“And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.”
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world — the second temptation in Luke is the kingdoms temptation (Matthew reverses the order of the second and third). All the kingdoms of the world shown in an instant communicates the visionary character of the experience — not a literal mountain from which all kingdoms are visible but a supernatural showing of the world's political domains.
Church Fathers on Luke 4:5
The enemy had first assailed Christ by the temptation of the appetite, as also he did Adam. He next tempts Him with the desire of gain or covetousness, showing Him all the kingdoms of the world. Hence it follows, And the devil taking him up.
What marvel that He permitted Himself to be led by the devil into the mountains, who even in endured to be crucified in His own body?
Or, the devil described the world in language, and as he thought brought it vividly before our Lord’s mind as though it were a certain house.
Read all 14 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS
Publish a reflection on this verse
No reflections on this verse yet. Be the first to write one!