3 the Temptation of Jesus

8/4/2019 3 the Temptation of Jesus

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Prepared by:Richard G. PazcoguinUST Institute of Religion


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The FORTY days of Jesus in thedesert is reminiscent of the FORTYyears that the Israelites spentwandering in the wilderness.After the Israelites had beenchosen by God, they were testedin the desert.The Christ, the chosen oneexperienced temptation in the desertafter his baptism. This is to showthat Christ was not an alien to thetemptations of the chosen people.


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Temptation attacks us when we are most vulnerable. The Gospelaccounts tell us that Jesus was so hungry when the devil asked himto turn the stone into bread. Jesus relied by quoting scriptures:people need more than bread for their life; real life comes byfeeding on every word of the Lord. Deuteronomy 8:3The chosen people rebelled against God in the desert because of thescarcity of food. While Jesus did not mean that material food is notimportant, he was emphasizing that there is a value greater thanmaterial things, and that is life in God.


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The devil was tempting Jesus to do a power play,to show off that He is the Son of God by throwinghimself from the temple and having God rescue him.Again, Jesus rebuked the devil by quoting scriptures:Do not test the Lord, your God Deuteronomy 6:16

Like the Israelites in the desert, we also go throughmoments in our lives when we want to put our lifeinto our own hands and impose our ways on God.Jesus is teaching us that the ways of the Lord areperfect, and in faith we should let the Lord takecontrol over our l ives.


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The devil showed to Jesus the nations of the world.

The chosen people often experienced the temptation oflooking for security in earthly power. At the moment of histemptation, this was what the devil was putting into themind of Jesus: earthly power is just as good as Gods.Jesus, quoting the scriptures, rebuked the devil onceagain:You must fear the Lord your God, and serve him.Deuteronomy 6:13Jesus makes us aware of other forms of idolatry, that is,the worship of wealth and power. Once again, we arereminded that God alone should be worshipped, andearthly powers are bound to end.


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MONOTHEISM is the basic law of the covenant. Hence idolatry is a seriousoffense, for there is only ONE GOD. Scriptures however reveal to us that this

one God is Three Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.THE

THETHE


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By being tempted like us, yet not falling into sin,Jesus taught us that our human nature is not ahindrance to following Gods will, and that wehave been equipped by God with all the graces

necessary to overcome temptation.

It is noteworthy that Jesus Christ rebuked thedevil using Scriptures. The Word of God that weput into our hearts is indeed our greatestdefense against temptation.

Th i s H i gh P r i e s t o f o u r s unde r s t a nd s ou r wea kne s sFo r he f a c ed a l l t emp t a t i o n s we do ,

Y e t he d i d no t s i n

Hebrews 4:15


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Fr. Luc Colla, CICMTHE AMAZING STORY OF JESUS OF NAZARETHBaguio City: St. Louis University, 1984

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3 the Temptation of Jesus