The Shape and Movement of the Earth: Matthew

[Originally published as the second section of Untwisting Scripture: Refuting Flat Earth Falsehoods – Part 4, written by Jason Churchill]

In this installment of our series on refuting the so-called flat/stationary-earth prooftexts in the Bible, we’ll address the “high altitude perspective” passages that FSIPs (Flat Stationary Interpretation Proponents) frequently cite: Daniel 4. As we examine this passage within its context, we’ll once again find that the FSIPs’ interpretations are unwarranted and their claims unjustified.

Matthew 4

This is the historically accurate record of the temptation of Jesus. One of the temptations by the devil was to try to get Jesus to worship him. We’re told,

the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. (Matt. 4:8)

In the parallel passage in Luke, it says,

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (Luke 4:5)

Nowhere do either of these passages mention the shape of the earth, but it is supposed by many FSIPs that Jesus would only be able to visibly see all the kingdoms of the world from a very high mountain if the earth were flat. After all, who can see around a ball? So, this scene must be depicting a flat earth.

Assuming that this passage is speaking of physical kingdoms (the lands and territories ruled by those present-day kings), does this deduction of a flat earth from the passage then logically follow?

Please notice that this interpretation presupposes a natural explanation for Jesus being able to physically see all the kingdoms of the world. They’re saying that Jesus could only naturally see on a flat surface. He couldn’t naturally see around a spherical earth.

Yet at the same time, this natural interpretation requires supernatural intervention in order to explain how Jesus was able to see these kingdoms.

For example, there must be a supernaturally created mountain high enough from which to see all the kingdoms of the world (because there wasn’t and isn’t one). For example, people with high magnification cameras can only see about 200 miles from the top of Mt. Everest, the highest mountain on earth.

If one can only see ~200mi. from the tallest mountain on earth, then how could Jesus possibly see “all the kingdoms of the world”?

As John Gill notes,

“There is no mountain in the world, from whence can be beheld any one kingdom, much less all the kingdoms of the world.”¹

Also, the FSIPs’ natural interpretation would require the exercise of supernatural eyesight in order for Jesus to be able to physically see and also distinguish each kingdom from hundreds to thousands of miles away (and through all the atmospheric interference nonetheless).

Further, it would require supernatural intervention for Jesus to visibly see the numerous kingdoms of the world in the distant lands that were currently shrouded in the physical darkness of night at that moment.

And then there were those kingdoms that would’ve been obscured by mountains that stood between them and Jesus. I mean, can you see any kingdoms from that photo at the top of Mt. Everest, or do you just see other mountains?

The fact that this natural interpretation requires supernatural intervention undermines the FSIPs’ entire argument. Since supernatural intervention was unquestionably occurring for Jesus to see “all the kingdoms of the world,” it would’ve been just as easy and reasonable for Jesus to supernaturally see all the kingdoms on a cube world, pyramid world, or spherical world! If He can see kingdoms from thousands of miles away through solid physical obstacles with night vision… then He can see around a ball.

And all of this “in a moment of time” (Lk 4:5). In a single instant Jesus saw all the kingdoms of the world!

John Gill comments, “For this a mountain was no more a proper place, than any other; nor was it any real object he presented to his bodily sight, or any real prospect he gave him of the kingdoms of the world, which are not to be seen from any one place, no not one of them, not even from the highest mountain in the world, and still less to be seen together at once in a moment: but this was a mere phantasm.”²

But wait! There’s more! The verse says that it was all the kingdoms “and their glory” that the devil showed Jesus. Matthew and Luke have much more than physical geography in mind.

Jesus not only saw all of these kingdoms, but also their glory,

“setting forth, in proper and lively colours, the glories and the splendid appearances of princes; their robes and crowns, their retinue, equipage, and lifeguards; the pomp of thrones, and courts, and stately palaces, the sumptuous buildings in cities, the gardens and fields about the country-seats, with the various instances of their wealth, pleasure, and gaiety; so as might be most likely to strike the fancy, and excite the admiration and affection. Such was this show, and his taking him up into a high mountain, was but to humour the thing, and to colour the delusion.”³

The FSIPs’ interpretation has Jesus looking out at dirt and brick, rather than a wide-ranging vision of the dominion of all the kings of the earth, a vision not only of their geographical territory, but of their wealth, splendor, majesty, power, and authority.

Philip Graham Ryken comments,

“Whether in body or spirit, the devil took Jesus to some lofty height. In an instant, he could see all the royal treasure, military power, and cultural achievements of the world’s great civilizations—everything from the golden roof of the temple in Jerusalem to the mighty Roman Empire in all its proud splendor.”⁴

How could Jesus physically, visibly see all that from a mountain in a moment of time? These passages have nothing to do with eyesight and the couple square miles of dirt and hills (and maybe the outline of a city or two) that Jesus could naturally see around Him. This is clearly and obviously a supernatural vision.

As Dr. Danny Faulkner writes,

The glory of all the world’s empires was shown to Jesus all at once. This sounds more like a vision rather than a vista.⁵

In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Walter Liefeld says, “The Temptation involved a vision. It was not necessary for Jesus to see every part of the world physically for this to be an actual temptation.”⁶

And Craig A. Evans comments, “Again, this is visionary, so we should not expect to be able to identify a specific mountain in or near Israel.”⁷

Since this is a supernatural vision of all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, how then is the shape of the earth indicated, implied, depicted or assumed here? It’s clearly not. This flat-earth deduction is yet another example of FSIPs imposing their cosmological presuppositions on the text and twisting the Scriptures to suit their own ends.

It’s rather ironic to find the FSIPs twisting the very passages in which we find the devil twisting the Scriptures. This is a sinful and godless practice that they’re engaging in, and so as believers we ought to call them to repent and turn from this sin.

Footnotes

1. Gill, J. 1809. An Exposition of the New Testament (Volume I) (p. 31). London: Mathews and Leigh.
2. Ibid. p. 543)
3. Henry, M. 1994. Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete (p. 1624). Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.
4. Ryken, P. G. 2009. Luke (Volume 1, Reformed Expository Commentary) (pp. 157-158). Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing.
5. Faulkner, D. 2019. Falling Flat: A Refutation of Flat Earth Claims (pp. 279-280). Green Forest, AR: Master Books.
6. Carson, D. A., et al. 1984. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (F. E. Gaebelein, Ed., p. 864). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
7. Evans, C. A. (Ed.). 2003. Bible Knowledge Background Commentary: Matthew–Luke (Bible Knowledge Series) (p. 86). Colorado Springs: David C Cook.