The first thing that stands out to us is that immediately in these stories is how they point back to Israel. We saw how Jesus’ story paralleled Moses’ story, and now we have Jesus going into and out of the water and then into the wilderness in the same way Israel went through the Red Sea and into the wilderness. As the King of Israel (Messiah) Jesus is a living embodiment of Israel and His actions point to how Israel should have been in the first place. Jesus is declared to be God’s Son by God in the baptism (as God made Israel His own in the Exodus when He led them out of Egypt through the Red Sea) and then faces temptations and struggle in the wilderness as Israel did.
Temptations: Ministry Strategy
In the temptations we see Satan attack Jesus on two fronts, His identity as God’s Son, and His ministry strategy. Obviously, the two are closely connected. The key is, Jesus’ identity informs His ministry strategy. If he trusts God to care for His Son, then He will not rely upon His own power and will not compromise on the means to achieve His ministry goals. If He doesn’t trust God, then He will be forced to rely on Himself and compromise to achieve His goals, and thus fail to fulfill His calling.
Temptation #1: Stones into bread
The first thing Satan goes after here is Jesus’ identity: “If you are God’s Son . . .”. This then is a trust thing- can Jesus simply trust what God has said (where have we seen this before)? Satan’s way of getting at the trust is in provision:
Will Jesus allow God to provide what He needs for Himself and His mission?
Will God validate Jesus’ ministry? Under Moses’ leadership Israel had manna . . .
Or will Jesus take it upon Himself to create a ministry by His own power ? (Give the people bread- keep them happy- and they will follow.)
Temptation #2: Jump from the Temple
Again, Satan questions God’s care for Jesus. After all, Satan says, God would never let His Son come to any harm, right? It’s all about trust!
Will Jesus trust God to rescue Him from the danger He knows He will face?
Will Jesus trust God without any proofs that God really will save Him?
Will Jesus trust God to provide the miraculous rescue and prove His identity to the people (ultimately the resurrection), or will Jesus prove it Himself?
Temptation #3: Conquer the World
Satan here goes after the identity and trust issues in a more subtle way. He shows Jesus something Jesus truly deserves: to be King of the world. But Jesus will have to compromise to get there- He can’t worship God alone and get this as easy as Satan offers. Satan is offering it without the sacrifice that Jesus knows is demanded if God’s will is to be done.
Will Jesus Jesus trust God to do it the harder and longer way, or take the quick and easy road?
Will Jesus trust God enough to recognize that the means and the ends cannot be separated- that Jesus cannot really be established as the King unless it’s done in God’s way?
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