From: kkludd [mailto:wildlifeart@excite.com] Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2002 16:11 To: Holy_War@yahoogroups.com Subject: Holy War: What Tempted Jesus? To many judeo-Christians Matthew 4 is a literal interpretation of their preconceived superstition of a supernatural god whom they call Satan, devil, serpent ad nauseam. The personifacation of the myriad vices and virtues are a common practice among pagan cultures. The fairy tale of Jesus encountered this nefarious diety emanates from the traditions of man not the Bible. Those who always believed their Sunday school teacher, cry incredulously, 'what else could it possibly mean?' Well, if we let the Bible interpret itself rather than man, we often find the context and principle of a subject. Matthew 4 is the first place in the New Testament where the word 'devil' is found. If we do not understand what the devil is, it is likely that our understanding of Jesus Christ will be skewed as well. If this story was just a duel between the Son of God and some royal spook, then Christ being our example would set the stage for the rest of us to be tempted by the same type of evil. However, this simplistic scenario falls short of what Jesus is to us. Jesus was made a man, just like His Israelite brethren. It was necessary for Christ to be tempted just as we are. If Christ was made as we are, then He would be tempted by the same feelings and desires that we do. What is it that tempts man? James I:14 tells us it is when we are drawn away by our own lust and enticed. Lust here is synonymous with desire. The Bible further elaborates as to the basic elements of temptation in I John 2:16 by saying that 'the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life' are the sum total of all the rotten, corrupt evil that is in the world. There is absolutely no reference to any evil god, which could posssibly be responsible for these desires leading us into sin. Now comes the temptations of Christ which parallel the aforementioned elements in Matthew 4. If anybody has ever fasted, especially for 40 days, you know that physically you feel hunger and your mind turns to meat and potatoes. The first temptation was the thought to turn some stones into bread ie lust of the flesh. The second temptation was the thought to cast Himself down from a pinnacle of the temple and let angels take charge of bearing Him up ie the pride of life. The third temptation was the thought to become ruler of the world ie the lust of the eyes. Jesus, knowing who He was and what He was, could have obtained power over men at that time, but that would have precluded His sacrifice at Calvary. We can easily identify the politicians today who have been drawn away from God by their own greed for wealth and power and thereby enticed to sin on their own volition. Jesus was tempted like we are. Otherwise, if His flesh offered Him no temptation, what glory would there be that Jesus resisted His own desires as man and was without sin to the end. Satan or the devil of pagan folklore is not what Jesus told to "get thee hence" or is what departed from Him. It was all the desires of the world which He overcame for our example. I John 2:16 very clearly corresponds to Matthew 4 and it would be disingenuous to say that it is merely a distortion. The transliterated 'satan' would serve our people far better if we finally translate the word and let the Bible interpret itself. Pastor Mark Downey http://www.kinsmanredeemer.com
