Vv. 5-7. Second temptation. TOTE παραλαμ. . , . τοῦ ἱεροῦ: τότε has the force of “«πεχε,’ and implies a closer order of sequence than Luke’s καὶ (iv. 5). παραλαμβάνει, historical present with dramatic effect ; seizes hold of Him and carries Him {ο.--τὴην ἁγίαν πόλιν: Jerusalem so named as if with affection (vide v. 35 and especially xxvii. 53, where the designation recurs).-—To
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p here απάἁ ® in Lk. iv
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πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ, 6. καὶ λέγει! αὐτω, “Ei υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ,
"βάλε σεαυτὸν κάτω: γέγραπται γὰρ, "Ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ
i Ch. ανή. ο.’ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσί σε, µήποτε προσκόψῃς.
Heb αἱ 3. πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα
j Lk. κ.α». Ὑέγραπται, “Οὐκ ) ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου.
mare
Ἰ. “Eon αὐτῷ ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς, “ Πάλιν *" 8. Πάλιν
"ο παραλαμβάνει αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν, καὶ δείκνυσιν
κ Ch. vi. Lk. sil wy.
For λεγα Z has awe.
πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ: some part of the temple bearing the name of “the winglet,’’ and overhanging a precipice. Commentators busy themselves discuss- ing what precisely and where it was.— Ver. 6. βάλε ceavrdy κάτω: This suggestion strongly makes for the symbolic or parabolic nature of the whole representation. The mad pro- posal could hardly be a temptation to such an one as Jesus, or indeed to any man in his senses. The transit through the air from the desert to the winglet, like that of Ezekiel, carried by a lock of his hair from Babylon to Jerusalem, must have been “in the visions of God” (Ezek. viii. 3), and the suggestion to cast Himself down a parabolic hint at a class of temptations, as the excuses in the parable of the Supper (Lk. xiv. 16) simply represent the category of pre- occupation. What is the class repre- sented? Not temptations through vanity or presumption, but rather to reckless escape from desperate situa- tions. The second temptation, like the first, belongs to the category of need. The Satanic suggestion is that there can be no sonship where there are such inextricable situations, in proof of which the Psalter is quoted (Ps. xci. 11, 12).— γέγραπται, it stands written, not precisely as Satan quotes it, the clause τοῦ διαφνλάξαι σε ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ὁδοῖς σου being omitted. On this account many commentators charge Satan with mutilating and falsifying Scripture.— Ver 7. Jesus replies by another quota- tion from Deut. (vi. 16).---πάλιν, on the other hand, not contradicting but qualifying: ‘ Scriptura per scripturam interpretanda et concilianda,” Bengel. The reference is to the incident at Rephidim (Ex. xvii. 1-7), where the people virtually charged God with bring- ing them out of Egypt to perish with thirst, the scene of this petulant outburst receiving the commemorative name of Massah and Meribah because they
αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὴν "δόξαν αὐτῶν, 9. καὶ
tempted Jehovah, saying: “Is Jehovah among us or not?” An analogous situation in the life of Jesus may be found in Gethsemane, where He did not complain or tempt, but uttered the sub- missive, “If it be possible”. The leap down at that crisis would have consisted in seeking escape from the cross at the cost of duty. The physical fall from the
innacle is an emblem of a moral fall.
efore sapriany from this temptation I note that the hypothesis that it was an appeal to vanity presupposes a crowd at the foot to witness the performance, of which there is no mention.
Vv. 8-10. Third temptation. als ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν: a mountain high enough for the purpose. There is no such mountain in the world, not even in the highest ranges, “ not to be sought for in terrestrial geography,” says De Wette. The vision of all the kingdoms and their glory was not physical.—rot κόσμον. Whatworld? Palestine merely, or all the world, Palestine ? or all the world, Palestine included? All these alternatives have been sup- ported. The last is the most likely. The second harmonises with the ideas of contemporary Jews, who regarded the heathen world as distinct from the Holy Land, as belonging to the devil. The tempter points in the direction of a universal Messianic empire, and claims power to give effect to the dazzling prospect.—Ver. 9. ἐὰν πεσὼν προσ- κυνήσῃς pot. This is the condition, homage to Satan as the superior. A naive suggestion, but pointing toa subtle form of temptation, to which all am- bitious, selt-seeking men succumb, that of gaining power Ey compromise with evil. The danger is greatest when the end is good. ‘ The end sanctifies the means.” Nowhere is homage to Satan more common than in connection with sacred causes, the interests of truth, righteousness, and God. Nothing tests. purity οἱ motive so thoroughly as tempta-