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:
It's not difficult to answer regarding a trope that exits in Hebrew, Greek and Latin.
Rome was built on 7 mountains (mōns).
It is no coincidence that this particular part of GMat is talking about kingdoms and rulership.
These are high places in more ways than one. Tel Zion, Tel Megiddo, all relevant as the modern term "mountain" is anachronistic to the usage here. Today we separate high places into categories bases on altitude. Jesus was clearly pictured here with a rulership higher than the empires and kingdoms. A ruler of rulers has this hill.
"They both liked the general area, but each wanted to place the city on a different hill. Romulus wanted the city to be on top of Palatine Hill while Remus preferred Aventine Hill. They agreed to wait for a sign from the gods, called an augury, to determine which hill to use. Remus saw the sign of six vultures first, but Romulus saw twelve. Each claimed to have won."
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
Isn't this the same gospel that has sermon on the "mount"? This high places method applies to all. Greece's acropolis of Athens and Lindos etc. Mt Olympus. There is no mountain where anyone can literally see all the kingdoms, but Rome was not built on seven hills, they all had there own tribes. Later they became Rome.
Churches in England and elsewhere made there own high places, the spires that could be seen for many miles. The ziggurats of mesopotamia. If you have not got it then build it.
High places are certainly not unique to biblical texts.
"whose summit is like the throne of God" - Hebrew or greek?
In any case these trials are mythic, unless jesus went telling this to others? Read it for what it is and who it is competing with as much of this IS competing.
Isaiah 2:2 - more fuel to show that Matthew was written well after the destruction of the temple.
Duncan, you earlier said that Rome was built on 7 hills. I agreed, then you said it was not built on 7 hills. ☺
It was said to be built on 7 hills (mountains), but historically the hills were independent and joined to become Rome, so one does not contradict the other. One is the myth and one is the fact.
https://oxfordre.com/classics/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-5608?p=emailAmT5SLILoJEAU&d=/10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.001.0001/acrefore-9780199381135-e-5608
The built on 7 hills saying largely applies to the historical development of Rome: https://www.italymagazine.com/dual-language/seven-hills-rome
I suspect that Hebrews were not the only ones who thought seven was a special number - https://revealedrome.com/2010/06/the-janiculum-the-8th-hill-of-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
To posit that Matthew is the Hebrew gospel cannot disconnect it from Hellenism.
https://brill.com/display/title/6684
This language and ideas were wide spread and it was a competition.
More on seven - also search for Hadrian - https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/dwj/article/download/77132/71004/212247
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