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| One bite won't hurt... |
Jesus' temptations occur in the Gospel narratives where he goes out in the desert to be tempted, fasts, becomes hungry, and then is confronted by the devil. Looking at Matthew 4:1-11[1], we see that the temptations are about his power as God, or proof thereof. For us though as Pope Benedict puts it, temptation for us is about what matters to us:
"At the heart of all temptations... is the act of pushing God aside because we perceive him as secondary, if not actually superfluous and annoying in comparison with all the apparently far more urgent matters that fill our lives.
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Moral posturing is part and parcel of temptation. It does not invite us directly to do evil – no, that would be far too blatant. It pretends to show us a better way, where we finally abandon our illusions and throw ourselves into the work of actually making the world a better place. It claims, moreover, to speak for true realism: What's real is what is right there in front of us - power and bread. By comparison, the things of God fade into unreality, into a secondary world that no one really needs.
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What must the Savior of the World do, or not do? That is the question that the temptations of Jesus are about."
command that these stones become bread...
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The first temptation for Jesus, in Matthew's account, is to satisfy his hunger. It is for him to prove that He is God, by removing his own hunger by turning stones into loaves of bread. The devil is trying to subdue Jesus, by making him prove that He is God.I do the same thing all the time. "God, I know you are there (sort of, I think) please do this thing... because you are God." I turn God into a self-proving theorem. No longer do I want to have faith or trust, but instead in my fear and weakness I try and use God, against Himself. I want Him to prove Himself to me, not only to satisfy my hunger for the truth and reality of God, but also to give me whatever it is I want. It is about wanting God and my life on my terms. I give into the hunger. I feel a pang somewhere in my belly for something, and I want it now. McDonald's serves billions of burgers not because they are the best, biggest, or healthiest. They are successful because they are fast and easy. We wouldn't pay $20 for them at a sit-down restaurant where we had to wait 45 minutes for them. At least not to the tune of "99 billion served." Likewise, we want God to fix the world to our liking. He needs to fix world hunger, poverty, sickness, evil, pain, suffering, and definitely "global warming" if He is any sort of God at all.
I know that Jesus resisted this temptation, although hungry, by digging in and quoting Deuteronomy[2] saying that, "One does not live by bread alone." He is the Bread of Life. He gives us how to resist this temptation with His answer. His answer works for us too, except we are too lazy, scared, weak, foolish, greedy, self-absorbed or apathetic to use it. When the Devil tells me to grab the reins of life, to make bread from stones, all I have to do is say, "Nope, don't care if I am hungry, I don't need bread... I have THE BREAD OF LIFE." But instead, I end up saying, "Oh man, yeah, I know I have God and all, but clearly he isn't interested in showing himself, so I guess I will put him second since He is making me second." Obedience and trust are necessary. As Benedict puts it, our obedience to God's word is necessary to allow our hearts to resist the "delusions and false prophecies" and to accept that we "don't live by bread alone."
putting God to the test...
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The second temptation is a "theological debate between Jesus and the devil." First the devil quotes scripture[3] as if he is some authority on it. Jesus again responds simply with His own scripture recitation. He tells the devil that the Lord should not be put to test. Simple, true, and easy. Well, maybe for Jesus. But what about me?How do I even know God is there? Of course He doesn't want to be tested, He wants undying loyalty and belief without any effort on his part doesnt he? Well I can do that, I can believe... except what about that doubt. What if I "jump" and he doesn't catch me? What if something BIG happens and I really need Him to be there and He isn't? So I test him, I make some demands. Not always big demands, but similar to what devil is asking for, "Give me what I want, because you are God and can and should." This isn't such a big demand, right? I got Him now, this will secure in my mind and heart that He is God. The first temptation was silly, it was parlor tricks at best, so what if He doesn't satisfy my every hunger, this is about the power and ability of God. The devil invokes Psalm 91:11-12, pretty much a scriptural guarantee that God, via His angels, will never let us come to harm or even a stub of our toe. That means unemployment, sickness, despair, divorce, infidelity, addiction, debt, and all the other big dangers in life will be swept away by God, and if they aren't, well then there obviously isn't the God I thought there was, is there?
What a fool I am when I do this. Tricked again, seduced and deceived. What I don't realize is that this guarantee comes on the heels of ultimate trust in God. It isn't a pre-requisite for trusting in God, but the other way around. God isn't mine to "experiment" on or test. I am not above Him, I am not in a position to demand anything of Him. God loves me, and with love comes the fact of love that requires freedom and not compulsion. God loves us and wants to be loved in return. Submitting to our demands would negate that freedom required in a loving relationship. It is only when I let go, trust, and throw myself, not from the top of the temple, but onto the Cross, can God embrace me. This isn't a limit to His power but a just element of His love.
the kingdoms... of earth and heaven
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| No way I would mistake one for the other, right? |
But wait, what about all this great stuff in life. Jobs, money, fame, vacations, houses, cars, women, clothes, watches, sporting events, flat screen TV's, new rifles, Under Armor Hunting gear, a boat, a new snowmachine, and the other necessities of a good life. Surely I don't have to push those aside just to love and follow God right? I mean lots of good people have these things, they can't all be bad people so I can surely have them. God wants me to have them, doesn't he? If He doesn't, why not? No, I wont sell my soul to satan for them, but cmon. There has to be some middle ground here, between selling my soul, and going overboard with the whole God in heaven thing. Can't God have his "place as a private concern" and let me live my life in the day-to-day?
I mean the world is right there, in my face, day to day. Jesus doesn't want me to be some freak, that lives in a little house with 13 kids, no tv, and drives a beat up old truck right? It isn't like the devil invented jet boats and moisture wicking base layers right? God made a life to be lived and to be good, so with the option of two entities, I am going to go with the one that provides happiness now. That doesn't sound like picking the devil, does it? Does it? [CRUCIFY HIM!]
Benedict puts it this way:
"What did Jesus actually bring, if not world peace, universal prosperity, and a better world? What has He brought?Woops! I guess I chose to free Barabbas. I was like Peter, said I would never deny Him, and I dropped him at the first sign of something new and shiny. Of course I didn't really want to, but it sure shows where my priorities are huh? It is funny, because I know that we should "Let the dead bury their dead" and that our task is to "proclaim the Kingdom of God." I also know that earthly things are not heavenly things - especially kingdoms. How could I be so stupid, so foolish, so .... easily... seduced and deceived.
The Answer is very simple: God. He has brought God."
I need to realize that giving into these temptations don't prove God, they place Him on the Cross. God wants our hearts to be inline with His and all I have to do is follow His word. I need to be stronger, I need to be able to resist temptations. Like anything in life that can seduce or deceive me, I need to keep away from those things. I am smart enough to know I will succumb to the tempting and trickery, so I need to guard my heart by placing it in the hands of God. God needs to be primary, I have to trust that He is there and will be there, and that the second I grab control I have denied God the ability to act as He can. The way to prevent myself from being seduced and deceived is to love God so fully and intimately that I dont give myself the opportunity to be entrapped by the devils deception or seduction.
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