I wrote about this in a journal, but since things have been really silent here lately, I thought I would share it. Feel free to ponder it, or not. I am no authority, so this is just a thought exercise.
Start
I have trouble with the temptation of Jesus because, with the rest of scripture, it says some pretty startling things.
When Jesus was baptised and compelled by the Holy Spirit to go into the desert. It was there that he was given the famous three temptations of the devil. Depending on which Gospel you read, the order of the temptations differ. While this may not seem significantly important, I believe it is and for this post will be using Matthew's recording.
The First Test
The first test coincides with the first test of humanity; temptation of food. Adam and Eve failed the test of the fruit of Good and Evil. Jesus not only passed the test, but passed it with the knowledge that man does not live on rationalization alone. There isn't salvation with knowledge unless that knowledge includes God.
The Second Test
The second test is one of faith. By not jumping from the temple, Jesus was not saying that God could not allow angels to fly down. He was instead saying that blind faith was dangerous. It is quite a different message than the first test, which I find interesting. While the first test says to trust in God, the second says not to assume anything of God. Yes, God wants the best for you. But he wants the best of everyone. Your belief that he is only working for you is contrary to the belief that he works with all.
Faith healing reminds me of this. Those who ignore the advice of doctors are jumping off the temple. Those who stick to a thought of a literal interpretation of the Bible also jump off the temple. They are so sure of their position that they test God. "He is with us, so our enemies will fall!" The Crusades should have broken us of that hubris, but it didn't.
The Third Test
This test is the most important, and the one I want to focus on. In it, the devil brings Jesus to a "very high mountain" and showed him the world. He then tells Jesus that "'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.' (Matthew 4:9) Jesus of course doesn't, which causes the devil to fly away. Jesus says some words about serving God alone and we're done with the temptations. Jesus wins, as we would expect, and the ministry begins.
One of the questions to ask though is how the devil has the ability to offer everything to Jesus. Some have argued that Satan never had the power to grant the world, but knew Jesus would be able to take it so if Jesus had bowed, Satan would gain the power necessary to overcome God and Jesus would be given dominion of the world. Others say it is just a trick of idolatry, of worshiping power.
The Messiah
But that is the power of the Messiah. The Messiah is supposed to be a warrior who comes from God to save Israel from the bondage of her enemies. Zephaniah 3:9; 19-20: "'Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,' says the Lord."
Jesus wasn't this though. In Christianity, as a way around this problem, there is the story of the second coming. Jesus may not have done this now, but he will. And we need to be ready. 1 Thessalonians 5:2: "For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." Islam followed suit, as did many other faiths that use Jesus in their beliefs but wrestle with the idea that Jesus hadn't done this.
So was Jesus the Messiah? I think so. Yet he became more. It seems to me that the Messiah, who would have power from God to defeat his foes and establish a kingdom on Earth, would be given the ability by he who had the power to give. The devil is said to here, but what else is said?
Where Earthly Power comes from
Paul tells us in Romans (13:1, 4): "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. For the one in authority is Gods servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are Gods servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."
This sets up precedent when God was the controller of countries and often used enemies of Isreal against them. An example is 1 Kings 11:14: "Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom." He controlled the fate of the Hebrews with Pharoah in Exodus 9:12: "But the Lord hardened Pharaohs heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses."
Power comes from God. In relation to the third test of Jesus, the first reply may be correct. Satan never had power to give to Jesus, but only to take if Jesus had bowed to him.
A funny thing from Paul, though, is seen in 2 Corinthians 4:4: "The god of this age (world) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." NIV says age, but many other translations say "god of this world." It is an interesting thing to say. And a very, very confusing one.
This thought is continued throughout the New Testament. John 12:31: "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." 1 John 5:19: "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." Ephesians 2:2: "In which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."
Power comes from God. Yet power also comes from the devil. The devil did have the ability to give Jesus dominion of the kingdoms. And he also didn't.
Confusing.
Some apologists have said that God allows Satan some dominion of the world. But ultimately God is the one with total power. It is his wisdom that is often claimed in allowing someone totally opposed to him power to rule over a world that he is said to love so much (John 3:16).
Why the contradiction?
So how could Paul say, on the one hand, that God establishes all the kindoms, yet on the other claim that not only is there a "god of this world," but the other writers claim that the powers come from someone else, not God.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 makes mention from Paul of him essentially using "different hats." He will talk in specific ways to people in ways they best understand to allow them easier access to the revelation of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 lets us know that he even filtered down his teachings until people were ready to fully understand. Could he have then ever said "God" but meant something else? I believe he did. Otherwise, the teachings are full of contradictions.
So was Jesus the Messiah? What does this say about God?
Yes, I think Jesus was the Messiah. Or rather, he was supposed to be. He was supposed to be the Jewish messiah that would have ushered in all the prophecies that the Jewish Prophets were given. But when he spend time in the desert, when the Holy Spirit descended on him, something changed.
The first test was the same test of the Garden. Jesus had to be tested, from YHWH's point of view, to see if he would follow YHWH or if he would "eat of the fruit." Jesus passed by not taking the food provided.
The second test was a test of hubris. Did Jesus think he was above God or equal to God? Or, in YHWH's view, did Jesus think he was above YHWH? No, Jesus did not take the jump and again, he passed.
But the last test wasn't really a test, so much as an offer. YHWH, the God of this world, offered Jesus the position of Messiah. He told Jesus that if he bowed to him and worshiped him, he would be given the same offer as Abraham. Genesis 17:1-3: "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.' Abram fell facedown..."
This may seem like a stretch, until you connect what happened after. The devil left Jesus, and according to Luke 4:13: "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." This would of course be when Jesus was eventually crucified. But as a Messiah, from the line of David, God promised David "when your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." (2 Samuel 7:12-13).
YHWH is a vengeful god though, and does not take to being scorn lightly. He also says to David in 2 Samuel 7:14: "I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands." What happened to Jesus? Matthew 27:26: "Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified."
Start
I have trouble with the temptation of Jesus because, with the rest of scripture, it says some pretty startling things.
When Jesus was baptised and compelled by the Holy Spirit to go into the desert. It was there that he was given the famous three temptations of the devil. Depending on which Gospel you read, the order of the temptations differ. While this may not seem significantly important, I believe it is and for this post will be using Matthew's recording.
The First Test
The first test coincides with the first test of humanity; temptation of food. Adam and Eve failed the test of the fruit of Good and Evil. Jesus not only passed the test, but passed it with the knowledge that man does not live on rationalization alone. There isn't salvation with knowledge unless that knowledge includes God.
The Second Test
The second test is one of faith. By not jumping from the temple, Jesus was not saying that God could not allow angels to fly down. He was instead saying that blind faith was dangerous. It is quite a different message than the first test, which I find interesting. While the first test says to trust in God, the second says not to assume anything of God. Yes, God wants the best for you. But he wants the best of everyone. Your belief that he is only working for you is contrary to the belief that he works with all.
Faith healing reminds me of this. Those who ignore the advice of doctors are jumping off the temple. Those who stick to a thought of a literal interpretation of the Bible also jump off the temple. They are so sure of their position that they test God. "He is with us, so our enemies will fall!" The Crusades should have broken us of that hubris, but it didn't.
The Third Test
This test is the most important, and the one I want to focus on. In it, the devil brings Jesus to a "very high mountain" and showed him the world. He then tells Jesus that "'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.' (Matthew 4:9) Jesus of course doesn't, which causes the devil to fly away. Jesus says some words about serving God alone and we're done with the temptations. Jesus wins, as we would expect, and the ministry begins.
One of the questions to ask though is how the devil has the ability to offer everything to Jesus. Some have argued that Satan never had the power to grant the world, but knew Jesus would be able to take it so if Jesus had bowed, Satan would gain the power necessary to overcome God and Jesus would be given dominion of the world. Others say it is just a trick of idolatry, of worshiping power.
The Messiah
But that is the power of the Messiah. The Messiah is supposed to be a warrior who comes from God to save Israel from the bondage of her enemies. Zephaniah 3:9; 19-20: "'Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder. At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue the lame; I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,' says the Lord."
Jesus wasn't this though. In Christianity, as a way around this problem, there is the story of the second coming. Jesus may not have done this now, but he will. And we need to be ready. 1 Thessalonians 5:2: "For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night." Islam followed suit, as did many other faiths that use Jesus in their beliefs but wrestle with the idea that Jesus hadn't done this.
So was Jesus the Messiah? I think so. Yet he became more. It seems to me that the Messiah, who would have power from God to defeat his foes and establish a kingdom on Earth, would be given the ability by he who had the power to give. The devil is said to here, but what else is said?
Where Earthly Power comes from
Paul tells us in Romans (13:1, 4): "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. For the one in authority is Gods servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are Gods servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer."
This sets up precedent when God was the controller of countries and often used enemies of Isreal against them. An example is 1 Kings 11:14: "Then the Lord raised up against Solomon an adversary, Hadad the Edomite, from the royal line of Edom." He controlled the fate of the Hebrews with Pharoah in Exodus 9:12: "But the Lord hardened Pharaohs heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses."
Power comes from God. In relation to the third test of Jesus, the first reply may be correct. Satan never had power to give to Jesus, but only to take if Jesus had bowed to him.
A funny thing from Paul, though, is seen in 2 Corinthians 4:4: "The god of this age (world) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." NIV says age, but many other translations say "god of this world." It is an interesting thing to say. And a very, very confusing one.
This thought is continued throughout the New Testament. John 12:31: "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." 1 John 5:19: "We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one." Ephesians 2:2: "In which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient."
Power comes from God. Yet power also comes from the devil. The devil did have the ability to give Jesus dominion of the kingdoms. And he also didn't.
Confusing.
Some apologists have said that God allows Satan some dominion of the world. But ultimately God is the one with total power. It is his wisdom that is often claimed in allowing someone totally opposed to him power to rule over a world that he is said to love so much (John 3:16).
Why the contradiction?
So how could Paul say, on the one hand, that God establishes all the kindoms, yet on the other claim that not only is there a "god of this world," but the other writers claim that the powers come from someone else, not God.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 makes mention from Paul of him essentially using "different hats." He will talk in specific ways to people in ways they best understand to allow them easier access to the revelation of Jesus. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 lets us know that he even filtered down his teachings until people were ready to fully understand. Could he have then ever said "God" but meant something else? I believe he did. Otherwise, the teachings are full of contradictions.
So was Jesus the Messiah? What does this say about God?
Yes, I think Jesus was the Messiah. Or rather, he was supposed to be. He was supposed to be the Jewish messiah that would have ushered in all the prophecies that the Jewish Prophets were given. But when he spend time in the desert, when the Holy Spirit descended on him, something changed.
The first test was the same test of the Garden. Jesus had to be tested, from YHWH's point of view, to see if he would follow YHWH or if he would "eat of the fruit." Jesus passed by not taking the food provided.
The second test was a test of hubris. Did Jesus think he was above God or equal to God? Or, in YHWH's view, did Jesus think he was above YHWH? No, Jesus did not take the jump and again, he passed.
But the last test wasn't really a test, so much as an offer. YHWH, the God of this world, offered Jesus the position of Messiah. He told Jesus that if he bowed to him and worshiped him, he would be given the same offer as Abraham. Genesis 17:1-3: "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, 'I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.' Abram fell facedown..."
This may seem like a stretch, until you connect what happened after. The devil left Jesus, and according to Luke 4:13: "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." This would of course be when Jesus was eventually crucified. But as a Messiah, from the line of David, God promised David "when your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." (2 Samuel 7:12-13).
YHWH is a vengeful god though, and does not take to being scorn lightly. He also says to David in 2 Samuel 7:14: "I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by men, with floggings inflicted by human hands." What happened to Jesus? Matthew 27:26: "Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified."
