Jesus has just been baptised in the river Jordan and has heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased’ (Matt 3,17). But what does it mean to be the Beloved Son? The devil will have a few suggestions, but it is the Spirit who leads Jesus into this encounter with the devil. This ‘testing’ will serve The Spirits agenda and will deepen Jesus’ understanding and commitment.
The Tester first suggests that, as Beloved Son of God, Jesus should always be ‘full’. And if he likes he can suspend any law he likes to make this happen. Jesus rejects the connection between being physically filled and being spiritually loved. Hungry or full, he will still be the Beloved Son. Empty, he will still be the Beloved Son.
Engraved on the pinnacle of the Temple are the wings of an eagle. As the wings of a mother eagle catch her young when they flutter in their first attempt to fly, the Tempter suggests that God will lift us his Beloved Son whenever he falls. As Beloved Son, Jesus will always be safe. The devil even quotes Scripture to bolster his case. He wants Jesus to presume on divine love and toy with danger. But Jesus thinks this way of thinking is ridiculous. You don’t put yourself in danger so God can protect you. In the course of Jesus life, he will not be safe but neither will he waiver in his conviction that God loves him. Hurt, he will still be the Beloved Son.
So, for now, the devil plays his final card. He offers Jesus unlimited power over others. The price tag is that Jesus will fall on his knees and worship the devil. But Jesus is a Jew of the First Commandment and he rejects the Tempter and his seductive offer. Now, Jesus will have no political power and influence in the Kingdoms of the world. Powerless, he will still be the Beloved Son.
Temptations, like the ones above wait to ambush all of us in some way. They get to make the first move and can look like they are running the show. It’s only on the third go that Jesus finds the strength to tell the devil to get lost. And isn’t this our own experience. Sin pulls us along at great speed. We often describe this as being ‘led astray’. We went along because for a moment we couldn’t find the brake. We were no longer in charge of ourselves. So, it doesn’t really matter if it’s a bit of gossip here, a little theft there, or some big deal which is sinful as well as criminal – what they all have in common is that they include the question of who we think we are. If we do not know who we are, we probably won’t step back from the edge of the cliff.
What Jesus remembers is every word that comes from the mouth of God. Especially, he remembers the words he heard in the Jordan river. He has pondered these words in sacred time – forty days and nights – and has reached some amazing conclusions about what they mean. Only then can he push back and say “No”.
Step one for us then seems to be an invitation to slow down. To create the spaces where we can know ourselves better, which should include being willing to hear from friends what they know of us.
The Tempter will ask the same question. If you are loved by God, then …. And each of us has to be able to say, “Even if I am empty, hurting or powerless, or even dead; I am still loved by the Love that never fails”.
