Dear Friends,
Knowing that Bonnie and I had visited Israel, a catholic friend of ours recommended that we read Jesus — A Pilgrimage. In this book, James Martin, S.J., a Jesuit priest, chronicles his visit to the holy land. As he writes about each stop on his pilgrimage, the author does a wonderful job of transporting the reader back to 1st century Palestine.
Father Martin uses readings from the Scriptures plus historical and archeological data to give the reader an understanding of what conditions were like in Jesus day. He retraces Christ’s life as presented in the Gospels and highlights the human side of Jesus that is often overlooked.
This book has motivated Bonnie and me to look more closely at sections of the Scriptures we previously may have skimmed over. When we read to discover Jesus the man, we find a person who faced many of the issues we struggle with. He was hungry and thirsty; he got tired; he had problems with his siblings; he had friends and he had enemies. He, too, faced temptation.
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. Matthew 4:1-2 (NLT)
What is the significance of Jesus’ temptation? Father Martin saw it as preparation for the ministry Jesus was about to embark upon. “Jesus was free from sin, but not temptation.” In his moments with Satan, Martin explains, “He aligned himself with sinful humanity.” That is, he put himself in a position where he felt what we feel.
The three temptations Satan used with Jesus are prototypical of temptations we face.
First Satan tempted Jesus to satisfy his physical needs. “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” Matthew 4:3b — When we are hungry or tired or dissatisfied with our current conditions, Satan can use our needs to tempt us to want even more.
Then Satan tempted Jesus by challenging his identity. “If you are the Son of God, jump off (the highest point in the temple)!” Matthew 4:6b —When we feel the need to get our sense of worth from others, we open another door to Satan.
And then Satan used the promise of position and power. Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.” Matthew 4:8-9 — When we put anything in our lives above God, we offer Satan a victory.
Jesus rebuffed each of Satan’s attempts and gave us a defense we can turn to when we are tempted. “Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.” Matthew 4:10
“Jesus,” Father Martin offers, “was not play-acting at being human.” He faced temptation just as we face temptation, but unlike us, Jesus proved to be blameless. “God fashioned him into just the instrument God needed for the salvation of the world.”
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)
When we meditate on the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, the words in the Lord’s Prayer — Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil —become even more powerful for us. Jesus didn’t just say them, he lived them.
Verses of the Week
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ
Because He Loves Us Press 