Temptations of Christ the Temptation

¶ … Temptations of Christ

The temptation of Christ is a complete story with an introduction, three trials, and an ending. The temptation is mentioned in several other texts. The temptation is a short passage, but has many layers that can be revealed upon analysis. By comparing and contrasting texts regarding the temptation, we can gain a better understanding of the spiritual and literal meanings behind the text. The following will serve as an analysis of Matthew 4: 1-11 in light of the other instances of the temptation in other texts. It will support the thesis that the temptation serves as a means to authenticate Jesus for the rest of the stories found in the Gospels.

Mark 1: 12-13 mentions the temptation, but this only gives a summary of the ordeal. This mention of the temptation does appear to only deal the physical manifestations of the temptation without regards to the deep spiritual issues of the text. However, its reiteration serves to remind the audience of the credibility of Jesus' true identity. Luke 4: 1-13 gives similar account of the temptation to that found in Matthew. However, in the Luke 4: 1-13 version the third temptation and second are reversed. One must then ask the question if this makes a difference in the interpretation of the story as a whole.

The literary style of the story treats each temptation as its own mini-story within the whole. Each temptation has its own beginning, middle and conclusion. The order of the temptations would not effect the interpretation of the whole, if one considers each temptation to be a complete story by itself. The writer in Luke would have received the story second had through Paul. The writer of Luke would have been writing for a different audience than that of Matthew as well.

In the version found in Luke, Satan presents a vision of the Kingdoms of the world. This detail is left out in the Matthew version and the reader assumes that it is the physical length as far as the eye can see. In Luke we find that Satan has offered so much more. We also find in the Luke version that Satan claims to have been given the kingdoms of the earth. However, he never tells from whom he acquired them. We do not know if Satan is lying at this point, or if this is another expression of the supremacy of heaven, the Kingdom of God, over the physical kingdom, the Kingdom of man. One might also note that Satan offers Jesus the kingdoms (plural) rather than the Kingdom (Singular). This implies divided nations full of strife and conflict, rather than a unified nation living in harmony. This is an important detail in understanding the state of the world at the time.

The structure of the story is simple. There is an introduction which set the scene. There are three temptations with three different answers and then the aftermath of the three attempts. The first thing to consider is that God led Jesus into the wilderness. Jesus did not go of his own accord, but under the direction of God. The second is that Satan used every means possible, but was defeated on each account by Jesus. Regardless of what Satan attempted, he could not overpower the faith of Christ. In the end, the angels gave their blessing on Christ and his decision. Throughout the story God showed his supremacy over Satan and prevailed every time.

Throughout the Gospel Satan tries to undermine God's authority and supremacy in the physical and spiritual world. This accomplishes several literary objectives. The first is its resemblance to a classic myth. Jesus, has been placed at a disadvantage and is weak physically and mentally from fasting forty days and forty nights. That is an exceptionally long time to fast. This makes Jesus into position of a hero who must face a foe that is fresh and has a decided advantage over him at this time. Satan is the typical antagonist who wishes to show his strength and supremacy over God.

Satan attempts to destroy the perfection of the God's reign by defiling his perfect image. In this sense, God serves as a co-protagonist in addition to Jesus. However, God is in the background and has little action in the story. God participates vicariously through his creation of Jesus, a symbol of his perfection. Jesus defeats a seemingly insurmountable foe to receive his just reward, just as protagonists in other mythology such as Gilgamesh, David in David and Goliath, and Homer..

The first temptation is of the purely physical realm. Satan offers to quench Jesus' physical needs. However, Jesus triumphs over the physical needs with spiritual strength. In the end, the reward is spiritual rather than physical. This also shows the supremacy of spiritual matters over the physical realm. The best that Satan has to offer is the physical world. However, Jesus This dichotomy clearly establishes a hierarchy and order between the physical and spiritual realms. Satan tries to tear down this order and create chaos.

Symbolism

There are several similarities between the temptation and other Biblical stories of equal importance, such as Genesis. The first is that Satan approaches Jesus during a time of weakness, while he was alone and without the support of anyone else. The devil in Matthew is the same as the serpent in the story of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were God's creation, but the devil was able to defeat them. However, Adam and Eve were also humans. The Devil could not defeat God's perfect son. Adam and Eve existed purely in the physical world. Satan's ability to defeat them symbolizes the supremacy of the devil in the physical world. However, his inability to defeat God in the temptation story demonstrates the supremacy of the spiritual world over the physical world. Satan could defeat man, but not the Son of God.

Forty days and forty nights appears many times throughout the Bible. Forty appears as the number of days required for spiritual tests and cleansing. In the story of Noah, it rained for forty days and for forty nights. During this time period the world was being cleansed of all the sin and imperfection that was in it before the flood. Fasting was a ritual way of cleansing the body. Fasting for forty days and for forty nights was a way for Jesus to spiritually cleanse all of his imperfections. When this was complete and he was supposedly spiritually clean, Satan came to test how spiritually clean Jesus had become.

The placement of this story is just before Jesus left to begin gathering his followers. The placement of this story attests to the spiritual purity of Jesus and adds credibility to the lessons that follow in the remaining chapters. Its placement sets the stage for the stories of Jesus' preaching. The temptation of the story gives us an important detail about the character of Jesus. It was not enough to say that he was spiritually pure. The story of the temptation places Jesus on a different level of purity than the rest of the human population. It gives him a larger than life quality that is necessary for the epic hero. It is important not only to look at the components of the temptation story, but also what it adds to the entirety of Matthew's text.

After the temptation Jesus then goes into the world of the Gentiles to spread his message. He will face great physical danger. The temptation foreshadows the spiritual strength that Jesus will use to defeat each and every one of these physical challenges. The superiority of the spiritual realm over the physical realm is an important detail for understanding Jesus up through the crucifixion. It is an important literary and symbolic contribution to the understanding of the meaning behind Jesus' life and teachings.