Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11
[W]hen we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.[1]
These are very familiar words found in one of our beautiful Eucharistic prayers. They’re a reminder that during his time on earth Jesus experienced things we ourselves encounter in this life. He experienced pain, loss, and sorrow and I don’t doubt he also lived moments of joy, contentment, and peace. All are feelings and emotions woven into the fabric of our time here on earth.
As today’s reading from Matthew reminds us, there’s another aspect of life Jesus shared with us: the battle against temptation. The appearance here of the devil came after Jesus had wandered and fasted in the wilderness for 40 days, a period that held great significance for the listeners of his day. The rain that fell and flooded the earth in the time of Noah lasted 40 days and nights. The great patriarch Moses remained at the top of Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights while awaiting the commandments from God.
But there are other parts of this scene that were significant and recognizable to early Christians. Old Testament scholars note that the trials put before Jesus also appeared at various points in Israel’s past.[2] In Exodus 16 for instance we read of those who’d been led out of Egypt complaining to Moses and Aaron and saying, “[Y]ou have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”[3] In Exodus 17 they again complained, this time because of their thirst and the lack of water. Finally, like Jesus being tempted to turn from God and take power for himself, we recall in Exodus 32 those camped at the base of Mount Sinai turning their back on God as they “cast for themselves an image of a calf, and … worshiped it and sacrificed to it.”[4]
How did Jesus respond to the temptations thrown at him? He drew on the strength of scripture, yes, but it was specifically scripture echoing back to the time of the Exodus people. In responding to what the devil was putting before him, Jesus drew on the words spoken by Moses in his final lengthy oration, the book we know as Deuteronomy.
Are you hungry? That’s easy enough to fix; take these stones and turn them into bread to sustain you. In response Jesus draws on Deuteronomy 8: “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”[5]
Well, I’d wager that if you throw yourself off this Temple God’s angels will catch you. In answering Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.”[6]
Would you like to experience real power? Say that you’ll serve me, and I’ll give you control of everything you see here before you. Once again Jesus turns to Deuteronomy 6: “The Lord your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear.”[7]
In this season of Lent, we have an opportunity to reflect on our lives and the many ways in which we rely on God’s love, support, and strength. We’re called to “self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy word.”[8] We’re challenged to think about our responses to the temptations in our own lives, to consider how we answer in the moments of our own hunger (spiritual and physical), lack of trust, or need for power, prestige, or acceptance.
In Lent we have our own 40 days in the wilderness. We may have temptations or incidents from our lives or mistakes made on which to reflect. There may be questions we feel we’re being asked and for which we struggle to find the answers. We may be struggling to “orient [our] lives toward God and not around the things that God provides.”[9] The way we prepare ourselves to address each of these is the way Jesus did: to turn to scripture and to the strength and support of God.
This morning we began with the Great Litany, asking God to hear us, deliver us, and have mercy upon us. Beginning next week and continuing through the remainder of the season, we’ll recall the words from the time of the Exodus as we recite and respond to the commandments God first delivered to Moses. As our spiritual ancestors before us, we’ll hear the words of God guiding and directing us.
In the end, we will walk out of our time in this Lenten wilderness with angels ministering to us. Jesus overcame temptation and showed us the path that we should follow, one built on the solid stone of his faith. At the conclusion of these 40 days, how will our reflection and our faith have changed our lives? How will our time in the wilderness make us new?
Amen.
[1] From Eucharistic Prayer A, Book of Common Prayer, p. 362.
[2] Timothy A. Beach-Verhey, “Matthew 4:1-11: Theological Perspective.” Feasting on the Gospels: Matthew, Volume 1.
[3] Exodus 16:3 (NRSV).
[4] Exodus 32:8 (NRSV).
[5] Deuteronomy 8:3 (NRSV).
[6] Deuteronomy 6:16 (NRSV).
[7] Deuteronomy 6:13 (NRSV).
[8] Book of Common Prayer, p. 265.
[9] Beach-Verhey.