Temptations

Today was the third Lenten reading on the Luke 4:1-13 text of Jesus' being tempted by the Evil One in the desert. Jesus was in the wilderness and at the end of a 40 day fast. One commentator suggested that, while Jesus was famished at this time, He was also more spiritually in tune, so as better to handle these temptations.

Todays' meditation was about "the temptation to play Superman." The Evil One took Jesus to a high place in the temple at Jerusalem and tempted him to throw Himself down, so that His angels would catch Him.

In "Pilgrims & Peacemakers: A Journey through Lent towards Jerusalem," Garth Hewitt writes (pp. 18-19):

We long for a 'Superman' figure and if only Jesus would show that he is a 'Superman', then the crowds would welcome him...but it's not the way of God. He doesn't court publicity. Isn't it strange that Jesus came before satellite television and mass media? Just imagine, he could have done the jumping down from the temple in front of the whole world live on CNN and we would have to believe! But is not the way of God to manipulate us or to force us. Jesus came to a stable. He went and lived in a small town which was considered as somewhere insignificant at a time when there was none of the instant media access that we now have. But this, says something about the ways of God.

This temptation reminds us not to court human praise, not to flaunt charismatic personalities, not to wield spiritual power in order to manipulate, not to test the Lord by doing stupid things. Sometimes Christians seem almost to worship the irrational, as if that must somehow be more 'spiritual'. This, too, can be a temptation--it can be a lack of trust. Jesus knew it was not the route of his death to jump from the temple. It would have shown a lack of trust in God's way and, therefore, a lack of love for God. We, too, should not try to manipulate God.

Note the devil quotes the Jewish scriptures to Jesus and we, too, can manipulate the scriptures to distort them or to make them say whateer we want. Be wary of taking verses out of context or letting too much hinge on one verse. Check that verse against others to see the wider context of the Bible. Also be wary of the 'horoscope' approach to the Bible, where we take one verse out of context and say God has spoken to us through this verse. It is not that this could not happen, but that we need to test it and make sure we are not simply making the Bible say something we want to hear.

So, afte test Jesus, the devil departs 'until an opportune time.' This is a reminder that temptations are always with us, temptations to take the easy route, temptations to try and be the superhero and provide instant success, temptations to depart from the way of Jesus, temptations to the easy life or to the quiet life, which are idolatries because they put 'me' first instead of God. And what is offered by Jesus? A hard road, 'Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. But the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.'