Matthew 4:5

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

Then {G5119} the devil {G1228} taketh {G3880} him {G846} up {G3880} into {G1519} the holy {G40} city {G4172}, and {G2532} setteth {G2476} him {G846} on {G1909} a pinnacle {G4419} of the temple {G2411},

Then the Adversary took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the Temple.

Then the devil took Him to the holy city and set Him on the pinnacle of the temple.

Then the devil taketh him into the holy city; and he set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

Commentary

Matthew 4:5 describes the second of three significant temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness, immediately following His forty-day fast. After failing to entice Jesus through physical hunger, the devil changes his strategy, transporting Jesus to Jerusalem, the sacred "holy city," and placing Him on a prominent part of the Temple.

Context

This verse continues the crucial narrative of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. Having already resisted the devil's first attempt to turn stones into bread (Matthew 4:3-4), Jesus is now moved from the desolate wilderness to the bustling religious center of Jerusalem. The Temple was the heart of Jewish worship and national identity, making this location highly symbolic. The "pinnacle of the temple" (Greek: pterygion) likely refers to a high, exposed point on the temple complex, perhaps overlooking a deep valley or a public area, setting the stage for a dramatic, public display.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Devil's Shifting Tactics: The devil adapts his approach, moving from physical temptation to a spiritual one, even quoting Scripture (as seen in the subsequent verse, Matthew 4:6). This highlights the cunning and varied nature of temptation.
  • Testing God vs. Trusting God: The core of this temptation is to incite Jesus to test God's faithfulness by presuming upon His protection. It challenges the boundary between genuine faith and reckless presumption. Jesus' response, found in Matthew 4:7, directly quotes Deuteronomy 6:16: "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."
  • Spectacle vs. Substance: By placing Jesus on the temple's pinnacle, the devil might have been attempting to lure Jesus into a public, miraculous display to prove His Messiahship on Satan's terms, rather than through humble obedience and suffering.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Holy city" (Greek: Hagia Polis): This term specifically designates Jerusalem, emphasizing its sacred status as the place where God's Temple resided and where His presence was uniquely manifest.
  • "Pinnacle" (Greek: Pterygion): This word literally means "little wing" or "battlement." While its exact location on the Temple is debated, it implies a very high, visible, and potentially dangerous edge or corner of the temple complex, offering a precipitous drop.

Practical Application

This verse offers powerful lessons for believers today:

  • Discernment of Temptation: Be aware that temptation comes in many forms, not just through obvious sin, but sometimes through seemingly spiritual or even religious avenues. The enemy often uses our desires for validation or spectacle.
  • Do Not Test God: We are called to trust God's promises and provision, not to force His hand or put Him to the test by taking unnecessary risks or demanding signs. True faith rests in God's character, not in manipulating circumstances to prove His power.
  • Rely on Scripture: Just as Jesus used the written Word of God to counter the devil's schemes (Matthew 4:4, 4:7, 4:10), we too must be grounded in Scripture to recognize and resist temptation.
  • Spiritual Warfare is Real: This account reminds us that we are in a spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12) and that the devil actively seeks to derail us.
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Cross-References

  • Luke 4:9 (9 votes)

    And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

  • Matthew 27:53 (5 votes)

    And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

  • Revelation 11:2 (5 votes)

    But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty [and] two months.

  • Isaiah 48:2 (3 votes)

    For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

  • John 19:11 (2 votes)

    Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power [at all] against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.

  • Daniel 9:24 (2 votes)

    Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

  • Isaiah 52:1 (2 votes)

    ¶ Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.