For f2f . . . examine your presuppostions which affect how you limit the meanings of passages into things which they do not say.
I take this you wont be dealing with the text then.
Or simply deal with the fact that Matthew gives us an account that refutes your view.
When will you deal with the text Marks?
You've yet to show me something that leads me to believe Matthew wasn't writing in the simple narrative as it appears. You've said his words are accurate, yet you don't seem to believe what he said. His words speak of the devil, called Satan, as a particular being, in the same way he wrote of the others who were there, namely Jesus and angels.
For people like yourself you read the text at face value its apparent you have not challenge your own views on this subject. Let me provide you with an example.
You must believe it when its said the Spirit of God drove Jesus into the Wilderness to be tempted.
If the devil were a fallen angel, why would the Holy Spirit lead the Son of God into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil?
Now any answer you give must of necessity be a fabrication - it would start with "maybe...." or "Possibly..." the truth is Marks, you don't know and whatever you think it makes no sense whatsoever for Jesus to go into the wilderness to starve of food only to be enticed by a fallen rebel angel.
What makes more sense if you read the record with understanding is Jesus was given the Spirit without measure and that Spirit drove him into the wilderness to be tested of his nature! Now whether it was an external tempter or not...matters not - the temptations must of themselves be within him things his nature and mind sees as possible!
Now if you can return with comments of this nature - providing me with context and meaning then great lets talk...but not what you put down in this response please.
You believe Jesus was there. You believe angels were there. But you don't believe Satan was there.
satan just means adversary Marks - you get that right? It's not a name! I can be a satan to you if I were to stand in your way. You need to learn how the word is used in the Scripture.
Here look up these and you will start to understand
"satan" or "adversary" is used of God 2 Sam. 24:1 cf. 1 Chron. 21:1 - An obedient divine angel in Numbers 22:22 Hadad the Edomite in 1 Kings 11:14 and Peter in Matt 16:23
So how is it being used in Matthew 4? And for that matter the word "false accuser" which is another study in itself.
Was Matthew truly being so misleading as you would have us to think? Or was he telling us things that are true?
Much love!
There is nothing misleading about this at all - you are struggle to comprehend the nature of the word and how its used in the text.
Are the women in 1 Timothy 3:11 not to be Devils?
Are the men in 2 Timothy 3:3 not to be Devils?
Judas wasn't a devil (rebel angel) in John 6:70 he was simply being a false accuser.
I have given you more than enough references, many more than you have given me to examine this subject and return with some sense of understanding.
Don't forget to pray be searching.
God bless
F2F