Inquiry:
What is the shape of the earth? Isaiah 40:22 says, “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers, that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in.” Yet, Matthew 4:8 reads, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them.”
Astronomical bodies are spherical, and you cannot see the entire exterior surface from any place. The kingdoms of Egypt, China, Greece, Crete, sections of Asia Minor, India, Maya (in Mexico), Carthage (North Africa), Rome (Italy), Korea, and other settlements from these kingdoms of the world were widely distributed. Is there a contradiction?
Response:
To begin with the questioner’s simple inquiry of the shape of the earth, it is a sphere. The Scriptures certainly acknowledge this to be true, as the questioner points out from Isaiah 40:22. The supposed contradiction seems to be the idea that Satan could show jesus all the kingdoms of the world from “…an exceeding high mountain…”, thus let us consider this.
There are a few adequate explanations for the circumstances of Matthew 4:8.
- LOCAL “WORLD”
Note that in Deuteronomy 34:1-3, Moses was able to see from mount Nebo “…all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephaim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, and the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.” It would be possible to see all the kingdoms in the land of Canaan from any high mountain in the region. The land was divided into “kingdoms”, Judea being divided into three kingdoms, the sons of Heod presiding as kings in them. So far as Satan showing the “…kingdoms of the world…”, it is understood that the word “world” can be used on a limited scale as is evident by the census decree by Ceasar Augustus in Luke 2:1. - UNIVERSAL “WORLD”
a) It is acknowledged that not all the kingdoms of the world are literally visible from a mountain in Judah. It is possibble however to point out the locality of the kingdoms of the world (ie. Egypt, China, Greece, Crete, etc.), and with choice words of description to convey the glories of these kingdoms to Jesus’ imagination.
b) It must be acknowledged that we are not dealing with mere men. Satan is capable of doing far beyond that which is limited to the realm of the physical. Though it would be impossible to literally see all the kingdoms of the world from a mountain in Canaan, it is plausible that Satan presented a panorama view of the kingdoms of the world before the Lord.
Which of tthese is the correct understanding? I cannot tell. However, it is evident that the supposed contradiction between Isaiah 40:22 and Matthew 4:8 is easily dissolved.
There is no contradiction.
This article is a response to Skeptic’s Annotated Bible, but original article is no longer listed
Links: YouVersion | GROW magazine
Return to the article archive
