besquared.org Blog

Today’s Text
There is much to be said about the temptation story. For the sake of time, I will say less than much but more than a little. And I will start at the end.

It ends significantly, the devil leaves to wait for an opportune time. What wonderful literary and ethical drama. From a literary perspective we find ourselves wondering, when will that time be. (Forget for a second that you may know when that time will be.) In fact this reminds me to encourage you to look back at the first few chapters to see just how much foreshadowing has been crammed into the first few chapters.

Ethically, I find my self reflecting on how temptation works in my life. I am pretty proud of my ethics. I have been well schooled and feel like I know right from wrong. But my morals (that is my actual choices rather than my theoretical ones) are less impressive. In fact they are downright shameful. I think that is largely because Satan knows how to wait for an opportune time in my life. I remember some sermon, where Ben talked about the times we are vulnerable to temptation: When we are Hungry, Angry, Sad, Tired, and In a bar. I remember them because they spelled “HASTY” except cooler because it was with an I. Anyway, I remembered that sermon when I read this text because (all kidding aside) this is exactly how temptation works in my life. When I am in the right setting, and get plenty off exercise, and good sleep and fill my life with good people and God-honoring stuff to do, I feel invulnerable to temptation. But as soon as I am in the wrong place, or I am bored, or I am around the wrong people, or I am tired, Satan sees an opportune moment and I fall (or really -jump) off the wagon.

So that is my little reflection on the end, but what about the temptations themselves.

These have been analyzed in lots of ways but what I notice as I read them today is that in every case, Jesus is tempted to maintain the status quo. We have talked about the world changing ministry that every one in Luke seems to be anticipating. In light of that, I find myself noticing how non-changing these temptations are.

First he is tempted to eat when hungry. There is certainly nothing wrong with eating when hungry. It would be a perfectly normal use of is power. But Jesus power is not for normal use, and it certainly is not for selfish use. He will make bread of course, but it will be to feed the masses.

Second he is tempted to rule the world. He will of course rule the world someday. But his conquest will not come through his power but his weakness. He could make a deal with the devil and gain power now. Think of the good he would do if he ruled the world. Jesus could stop world hunger and fix public education. He has the power. Would he even really need to worship Satan? Jesus had the strength why wouldn’t he rule. His might could really make right. But of course he came to do exactly the opposite. He came to undo power and coercion itself, and establish love and sacrifice as the foundation for his kingdom.

Third he is tempted to prove that he is God’s beloved by staging a dramatic rescue. Again, isn’t that how the over-simplified Christian theology works. God saves, rescues, enriches, etc. those that God loves. He is tempted to prove the status quo. I can do whatever stupid thing I want because God will bail me out. Ironically, (as with each of these temptations) Jesus will one day find himself at the temple and he will be headed toward death, and no angels will come his rescue. He proves that he is the son of the Father not because he is saved, but because he shares God’s love for the world his Father made.

So there is nothing unusual about these temptations. What is unusual is that Jesus says no to each one. As he does so he proves himself to be just the one that Mary and Zechariah anticipated. He is bringing a whole new way of life. He rejects self interest in preparation for the day that he will serve others. He rejects Lordship through power in preparation for the day that he will rule through self-sacrifice, and he rejects special treatment from God and instead and lives and dies to see that God’s blessing will come to all people.

Born to Be Wild
Or perhaps reborn to be wild.

Yesterday we began a series at church about how we are (re)born to be wild. We talked about our wild God. Certainly the opening of Luke is consistent with a wild God. As I look at these temptation I realize that just as it would have been sin for Jesus to give in to these temptations, when I settle for a status quo life and forsake my call to a renewed life, I am sinning. When I let my comfort get in the way of dedication to God that is sin. When I expect God to rescue me from all suffering, that is sin. When I am willing to use the tools of power and dominion to accomplish my goals (or even what I think are God’s goals), that is sin. Instead we are called to live unconventional lives.

There is a lot more to say, but I will leave it at that for today.

-Ethan