Matthew 4:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This was a section of the temple referred to as the lateral areas; they resemble wings.

The adversary, undeterred by the initial temptation, “took Him to the pinnacle of the temple.” Remarkably, this location remains elevated even now, despite the temple's destruction, as (the Lord) declared: “not a stone upon a stone shall remain in it” (cf. Matt. 24:2). However, the site where it once stood has been maintained as a notable marker.

Then the adversary brought Him into the sacred city. This action is not due to any weakness on the part of the Lord, but rather the pride of the foe, who misinterpreted the Lord's yearning for a display of intense need. From this same context, one can understand the meaning behind the statement found elsewhere, "They went into the holy city, and appeared to many" (Matt. 27:53). He also placed Him on the pinnacle of the temple. This was a test of vanity for the One whom he had previously challenged through hunger.

Poyat, which means to take or lead, signifies that he permits the adversary to guide the situation as it suits him and to combat according to his desire, resulting in the enemy's total defeat and his own retreat. He refers to Jerusalem as the sacred city, dedicated to God and therefore held in great esteem, and as the site of a holy temple. They positioned Him atop the pinnacle of the church, a towering structure that was constructed on the edge of the temple.

The adversary attempted to draw the Lord down from His exalted position to the realm of the dead, seeking to subjugate Him, who resided at the pinnacle of the temple, above the law and the prophets. The devil recognized that the heavenly hosts were prepared to support the Son of God, in order that He who stands upon the rock (Psalm 90:12) would not stumble (Psalm 90:11-13), capable of confronting the serpent and the dragon, trampling on the lion and the serpent (Psalm 90:11-13). Yet, the devil refrained from acknowledging the implications of his own fate, and by alluding to the high places, he sought to somehow dominate the Tempter and claim His glory, should the Lord of glory pledge loyalty to him.

He brought Jesus into the sacred city. When you hear the phrase, "He was led by the devil," do not assume that the devil possessed the power to guide Christ; instead, admire the endurance of Christ who endured being led by the devil. Therefore, in the Lord's following, there is not a display of weakness but rather of patience; and in the devil's leading, there is not an exhibition of strength but of arrogance. For, in his failure to comprehend Christ's willing surrender, he led Him as if it was against His desire. It has been decreed that we should not yield to the will of the devil.

Then the devil leads him, not by force or coercion, but rather invites him to follow to the Holy City of Jerusalem. He positions him atop the pinnacle of the temple, likely on the roof of Solomon’s portico, from which, as noted by the Jewish historian Josephus, one would become dizzy if they looked down at the Kidron stream, due to the great height.

The reply to the tempter revealed the nature of the challenge Jesus faced. With remarkable skill in mirroring the mindset that Christ had recognized, the tempter sought to lure Him by exploiting His profound trust in God. "Then the devil takes Him into the holy city and sets Him on the wing of the temple." In this moment, on the level of His physical being, Christ appeared to fall entirely under the devil's influence, who handled His form with reckless abandon. However, this only intensified the enemy's defeat of the spiritual essence of Christ.

“Taking and delivering” does not imply that the adversary transported Jesus through the air, compelled Him against His will, or performed any miraculous act to achieve this. There is no evidence to suggest that the devil possessed such authority or capability, and the definition of the term beret does not necessitate acceptance of any of these interpretations. The term signifies to lead or accompany someone (Matt. 17:1, Matt. 20:17, Matt. 27:37, Matt. 27:27, Mk. 5:40), indicating that Satan led or accompanied Jesus, clearly not against His will, nor through force or intimidation. The term “Holy City” refers to Jerusalem, named so because it housed the Holy Temple where the sacred rituals were conducted.

With a cunning subtlety, the adversary shifts the focus of the second temptation from earthly needs to heavenly ambitions, hoping to exploit the unwavering faith in God's Providence that the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated. The devil transports Him to the holy city and sets Him atop the pinnacle of the temple, proclaiming, “But if thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone” (Psalm 90:11-12). The temple's eastern wall raced up to 400 cubits (approximately 200 meters), and as it loomed over the steep chasm of the Cedar stream, as noted by Josephus Flavius, gazing down from the roof would induce dizziness.