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For some reason Mt. Zion just popped into my head. Any one know what happened on Mt. Zion?
Isn't that the place where the Rastafarians* grow their ganja?
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*The doctrines of Rastafari depart radically from the norms of the conventional modern western mind, a trait of the movement deliberately encouraged by Rastas themselves. Unlike many religious groups that stress compliance with and recognition of the "powers-that-be," Rastafari instead stresses loyalty to their vision of "Zion," and rejection of modern society (called Babylon), which they see as thoroughly corrupt. "Babylon" in this case is considered to be rebelling against "Earth's Rightful Ruler" (JAH) ever since the days of king Nimrod.
But you must follow the Bible's statement as true that Satan has the SUPERNATURAL POWER (evidently not only reserved to God Almighty) to present to the eyes of Jesus all the kingdoms of the world, even though they could not possibly be visible by the laws of nature from any particular actual mountain found at that time (1c AD) on the surface of the entire Earth, not the mention that because the Earth is a SPHERE, such a view is impossible.
Do you believe that Satan the Fallen Angel has such supernatural power? If so, then Satan would qualify as a "minor god" as worshipped among the Greeks and Romans. Christianity would therefore accuratley be termed a polytheistic religion, or at least a religion that postulates a polytheistic universe!
If you don't accept this idea about the supernatural powers of Satan, then you must believe that the story is merely a "tall tale".
I think that Satan had supernatural powers. These power came from Adam and Eve when he deceived them in the Garden of Eden. He took the ability from Adam to move without restriction on the earth among other things. When Jesus died on the cross he took back humanities abilities lost to Satan(since he was fully human). Jesus exibited these abilities in the text when we read after the resurection. The ability to appear in the middle of a group of people in a locked room, without using the door. Then to appear miles away with two disciples instantaneously. Satan has lost these powers.
[quote=GCSTroop;3757624]I'm trying to remember what book of the Bible I read this in, but I seem to remember hearing once upon a time that Satan once took Jesus either to "a very high mountain" or "the highest mountain in the land" (I'm not sure of the exact verse). Therein, Satan showed Jesus all of the world and if I'm not mistaken he tempted him with all of the world's possessions.
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We are told that in this last temptation the devil had taken Jesus to "a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor" (Matt 4:8).
For the literalists, what mountain did Satan take Jesus to? I know of no mountain that you can stand on top of and view all of the world. Not only that, but I know of no altitude in which one could see "all" of the world.
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There is no mountain high enough in Palestine, or anywhere in the world for that matter, where a person can literally see all the kingdoms of the world. How can one see Rome and Athens and Damascus and Egypt from a mountain in Palestine?
This suggests that we need to consider the concept of mountain in Matthew in terms of what the Gospel writer wanted to say rather than how we might want to hear it. Matthew, in fact, is fond of mountains. In Hebrew thinking mountains are the place where significant things happen. God gave the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exod 19-20). Elijah had a confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel where God came (1 Kings 18). In Matthew we see Jesus going up on a mountain and teaching the Sermon on the Mount to bring fulfillment to the Law given at Mount Sinai (Matt 5:1 ff). In the final chapter of Matthew (28) after his resurrection, Jesus meets with his disciples on a mountain in Galilee and commissions them to go and make disciples of all nations.
All that to say this, that the word "mountain" in Matthew is intended to be taken not in a strict literal sense but in a metaphorical sense. Matthew is using the concept of mountain from its history in Old Testament narratives as a way to focus attention on the significance of the temptation narrative in understanding Jesus. That suggests that the entire story of the temptations of Jesus in Matthew 4 is to be taken figuratively. It is not that the temptations are not "real," only that the way Matthew tells them to us in the Gospel account is couched in metaphor. Jesus was not literally whisked around from the top of the temple to the top of some mountain. Jesus was tempted the way you and I are tempted, that is, in our minds and hearts rather than by a physically visible form of the devil transporting Jesus from place to place in some sort of a Star Trek beam-up and beam-down. The physical descriptions are the way Matthew tells us about the internal struggle that Jesus was going through in the temptations.
So, is this a metaphor and if so, why should we take it as a metaphor instead of literally? Unless, of course, they were implying that the Earth was flat???
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God gave the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai (Exod 19-20). Elijah had a confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel where God came (1 Kings 18). In Matthew we see Jesus going up on a mountain and teaching the Sermon on the Mount to bring fulfillment to the Law given at Mount Sinai (Matt 5:1 ff). In the final chapter of Matthew (28) after his resurrection, Jesus meets with his disciples on a mountain in Galilee and commissions them to go and make disciples of all nations.
All that to say this, that the word "mountain" in Matthew is intended to be taken not in a strict literal sense but in a metaphorical sense. Matthew is using the concept of mountain from its history in Old Testament narratives as a way to focus attention on the significance of the temptation narrative in understanding Jesus.
Hope this helps to clear up the confusion on the mountain. Just remember "Your FAITH can move MOUNTAINS"!!!!
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a very high mountain
The Temptation of Jesus
4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 1 to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 2 4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 3 4:4 But he answered, 4 “It is written, ‘Man5does not live6by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 7 4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, 8 had him stand 9 on the highest point 10 of the temple, 4:6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ 11 and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 4:7 Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. 14 4:9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship 15 me.” 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, 16 Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 17 4:11 Then the devil left him, and angels 18 came and began ministering to his needs.
4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 1 to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 2 4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 3 4:4 But he answered, 4 “It is written, ‘Man5does not live6by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 7 4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, 8 had him stand 9 on the highest point 10 of the temple, 4:6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ 11 and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 4:7 Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. 14 4:9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship 15 me.” 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, 16 Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 17 4:11 Then the devil left him, and angels 18 came and began ministering to his needs.
This begs the question : Is God so weak that he can be lead by the devil to be tempted?
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Isn't that the place where the Rastafarians* grow their ganja?
a very high mountain
