Baptism & Temptation

Matthew 3:13-4:17

Jesus comes to John to be baptized and John thinks it isn't quite right...interesting that the one who has the right to power does not act out of that position. Jesus says to John that it is the correct order of things for me to be baptized just as you have been preaching and doing for everyone else. 'You, John have been following the directions of the Lord, and I will do the same.' (Unspoken but implied-I'd say.) What happens? The heavens open and the Spirit of the Lord descends and the Lord says I am well pleased with my beloved Son.

After all this time, we have seen instances when the voice of the Lord speaks aloud like this, and messengers are heard/seen, and this is similar and yet different. The Lord calls Jesus, my beloved Son. This we have not heard.

Next Jesus is 'led by the Spirit' to be tempted. Most of the time, I think the temptation comes from my own mind. I think it is something for me to overcome by some power of my own...this is a different idea, and maybe I should examine it further. After fasting forty days, Jesus was hungry. I'll say! I get hungry a lot sooner than that. And my husband will tell you I get cranky too! Going to the store when I am hungry is a bad idea, all I see are opportunities for instant gratification and that usually means nothing of real substance-but just junk food. So-called food that will appease my hunger pangs but not nourish my body and give me the nutrients I need.

This almost sounds the same. The tempter came (hmmm, maybe this tempter has a voice inside my head?) and suggests an outrageous response to hunger; one that is over the top and not directly in response to solving the issue of being hungry. Command these stones to become bread...what like baking it or going to get some isn't sufficient? He's waited forty days and a few more minutes will make a difference? This is how I think when I am hungry, I think I 'need' something when really it is just that I want something, and I am not being rational. Jesus, on the other hand cuts right through all that and says 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God.' Seems after forty days he'd have a good idea about living on the Word that comes from God. Plus we should remember the times when God fed the people - literally in the dessert when they were leaving Egypt.

These temptations are all ways in which Jesus can respond over the top, and use power, yet in the beginning today we see that instead of using power, Jesus accepts the order that has been determined; he goes to John to be Baptized even though he could do this-or perhaps doesn't even need it of himself, but it is for others to see how it is done. The same could be a lesson for us; do we seek power or do we do things as God has put them in order? Do we seek to walk with righteousness and walk with God-not ahead or apart but in keeping with God's word?

Interesting that this tempter cannot refute the truth, he is just silent in response. do we say no to these temptations, and do we wait for the silence that comes next? Sometimes I think I don't wait but plunge ahead too quickly. (And in the case of when I am hungry...it could be that the temptation to eat that junk would pass and I would be even more satisfied with something that is both tasty and good for me.)

This reading says that the tempter left him and angels came and were ministering to him. The tense here is intriguing to me (I wonder what the words are in the original language?) it almost sounds as if the angels were already ministering, as if they could have been there all along and Jesus was able to be ministered to by them because he resisted the temptation. I don't know but I just wonder about that.

What we do see clearly is that when John is arrested Jesus takes up the same proclamation "Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand." This tells that John was right when he said Jesus had the power to do this himself, and I wasn't far off when I thought Jesus was acting out of obedience not out of power. We could certainly learn a lesson here.

Are we willing to act out of obedience in order that the Lord might be well pleased with us? Can we resist the tempter knowing there are angels waiting to minister to us? I think I am willing to do so.

See you tomorrow.
-maggie