Intro

So I was watching a great portrayal of the Gospel of Mark on Amazon.com this week, and was struck by one particular scene- the temptation of Christ in the wilderness.  To be honest this story has always been a puzzle to me, so I did some research to see what answers I could turn up.

Scripture and Commentary

We know that Jesus was around from the beginning:

John 1:1-3, 9-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.  14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

And that He witnessed the fall of Satan, and has the power to give dominion over him:

Luke 10:1-18

17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

So Satan would clearly have known Who he was dealing with!  Why then did the temptation occur?

Another interesting point is the circumstance Jesus was in when He was tempted.  He had just made a public declaration of His faith by being baptized.  And we have cause to believe He was full of the Holy Spirit, because the Spirit came upon Him at baptism, and led Him into the wilderness:

Mark 1:9-12

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” 12 At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, 13 and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

So we see temptation following an act of faith, and being at its most intense when the Spirit is on Him.  This is interesting because many Christians believe that they are tempted because they are not “close enough” to God, but this passage seems to indicate that the opposite may be true.   That instead of repelling Satan, acts of faith and communion with the Holy Spirit may cause him to double his efforts.

But let’s return to the question of why did the temptation occur.  In doing research on this I came across several teachings that draw parallels between the original temptation of man in Eden, and the temptations faced by Christ.  For example in both cases the initial temptation involves food:

Genesis 3:1-3

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

Matthew 4:1-4

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

So we have a few interesting parallels here.  The temptation is food, and man first misquotes God’s Word, and then succumbs.  Christ instead accurately uses the Word of God to resist and to rebuke the tempter.

The second temptation also contains some of the same dynamics:

Genesis 3:4

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman

Matthew 4:5-6

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you,    and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone

In both Satan suggests that God will not allow sin to put us in harm’s way.  Jesus again resists this temptation.

And finally the last of the 3 temptations:

Genesis 3:5

 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Matthew 4:8-9

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

In this passage we have the desire to be as God, to have power over others and our own destiny, rather than live in obedience and submission.  And as we know, man succumbed while Christ resisted.

 

Conclusion

So we have a very close parallel to the original temptation of man being repeated, on a supernatural scale, with the temptation of Christ.  This occurs immediately after he has been baptized, is filled with the Spirit, and has spent many days fasting.  In passing this test Christ not only remained the Blameless Sacrifice, but also became uniquely qualified to both forgive the sins of man, and to serve as intercessor.

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

This suggests to me that the temptation was required to redeem man from the curse. It would not have been sufficient for one not tempted to be sacrificed- even if that one was blameless.  Instead, it required God in human form and capable of resisting sin to face down the temptations that befell us, and emerge victorious over sin.  And since the wages of sin are death, to emerge victorious over death itself, and thus offer redemption.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K