Luke 4:1-7:
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.'" And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." [Emphasis added]
Did Satan have a legal claim over the earth? If yes, does he still own the world?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
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16 comments:
That phrase occurs only in Luke's account; take from that what you will.
But why would we believe anything Satan says?
I also think that believing the word of the Lord of Lies seems like a foolish thing to do.
In Job, Satan has to specifically ask (or be offered power) over Job. While he can roam the earth, he does not seem to be able to act on it without divine permission. Perhaps the Father allowed Satan to tempt his Son in the same way that he allowed Satan to tempt Job?
"I will make it legal."
Darth Sidious
In John's Gospel, Jesus refers to satan as the "ruler/prince of this world" and in 14:31 he says, "Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; and I, when I am lifted up, will draw all people to myself."
In Luke 10:18 he says, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" after the seventy came back and reported that demons were subject to them in Jesus' name.
It seems Satan had a claim over this world prior to Jesus' incarnation, but his death and resurrection dealt Satan a fatal blow. His power is now severely limited.
I was thinking that Satan's ownership of this world is kind of like the ownership of the Broolkyn Bridge. If you think that the guy offering it for sale actually does own it, you might be tempted to take him up on his offer.
Danny,
That is an excellent point.
I have been recently intrigued by different theories of the atonement, and have written some about them. Interestingly, one of the early theres was the "Ransom Theory" where the word ransom in Mark 10:45 and 1 Timothy 2:6 was taken literally.
As a result of the sin of Adam and Eve, Satan had acquired a formal dominion over, and ownership of, all of humanity and the rest of the world. In order to free people from the grip of Satan, God agreed to arrange the death of Yeshua, his son, as a ransom price to be paid to the devil. This would formally compensate for Adam and Eve's sin, and would release humanity from Satan's grip. link
Don't know that I agree with it, but it does answer your question. No, he no longer has a legal claim.
I love that quote from Jesus to Peter which goes something like this "Satan has asked permission to sift you, but I have been praying for you." So, apparently Satan must ask before he acts.
"The meek shall inherit the earth."
One does not normally bequeath someone else's property.
Did Satan have a legal claim over the earth? If yes, does he still own the world?
He did, but lost it all in the recent Housing Market Crash. Got behind in payments, the interest rate kept going up, same ol' story we've heard way too often these days...
I believe that Satan has dominion over all that which is freely offered to him by our act of free will. We offer either out of ignorance or desperation, but we give it up. It's not unlike the choices we make to be of the world as well as in it. "My kingdom is not of this world ..."
"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the world and all that dwell therein."
Ps. 24:1
"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done ON EARTH, as it is in Heaven..."
I see evidence for both sides, so I can't really decide between the two positions.
God has legal title to the earth since he created it.
Satan is just a squatter.
Dan wrote:
He did, but lost it all in the recent Housing Market Crash. Got behind in payments, the interest rate kept going up, same ol' story we've heard way too often these days...
Ha! Good one!
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