most of the time, I believe. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount (chaps. 5-7), we are not told what the mountain is and the same thing can be said for Matt. 17 with the transfiguration. In Matt. 28:16-20, Jesus gives the so-called Great Commission to his disciples from a mountain: Οἱ δὲ ἕνδεκα μαθηταὶ ἐπορεύθησαν εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν εἰς τὸ ὄρος οὗ ἐτάξατο αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς.
There is also the question of how was he taken, and from which mountain one could possibly see all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor?
16 comments:
Dear Mr. Foster,
do you know this book?
https://archive.org/details/arius-heresy-and-tradition-by-rowan-williams
Duncan, yes Rome was built on 7 hills. Yet, how do you know Matthew had this in mind when using the Greek term or that he was even thinking of this trope?
Is the term "mountain" anachronistic here? Not sure I would say that. Is this account about Jesus' rulership. The answer he gave Satan makes me think otherwise. Plus he was shown worldly/human kingdoms from this vantage-point by Satan.
Nincsnevem, I am familiar with the book: I own and have read the book. Is this pertaining to the thread about Matthew?
Duncan: https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/jaj/12/1/article-p1_1.xml
https://fosterheologicalreflections.blogspot.com/2019/06/craig-keeners-thoughts-for-matthew-48.html
https://fosterheologicalreflections.blogspot.com/2021/10/a-very-high-mountain-greek.html
Duncan, you earlier said that Rome was built on 7 hills. I agreed, then you said it was not built on 7 hills. ☺
The built on 7 hills saying largely applies to the historical development of Rome: https://www.italymagazine.com/dual-language/seven-hills-rome
https://www.britannica.com/topic/number-symbolism/Pythagoreanism
And the seven sages of Greece.
Concerning Matthew 4:1-11, see https://www.academia.edu/35729411/Overburdening_Jesus_with_divinity_causes_theological_limitations_Matthew_4_1_11_as_test_case
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