Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the
wilderness to be tempted
by the Adversary. After
fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and
said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus
answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread
alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the Adversary took him to the holy city and had him
stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it
is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will
lift you up in their hands,so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Again, the Adversary took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
*************************************************************************
Toad baked some cookies. "These cookies smell very good," said Toad. He ate one. "And they taste even better," he said.
Toad ran to Frog's house. "Frog, Frog," cried Toad, "taste these cookies that I have made."
Frog ate one of the cookies, "These are the best cookies I have ever eaten!" said Frog.
Frog and Toad ate many cookies, one after another. "You know, Toad," said Frog, with his mouth full, "I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick."
"You are right," said Toad. "Let us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl.
"Frog," said Toad, "let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie.
"We must stop eating!" cried Toad as he ate another.
"Yes," said Frog, reaching for a cookie, "we need willpower."
"What is willpower?" asked Toad.
"Willpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to do," said Frog.
"You mean like trying hard not to eat all these cookies?" asked Toad.
"Right," said Frog.
Frog put the cookies in a box. "There," he said. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."
"But we can open the box," said Toad.
"That is true," said Frog.
Frog tied some string around the box. "There," he said. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."
"But we can cut the string and open the box." said Toad.
"That is true," said Frog. Frog got a ladder. He put the box up on a high shelf.
"There," said Frog. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."
"But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box," said Toad.
"That is true," said Frog.
Frog climbed the ladder and took the box down from the shelf. He cut the string and opened the box. Frog took the box outside. He shouted in a loud voice. "Hey, birds, here are cookies!" Birds came from everywhere. They picked up all the cookies in their beaks and flew away.
"Now we have no more cookies to eat," said Toad sadly. "Not even one."
"Yes," said Frog, "but we have lots and lots of willpower."
"You may keep it all, Frog," said Toad. "I am going home now to bake a cake."
******************************************************************
It’s always interesting to look at how each of the Gospels treats particular stories. Matthew and Luke tell us of the testing of Jesus; Mark gives it a couple of sentences, and John doesn’t even think it’s worth a mention.
It’s also interesting that in Hebrew, the word Satan means “the opposer” or “the Adversary”. Matthew gives us a whole story; one of the interesting things about *this* version is that the “opposer” is quite literate in understanding of scripture. He knows exactly how to test Jesus, and in this wilderness where there is hunger for many things, knows what things would be hardest to resist. Of course, Jesus - even though he is tired and famished - and not quite all there - knows the answers. He knows how to say “No”.
For me, there are a few key things in this story.
It takes place in “the wilderness”, whatever that means. Is it a literal wilderness - and by that I mean, a desert? Or is it a place where there are no people - probably not hard to find. Or is it a journey inside the self - a place of unknowns, where Jesus really has to face himself, and is tested.
The Spirit led him, so we can assume he went relatively willingly; Matthew implies he was filled with and inspired by, the Holy Spirit.
He didn’t take anything with him other than the clothes on his back. He was there forty days and nights, or almost six weeks. Now, forty is a good Biblical number, so let’s just assume he was in his wilderness for a very long time.
Now, if he literally went into a remote desert place, we can assume he was skinny, filthy, stinky, and pretty darned hungry. It is a fact that when one has gone without food for several days, hallucinations occur – let’s say – alternate reality.
So let’s try to put some of this together a little more. Jesus has been baptised - a common Jewish custom - and has had a deep spiritual experience. He is inspired by the Spirit to go off by himself, somewhere away from people and food, to spend time with himself in silence. He knows that he has human failings, like everyone else; but he is also trained in the faith of the Israelite people, and after his baptism he is fairly sure he has a call to ministry. The one who opposes him tries everything - offering food, knowing he would be hungry; offering power, recognising his abilities. Jesus is able to say no, despite his hunger and despite recognising that he could have great power if he chose; he also knows what he would have to give up in return.
In the cycle of the Christian year, beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday, Christians have observed the period of “Lent” as a kind of wilderness experience. In some periods in the church, sacrifice and physical punishment of the self took place. In general Lent has not been about “giving up” or “punishing” ourselves. The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words ‘lencten’, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid, which literally means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for "March," the month in which the majority of Lent falls. Lent is to be forty days, not including Sundays.
Since the earliest times of the Church, there is evidence of a growing practice of Lenten preparation for Easter. Irenaeus, who died in 203 CE, wrote to Pope Victor I, commenting on the celebration of Easter and the differences between practices in the East and the West: "The dispute is not only about the day, but also about the actual character of the fast. Some think that they ought to fast for one day, some for two, others for still more; some make their 'day' last 40 hours on end. Such variation in the observance did not originate in our own day, but very much earlier, in the time of our forefathers" meaning the time of the disciples. Pope Leo, who died in 461 CE, preached that the faithful must "fulfill with their fasts the Apostolic institution of the 40 days," again noting the apostolic origins of Lent. The intent was that it was to be a time of prayer and fasting - as Jesus did.
The period of Lent and the emphasis on prayer and fasting is also a reference to the growth of the human soul, as if a plant. Gardeners know that plants have to be pruned, fertilised, mulched and watered. In the growth of the human soul, care has to be taken to ensure that it will grow and become green.
Toad baked some cookies. "These cookies smell very good," said Toad. He ate one. "And they taste even better," he said.
Toad ran to Frog's house. "Frog, Frog," cried Toad, "taste these cookies that I have made."
Frog ate one of the cookies, "These are the best cookies I have ever eaten!" said Frog.
Frog and Toad ate many cookies, one after another. "You know, Toad," said Frog, with his mouth full, "I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick."
"You are right," said Toad. "Let us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl.
"Frog," said Toad, "let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop." Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie.
"We must stop eating!" cried Toad as he ate another.
"Yes," said Frog, reaching for a cookie, "we need willpower."
"What is willpower?" asked Toad.
"Willpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to do," said Frog.
"You mean like trying hard not to eat all these cookies?" asked Toad.
"Right," said Frog.
Frog put the cookies in a box. "There," he said. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."
"But we can open the box," said Toad.
"That is true," said Frog.
Frog tied some string around the box. "There," he said. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."
"But we can cut the string and open the box." said Toad.
"That is true," said Frog. Frog got a ladder. He put the box up on a high shelf.
"There," said Frog. "Now we will not eat any more cookies."
"But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box," said Toad.
"That is true," said Frog.
Frog climbed the ladder and took the box down from the shelf. He cut the string and opened the box. Frog took the box outside. He shouted in a loud voice. "Hey, birds, here are cookies!" Birds came from everywhere. They picked up all the cookies in their beaks and flew away.
"Now we have no more cookies to eat," said Toad sadly. "Not even one."
"Yes," said Frog, "but we have lots and lots of willpower."
"You may keep it all, Frog," said Toad. "I am going home now to bake a cake."
******************************************************************
It’s always interesting to look at how each of the Gospels treats particular stories. Matthew and Luke tell us of the testing of Jesus; Mark gives it a couple of sentences, and John doesn’t even think it’s worth a mention.
It’s also interesting that in Hebrew, the word Satan means “the opposer” or “the Adversary”. Matthew gives us a whole story; one of the interesting things about *this* version is that the “opposer” is quite literate in understanding of scripture. He knows exactly how to test Jesus, and in this wilderness where there is hunger for many things, knows what things would be hardest to resist. Of course, Jesus - even though he is tired and famished - and not quite all there - knows the answers. He knows how to say “No”.
For me, there are a few key things in this story.
It takes place in “the wilderness”, whatever that means. Is it a literal wilderness - and by that I mean, a desert? Or is it a place where there are no people - probably not hard to find. Or is it a journey inside the self - a place of unknowns, where Jesus really has to face himself, and is tested.
The Spirit led him, so we can assume he went relatively willingly; Matthew implies he was filled with and inspired by, the Holy Spirit.
He didn’t take anything with him other than the clothes on his back. He was there forty days and nights, or almost six weeks. Now, forty is a good Biblical number, so let’s just assume he was in his wilderness for a very long time.
Now, if he literally went into a remote desert place, we can assume he was skinny, filthy, stinky, and pretty darned hungry. It is a fact that when one has gone without food for several days, hallucinations occur – let’s say – alternate reality.
So let’s try to put some of this together a little more. Jesus has been baptised - a common Jewish custom - and has had a deep spiritual experience. He is inspired by the Spirit to go off by himself, somewhere away from people and food, to spend time with himself in silence. He knows that he has human failings, like everyone else; but he is also trained in the faith of the Israelite people, and after his baptism he is fairly sure he has a call to ministry. The one who opposes him tries everything - offering food, knowing he would be hungry; offering power, recognising his abilities. Jesus is able to say no, despite his hunger and despite recognising that he could have great power if he chose; he also knows what he would have to give up in return.
In the cycle of the Christian year, beginning with Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter Sunday, Christians have observed the period of “Lent” as a kind of wilderness experience. In some periods in the church, sacrifice and physical punishment of the self took place. In general Lent has not been about “giving up” or “punishing” ourselves. The word Lent itself is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words ‘lencten’, meaning "Spring," and lenctentid, which literally means not only "Springtide" but also was the word for "March," the month in which the majority of Lent falls. Lent is to be forty days, not including Sundays.
Since the earliest times of the Church, there is evidence of a growing practice of Lenten preparation for Easter. Irenaeus, who died in 203 CE, wrote to Pope Victor I, commenting on the celebration of Easter and the differences between practices in the East and the West: "The dispute is not only about the day, but also about the actual character of the fast. Some think that they ought to fast for one day, some for two, others for still more; some make their 'day' last 40 hours on end. Such variation in the observance did not originate in our own day, but very much earlier, in the time of our forefathers" meaning the time of the disciples. Pope Leo, who died in 461 CE, preached that the faithful must "fulfill with their fasts the Apostolic institution of the 40 days," again noting the apostolic origins of Lent. The intent was that it was to be a time of prayer and fasting - as Jesus did.
The period of Lent and the emphasis on prayer and fasting is also a reference to the growth of the human soul, as if a plant. Gardeners know that plants have to be pruned, fertilised, mulched and watered. In the growth of the human soul, care has to be taken to ensure that it will grow and become green.
Winter can be seen as a wilderness time. Everything appears to die, and it’s only in the spring when the sun and rains come back, that the growth cycle starts. It may be that in order for our souls to grow, a little time spent with less rather than more, a little time cutting back on something really critical - might just be good for us. I don’t mean something frivolous like not watching one favourite TV show, or giving up cookies and baking cake instead, like Frog and Toad. Or not eating chocolate. I am talking about removing the things which distract us - perhaps we might say the things which oppose the growth of our souls.
Did you know that Judaism,
Christianity and Islam are all considered relation religions? The three are
called the Abrahamic faiths – Judaism and Islam through the children of
Abraham, and we the Christians by conversion. We have Scriptures in common –
and we have practices in common. In Islam, we often hear the word “jihad” – the
great religious war. But the real meaning of ‘jihad’ is indeed the great war
with ourselves…..internal discernment, internal wrestling with the adversary….to
win the jihad is to win the war with oneself. We ourselves are the adversary and
it’s an internal war, not external.
I look at this forty days of Lent as a gift to us for our wise use. It isn’t just a part of the church year with no meaning. In today’s church we callit discernment – but I think it’s more than that. – and our obsession with concrete modernity we’ve lost our traditions in the church of reflection. Jesus went into a wilderness - whatever that meant - to learn about himself. Had he given in to any one of those very real human failings, the growth of his soul would have been stunted. – and I don’t believe a movement would have begun. He decided, I think, that he did have a ministry – and that he needed to be scrupulous with himself, or his words would mean nothing.
We have a short forty days - just
under six weeks - to learn again what is really important in life, and what our
lives can be like without all the distractions we stuff into them. We have a chance
to weigh all the alternatives. We do it one day at a time. We go, like Jesus,
into a place of silence and prayer. We breathe, have a little water, and look
hard at what is offered us in life.
The question is, when we get ourselves severed from the distractions, can we stand the silence? Silence can be pretty loud sometimes, can’t it? The question also is, can we stand ourselves when we look in there? What are we like in the wilderness? We have to ask ourselves what devils, what Adversaries are there in our lives, offering what sound like really reasonable alternatives? What Adversaries have our number? Do we really take spiritual time seriously? Or is there so much we just “have” to have in our life, that there is no time for a trip to the wilderness?
The question is, when we get ourselves severed from the distractions, can we stand the silence? Silence can be pretty loud sometimes, can’t it? The question also is, can we stand ourselves when we look in there? What are we like in the wilderness? We have to ask ourselves what devils, what Adversaries are there in our lives, offering what sound like really reasonable alternatives? What Adversaries have our number? Do we really take spiritual time seriously? Or is there so much we just “have” to have in our life, that there is no time for a trip to the wilderness?
Lent today, to me, is a time to
recover a tradition of spiritual practice that we have lost. We slow down, find
a quiet space, reflect, work to change, and keep going. Amen.
Sources:
1. “Frog and Toad” can be found at http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/t/temptation.htm
Ray & Anne Ortlund, Renewal, Navpress, 1989, p. 73-74.
2. History of Lent, by Rev. William Saunders. Arlington Catholic Herald.
Sources:
1. “Frog and Toad” can be found at http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/t/temptation.htm
Ray & Anne Ortlund, Renewal, Navpress, 1989, p. 73-74.
2. History of Lent, by Rev. William Saunders. Arlington Catholic Herald.
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