Matthew 4:5

Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Matthew 4:5 (KJV)

Context

After His baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where He fasted for forty days and forty nights. At this point in the temptation account, the devil takes Jesus to the holy city, Jerusalem, and sets Him on a pinnacle of the temple. The pinnacle was a high point, possibly the roof or edge, of the temple structure. The temple was the central place of worship for the Jewish people and held great significance in their religious and cultural life.

The devil’s action of taking Jesus up is described as real, not merely visionary. This occurred by divine permission and with Christ’s consent, showing His great humiliation and condescension, as Satan had power over His body to move it from place to place.

Meaning

The pinnacle of the temple was not only a physical location but also a symbolic one. It represented a place of prominence and spiritual authority. By placing Jesus there, the devil was challenging His identity and authority as the Son of God. The devil’s intention was to test Jesus and provoke Him to sin. In the preceding verse, the devil had suggested that Jesus should turn stones into bread to satisfy His hunger. Here, the devil takes a different approach by appealing to Jesus’ trust in God’s protection and His own divine identity.

The devil’s actions were designed to manipulate Jesus and lead Him astray. By taking Him to the pinnacle of the temple, the devil hoped to exploit Jesus’ faith and provoke Him into testing God’s faithfulness by jumping off, expecting divine intervention to prove His identity. The location is significant: the devil takes Jesus to the temple, the very center of religious life, to tempt Him. This sets the stage for the devil’s subsequent challenge, which is recorded in the following verse.

Biblical connections

In the subsequent verses, Jesus responds to the devil’s temptation by quoting Scripture and affirming His allegiance to God alone. He states that it is written, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matthew 4:7, KJV), emphasizing the importance of relying on God’s will and not putting God to the test.

Application

This passage serves as a powerful example of Jesus’ unwavering faith and His ability to resist the devil’s temptations. It also highlights the significance of knowing and applying Scripture as a means to combat temptation and remain steadfast in one’s faith. Even the holy city and the temple, places of God’s presence, can be the setting for temptation. Jesus’ willingness to be taken there shows His submission to the Father’s plan, even in the face of the devil’s schemes.

Matthew 4:5 invites us to reflect on the nature of temptation, the importance of spiritual discernment, and the reliance on God’s Word to navigate through challenging situations. It reminds us that even in moments of vulnerability, we can find strength in God’s truth and remain steadfast in our commitment to follow Him.