It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God'

Then Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'"

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'"

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written:

'He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you,'

and,

'In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.'"

And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

- Luke 4:1-13

In yesterday's reading, we read about John the Baptist. He taught, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." We were also told of John's imprisonment by Herod Antipas. And finally, "when all the people were baptized," Jesus was baptized -- "and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, 'You are my beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.'"

Then Jesus being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. My study bible says that this exodus of Jesus into the wilderness has a dual symbolism: the Old Testament "type" of Israel in the wilderness Exodus following a 'baptism' in the Red Sea, and our own new "exodus of salvation from darkness to light, while yet in this world." What I see is that immediately upon His revelation in baptism, Jesus is sent by the Spirit ("driven" in Mark's Gospel) into the wilderness to face the temptations of the ruler of this world. Eating nothing in a period of fasting, and, we assume, prayer, He is tempted. This is a true picture of being "set apart," consecrated for something. To fast is to go through a period of resistance, to set oneself aside for the holy. But more than a personal challenge, the immediate impact in the Gospel of the beginning of Jesus' ministry is to set up the great cosmic challenge that is going on in reality behind the scenes of His life of teaching and healing and preaching in ministry to people around Him: this is a battleground. The "prince" or "ruler" of this planet is challenging the One who has come to take the strong man by force. And it is in this setting of a battle of cosmic dimensions into which we understand Jesus' earthly ministry and acts while He is "with us." How will the Incarnate Lord manifest that challenge?

And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" After forty days of fasting, Jesus is hungry. The devil tempts Him, not only to eat, but to use His powers for the purpose of His own nourishment, His very human need. Had this perhaps been the will of His Father, we assume He would have done so. But instead, He defers: His mission is clear. He is here to live by every word of God, and this is the example that He sets for us. He will use His power and authority to minister as He is led to do by the Father, and we know He will feed 5,000 people in the wilderness. My study bible points out that the phrase "if you are the Son of God" is a form of temptation that invites self-doubt in Jesus concerning His divinity, and an attempt to control His actions by exploiting His extreme hunger. The quotation Jesus cites is from Deuteronomy 8:3, affirming a parallel with the manna in the wilderness.

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.'" I am intrigued by the collapse of time, and the temptation of "all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time." For what is Jesus' power and glory in the world? This is what the devil offers Him, a worldly glory. Again, in a parallel to Israel in the wilderness, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13. Jesus affirms His loyalty; He will serve only God. My study bible points out that the devil attempts to turn Jesus from His true sonship and ministry -- and that Jesus does not dispute the claim of the devil that he possesses all worldly power and wealth.

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the LORD your God.'" It's quite significant that the devil takes Jesus to Jerusalem, and the pinnacle of the temple, because we know that Jesus will face just such challenges from the temple leadership -- to prove that He is the Son of God, or Messiah by some spectacular act. The devil even uses Scripture: he quotes from Psalm 91, verses 11 and 12. Again, Jesus defers to the wilderness experience of Israel, and the words of Moses: the quotation is from Deuteronomy 6:16. Jesus' loyalty to the Father is complete. My study bible says this "test" concerns a temptation to self-aggrandizement and vanity: Is Jesus to base His ministry on new, spectacular acts designed to get people's attention? He declines to "test God's providential love and care by thoughtless and vain acts."

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. Another interesting note -- and we do know that Jesus will be repeatedly tested in His ministry, as when the temple leadership tells Him to prove who He is with a spectacular act, and they will believe. Even His own brothers will challenge Him to show Himself to the world.

So, behind the scenes, behind all of what Jesus does, there is this universal battle going on, something of cosmic proportions. Our Lord is here as Incarnate Christ to take on a mission, to enter the home of the strong man and disarm him on our behalf. There is no other way to do it. The spectacular acts in which Jesus will engage are not those in the vein of the power of the ruler of this world, but of God who is love. Perhaps the most spectacular, indeed -- Jesus will die for us on a Cross, for Resurrection for our own lives and our salvation, to bring us into relationship with God, to bypass the "strong man" that would keep us separate. But first, as fully human, Jesus is tempted, as we all are in our lives. Does anyone demand that you prove your faith is worthwhile? Do you feel a temptation to do so? Does God lead you one way in prayer, and you are tempted to material-minded other choices at other times? Know that you are not alone, but that the tempter has already been conquered so that we may live -- abide -- in Him and His love.