“Temptation” is a word that doesn’t have much context in today’s world – a world that is often described as being “post-modern”. One of the central understandings of post modernism is that there is no absolute truth.
If I believe something is true then it doesn’t matter if you disagree with me or can even prove me wrong – if I believe it’s true then for me it’s true. So temptation is almost obsolete because I can usually justify why it’s okay for me,
But it’s not such a new concept as we see in our Old Testament reading that this was exactly what the serpent used to trick Eve into disobeying God’s commandment and eat from the forbidden fruit. He questioned God’s truth and that means it was easy to tempt Eve. Did God really say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’? He didn’t tempt her by saying – look how beautiful this fruit is – why wouldn’t you want to eat it. Rather, he challenged the truth of why she shouldn’t eat it which is how temptation works. We begin to ask ourselves – why can’t I do this or that if I want to.
Initially Eve confirmed God’s truth: The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God did say, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die. And that’s when the serpent challenged the truth God of again – You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. So now she is confused. Whereas she could check the first part of the serpent’s challenge – yes God did say, now she has nothing to check against. This is Eve’s dilemma – she has 2 truths before her – God’s truth – she will die if she eats the forbidden fruit – and the Serpent’s truth – surely you won’t die. How will she know which is the true truth unless she tests it.
It’s a little bit like the Salem witch trials. If someone was accused of being a witch they were tied up and dunked into a body of water to determine whether they sink or float. Sinking to the bottom indicated that the accused was innocent but they would die. While floating indicated a guilty verdict and they would be sentenced to death.
Eve saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise. So she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, In today’s post modern culture there is a tendency, especially among the young, to ridicule those who resist temptation. Everyone’s doing it. Don’t you want to fit in? Temptation comes through peer group pressure.
What does it mean to be tempted? As we see in the Old Testament reading and also in our Gospel reading, temptation is to be pulled away from God by substituting what God has provided to what we provide. You’re hungry – if you’re the Son of God then why not change rocks into bread. You know that the fruit looks good and if you eat it – YOU will be like God. Temptation disregards the words and commandments of God. And as a result we still find it easier to simply give in, like Eve.
Today’s gospel reading of the temptations of Jesus is of vital importance to each one of us to help us understand just what Satan is doing. The first temptation deals satisfying our physical needs. It goes beyond just feeding our bodies but anything that brings pleasure. And that can be food – it can be sexual – it can be substance abuse. Things that will satisfy our physical pleasures. It is significant that this particular temptation comes when Jesus is famished and physically at his weakest. That’s when Satan strikes.
It’s much like Paul’s warning about anger in Ephesians – don’t give Satan a foothold. That’s all he needs.
What makes it temptation is because it takes Jesus, and us away from God: “Use your powers as the Son of God to change these stones into bread.” Replace God’s provision with your own – then you’re in control. Like Adam and Eve – you will be like God.
How many times do we look for replacements to God in our life? Even as Christians we can fall into the trap of trusting in our own endeavours first rather than God. But even when his own physical survival is at stake, Jesus clings to the assurance in his Heavenly Father – that we do not live by bread alone. Jesus knew the necessity for human nourishment; He had compassion for the poor and hungry. But our temptation is desire to satisfy our every need first and foremost above satisfying our trust in God to provide everything we need.
And we live in times where any and everything is available.
These days just about every corner has a gym and personal trainers everywhere, with the emphasis on a toned body. Society offers surgery to make every part of our body even more perfect without the pain of exercise. The body has become an idol for millions of people the world over. So many people become dissatisfied with their lives that our own lives have become the focus of idolatry. Not living by bread alone means that we must not give into the temptation of allowing the needs of our bodies to overwhelm our need for the word of God.
The second temptation is like our Genesis text. Bringing doubt to God’s word using scripture in order to put God to the test. Did God really say he would catch you and you will not dash your foot against the stone?
Let’s see. Satan has the ability to make us doubt God’s word by showing us where he fails to fulfil his promises to us. Jesus said, ‘Ask and it shall be given – so why doesn’t God answer my prayers? Why doesn’t God punish the evildoers and reward good people?” What if God answered the prayers of those who want bad things to happen?
The third temptation is the seduction of power. How easy it would have been for Jesus, weakened from hunger, all alone in the unforgiving desert, to forget where his strength came from. How many have turned their backs on God to the terrible seduction of power? The seduction of success, power, fame, money. How many earthly leaders have gotten into power only to have that power corrupt them? How many countries have people starving while their leaders look after their own projects.
There is so much temptation of power that comes with wealth. The temptation is always there for us giving in to the worship of other gods – the gods of greed, of luxury, of controlling others. All Satan tells us to do is forget that you belong to God. That’s what he did with Adam and Eve – YOU will be like God. Jesus again rejects this temptation as only God is worthy of our worship; only God deserves our service.
So Jesus response to these temptations is to stand firm on God’s Word and God’s promises which is what James also says in his letter: Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. God did not abandon Adam and Eve after they sinned but their relationship certainly changed. There was a death of sorts – a spiritual death that we see happen immediately.
Their change of relationship to one where they feared God because of their nakedness. Where God could not find Adam. But thankfully we have been found through Jesus.
The gospel shows us that Jesus has more power than sin. With him we can overcome what we have not been able to on our own as the book of Hebrews reminds us: We have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. And that means we have no fear of God in our sin but can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Temptation to sin will face us each and every moment which is why Luther said that with our Baptism each day we should drown our old sinful self in repentance – the Old Adam – and let a new self rise cleansed by God’s forgiveness. Temptations will come – the good we want to do we will not do. The good we want to do we will not do. Thanks be to God who rescues us by the one who overcame temptation for us.
