In Sacred Scripture there are two traditions about the devil. In the first, the devil works with God to uncover what is in people’s hearts.(Job 1:10) Is Job a truly just person or is he so only because God has put a protecting fence around him? God accepts the devils ‘let’s see’ challenge. It is this testing tradition that forms the first big backdrop to this Sunday’s Gospel.
In the second tradition, the devil is not an agent but an enemy of God’s purposes. Like a hungry lion, the devil hunts for his prey (1 Pet 5:8), or he is the pure evil that takes up residence in the heart of Judas (Jn 13:1). Openly, and in secret, the evil one is bent on destroying God’s Saviour. This tradition is also woven into this Sunday’s Gospel.
Notice how, with a steadfast heart, Jesus rejects Satan’s strategies. The devil moved with the speed of lightning to catch up with Jesus in the moment when the heavens were torn open and the Father revealed Jesus as the Beloved Son. It looks like the devil wanted to undermine Jesus’ identity. He tries to take the declaration ‘Beloved Son of God’, empty it of love and fill it with his own meanings. The temptation narrative is placed at the beginning of Jesus’ mission, and even though He rejects them outright, they will continue to haunt Him by reappearing right to the end.
Let’s look at each one more closely. The temptation to turns stones into bread is very appealing. After all, bringing hunger to an end is a dream shared by many. Did God not feed his people with manna in the desert? Well, yes, but the full story of the Exodus produced some side effects that were not great. God’s generosity did not create a grateful community but a more demanding one. A community content to wait for God to do all the heavy lifting! This is why Jesus refuses the good temptation with the words, “People do not live on bread alone.” Satan’s strategy misses the vital element of the transformations which comes whenever God’s Word is paramount. This strategy is rejected.
So, the devil ups the stakes. He shows Jesus what real power looks like. He shows Jesus the essence of the Kingdoms of the world, and how they work. Their power is strong because it comes from Satan – the great accuser and divider. The Kingdoms of the world are built on strategies of accusation and division, and if Jesus wants to be powerful, He will have to learn how to play this game. Tragically for Satan, Jesus has another strategy. It springs from the utter love He has for His Abba in heaven, whose ways are forgiveness and reconciliation. The Kingdom of God will be built on these foundation stones. The devils strategy is rejected.
The last temptation is whether Jesus can prove that God is the wellspring of his words and works. If Jesus leaps from the pinnacle of the Temple and floats into the adoring crowds, He could demonstrate that God was with Him. There could be no better way for Jesus to present his credentials. There would be no opposition to His preaching. This is a sign that would have everyone convinced. This last temptation will appear in full force at His crucifixion – another opportunity for Satan to spin the lie – if only He would come down from the cross, if only Elijah would appear to rescue Him. But Jesus has only the first (and second) commandment in His heart. He remains fiercely loyal to the One God. He remains fiercely loyal to His call to act from love and allow liberating peace and justice to do their work. As the faithful one, Jesus will not put God to the test, even if it is to prove a good point. Jesus rejects this strategy because He has perfect clarity about the first commandment and the reverence for all creation which flows from it.
So, to sum up. Jesus rejects a ‘bread and circuses’ strategy because it does not reverence the spiritual and the moral dimensions of the human person. He rejects any strategy which relies on accusation and division. He will not allow Himself, or us, to look out of our window at the enemy but never letting the window become a mirror of Justice which helps us to see what we are really up to. Keeping people at each other’s throats as a distraction while I plunder the world is the ultimate in spin doctoring. Finally, Jesus prefers substance over show. The way a person thinks, speaks and acts is far more important than credentials.
The devil did his best to seduce the Beloved Son of God into using strategies which were about personal ambition. But Jesus saw them for what they were – betrayals of His identity – and He rejected them. It remains to be seen if we can do the same.
Let Lent Begin!
