Fascinating, but how does this square with the temptations in the desert, where Satan seems to be addressing Christ conditionally ("IF thou be the Son of God")? It seems that Satan is not entirely sure that Jesus is the Messiah. And if he knew who Jesus was at the time, how did he withstand His presence without fleeing in knowledge of Him as the Incarnation? I can envision God giving Satan the opportunity to test Jesus as He allowed him to test Job. But I can't see how or why Satan would test Jesus if he was certain of His identity as the Son of God.
At any rate, the Bible clearly reveals that the angels are under the headship of Christ (and not just fallen mankind).
St. Paul speaks of the Incarnate Word as the head of every Principality and Power. (Col. 2:10) & firstborn of every creature (Col. 1:15).
Countless references could be made to confirm this. For example, Philippians 2:10-11, At the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.
And when the Apostle maintains that the Incarnate Word is set above every Principality and Power and Virtue and Domination in short, above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come. And all things He made subject under His feet, and Him He gave as head over all the Church, which indeed is His body, the completion of Him who fills all with all. (Eph. 1:21-23; cf. Heb. 1).
Perhaps a failure to understand the nature of the Incarnation? A belief that it reduced the Second Person of the Trinity to a being he could tempt and thus triumph over?
>> Fascinating, but how does this square with the temptations in the desert, where Satan seems to be addressing Christ conditionally (”IF thou be the Son of God”)? <<
1. You presume the devil’s words would always perfectly reflect the truth of what is in the devil’s heart?
2. Ever hear of a rhetorical question?