Saturday, February 25
| Matthew 4:1-11 |
| 1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’” 7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” 11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. |
| Matthew often emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and his Messianic role in the fulfillment of Jewish scripture. Remembering that Jesus is not “half divine and half human” but inexplicably fully divine and fully human, it seems best viewing this from the perspective of Jesus as an exhausted, famished, troubled, and tempted human. In Jesus’ state of physical and mental exhaustion, the temptations had to be attractive: Don’t worry about your God-given mission; just use your powers for your own desires starting with some tasty bread. Skip a lot of frustration and bypass the abuse of doubters and persecutors; just put God to the test by flying safely off the Temple pinnacle, proving instantly to the astonished crowds that you have arrived as God’s chosen messiah. And don’t even bother with the Kingdom of Heaven stuff; just assume political power over the entire world; placing Israel as the new overlord and rule as the new King David. Jesus chooses to depend on God instead of pursuing unlimited possessions, reputation, and power. Our Lord stays true to his mission to redeem us. He relies on God’s Word and the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the temptations and dismiss Satan. Though our temptations may be less grandiose than His, He shows us the way through. Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for choosing the path of the “Suffering Servant,” redeeming us via the cross through your gift of grace. Grant us your help in times of trial even when we forget to ask. Amen. —Marc Hanson |