I was reading through Matthew 4 as part of my daily Bible reading this evening and I got hung up on a phrase that I have read over and over. In verses 5 and 8, the phrase "the devil to him (Jesus) to [5-the holy city; 8-a very high mountain]." The devil took Jesus? Can the devil lead us in a way that is not sinful? Is obedience to Satan always sin? It's been a while since I've looked closely at Bible passages concerning the power and effects of Satan or researched popular theological teaching about Satan. Maybe I should.
It always seemed to me like Satan was oftentimes portrayed as one who essentially causes someone to sin or perhaps one whose influence was always detrimental to our well-being. But, Jesus apparently had no qualms about letting Satan lead him, to a point. This is a little bit troubling to me at first glance.
Hopefully there is more to come.
Tags: theology, bible, temptation, Satan
About Me
- Matt Cleaver
- I don't use blogger anymore. Visit my current website at http://mattcleaver.com I've recently become the youth director at a small Lutheran church. Coming from a non-denominational, Bible-church background, this has been a fun endeavor for me. Besides my job, which I love, I enjoy writing, reading, and talking theology. My wife is studying to be the best doctor in the world. I'm quite proud of her!