Matthew 4:8-10

Matthew 4:8-10

[8] Again,  the devil  him  up  into  an exceeding  high  mountain,  and  sheweth  him  all  the kingdoms  of the world,  and  the glory  of them;  [9] And  unto him,  All  will I give  if  thou wilt fall down  and worship  [10] Then  saith  Jesus  unto him,  Get thee hence,  Satan:  for  it is written,  Thou shalt worship  the Lord  God,  and  him  only  shalt thou serve. 

What is the context of Matthew 4:8-10?

What does Matthew 4:8-10 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The high mountain to which Satan took Jesus next is traditionally near Jericho, but its exact location is not important. It simply provided a vantage point from which Satan could point out other kingdoms that surrounded Israel.
"The placement of Jesus on the mountain of temptation, where He refused to acknowledge the devil"s "authority," is deliberately juxtaposed to the mountain ( Matthew 28:16) of "the great commission," on which He later affirmed that all "authority" in heaven and on earth had been granted to Him ( Matthew 28:18)." [1]
Luke"s wording suggests that Satan presented all the kingdoms of the world to Jesus in a vision ( Luke 4:5). It is hard to tell if Jesus" temptations involved physical transportation or visionary transportation, but my preference is visionary transportation. This temptation would have universal significance, not just personal and national significance, as the first and second temptations did.
Satan offered Jesus immediate control over all the kingdoms of the world and the glory connected with reigning over them ( Matthew 4:9), something that God would give Him eventually as the Messiah. [2] In the will of God, Jesus would achieve universal rule ( Psalm 2) but only as the Suffering Servant who would have to endure the Cross first.
God"s divine authentication of His Son ( Matthew 3:16-17) drew attention to both Jesus" Davidic messiahship and His Suffering Servant role. This temptation consisted of an opportunity for Jesus to obtain the benefits of messiahship without having to experience its unpleasant elements. To get this, however, Jesus would have to change His allegiance from God to Satan. This involved idolatry, putting someone or something in the place that God deserves. Later Peter suggested the same shortcut to Jesus and received a sharp rebuke as Satan"s spokesman for doing so ( Matthew 16:23).
This was a legitimate offer. Satan had the ability, under the sovereign authority of God, to give Jesus what he promised, namely, power and glory (cf. Matthew 12:25-28; Luke 10:18; Ephesians 2:2). Israel, God"s other Song of Solomon , had formerly faced the same temptation to avoid God"s uncomfortable will by departing from it and had failed ( Numbers 13-14). This third temptation, like the other two, tested Jesus" total loyalty to His Father and His Father"s will. Had Jesus taken Satan"s bait He would have been Satan"s slave albeit, perhaps, a world ruler.
"Jesus was in effect tempted to subscribe to the diabolical doctrine that the end justifies the means; that, so long as He obtained universal sovereignty in the end, it mattered not how that sovereignty was reached ..." [3]
For a third time Jesus responded by quoting Scripture to His adversary ( Matthew 4:10). He banished Satan with the divine command to worship and to serve God alone ( Deuteronomy 6:13).