Biblical Text: Luke 41v13

I imagine we’ve all come into a room, or a gathering, maybe a few minutes later than everyone else, only to realise we have no idea what’s going on. There’s already an in-joke, and you are completely lost. Speaking of being lost, I had that experience while watching an episode of Lost with a group who’d seen the previous 5 seasons. It was my first time watching, and I had no idea what was going on, but funnily enough even those that had been watching the whole time couldn’t fully agree on the plot.

When we read scripture it’s important to know what comes before. And unless we’re following the lectionary very closely, it is easy to miss.

Just before this episode we read that Jesus has been baptised, and the Holy Spirit has descended upon him like a dove. Cue a voice from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” That is quite the affirmation of Jesus’s ministry. If there were any doubt this guy is something special, that is gone.

But, as is so often the case in life, and especially in our spiritual lives, we don’t get an endless procession of high points. After Jesus has heard God’s voice proclaiming him as his son, there is no royal reception or fanfare. Instead, he is led into the wilderness, eats nothing for 40 days, and  is tempted by the devil. Perhaps not what you would hope for if you were in his shoes.

So why does this happen? Why is it important that Jesus is tempted by the devil, and perhaps more importantly, comes out the other side?

We cannot understand this story unless we see some of what is in the background. This is one of those rare occasions I get annoyed with the lectionary for not making a connection between the Old and New Testaments, because there are a lot of parallels.

But before I do, it’s worth saying this. Temptation is a real threat to our relationship with God, and it comes in many forms. ‘Did God really say?’ A theologian I study a lot, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, points out that can be a very dangerous question. We can find ourselves reasoning our way into sin. Maybe you’ve asked yourself that before. But the way the devil tempts Jesus is also interesting. First, he appeals to Jesus’s identity and power. “If you are the Son of God…then you can eat right away!” Then he appeals to Jesus’s mission. Perhaps Jesus already understands some of what he will endure, but also the glory that will be his because of it. “You don’t need to go through with the nasty business of the crucifixion,” says the devil, “you can have it all now! All you have to do is worship me.” Finally he uses Scripture itself to tempt Jesus, suggesting he proves God’s promises to be true. “God will save you if you jump, his word says so!”

Each time he is tempted Jesus responds with scripture. In this case always the book of Deuteronomy. He doesn’t try to use reason, he doesn’t rely on his willpower, he just quotes scripture. That is why it is importance to read and know scripture, because knowing it can protect us from a lot of hurt.

I’ve heard a lot of sermons on this passage, and sadly, this is where a lot of them end. Know your Bible, memorise Scripture, use it when you’re tempted. This is, no doubt, good advice. But I think there is more to this story than simply a guide against temptation. So, back to those parallels.

Firstly, this story reminds us of the first temptation story we hear in the bible. Adam and Eve’s temptation in the garden of Eden. Back in Genesis, Adam and Eve had a run in with the devil and faced their own temptations. The serpent asked them, “did God really say?” and helps them to reason their way into sin, a sin with disastrous consequences. They do not see through the serpents tricks. Jesus, on the other hand is a different story. He sees the devil’s temptation for what it is. Jesus succeeds where Adam and Eve failed.

Second, there is another parallel we can draw. When Israel escape from Egypt, they are brought out through the water, after God has proclaimed to Pharaoh that the nation is his firstborn son. And then they spend 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The similarities are clear. Jesus is baptised in the water of the Jordan and God proclaims, ‘this is my Son!’ and then he is sent into the wilderness for 40 days and nights. But the similarities don’t stop there. When in the wilderness, Israel grumbles about their food, flirts with worship of false gods, and puts God to the test. Jesus, on the other hand, doesn’t turn the rocks into food, refuses to worship any other god, and will not put his God to the test. Again, Jesus succeeds where Israel failed.

We can certainly be aided against temptation by memorising scripture, by having it to hand when we are tempted. But let’s be honest with ourselves. No matter what we read, no matter how much we learn, no matter how mature we become in our Christian life, we still make mistakes. We still succumb to temptation at times. That’s why it’s vital we remember we have a saviour who has gone before us, who succeeds where we fail. A saviour who was, and is, without sin. A saviour who knows our weakness, who knows that we are but dust. And a saviour who steps in, in our place.