February 17th : 1st Sunday of Lent: Temptation

 

In today’s epic Gospel scene, Jesus relives in His flesh the history of Israel. We’ve already seen that like Israel, Jesus has passed through water, been called God’s beloved Son (see Luke 3:22; Exodus 4:22). Now, as Israel was tested for forty years in the wilderness, Jesus is led into the desert to be tested for forty days and nights (see Exodus 15:25). He faces the temptations put to Israel: Hungry, He’s tempted to grumble against God for food (see Exodus 16:1-13), When the Devil asks His homage, He’s tempted to do what Israel did in creating the golden calf (see Exodus 32) and as Israel quarrelled at Messiah, He’s tempted to doubt God’s care (see Exodus 17:1-6). Jesus undergoes these same temptations. in the first He was tempted with power over nature (“turn these stones into bread”), in the second temptation Jesus was tempted with power over people (“worship me and I will give you dominion over all nations”) and in the third he was tempted with power over God (jump and God will send angels to protect you.”). Aren’t these the same temptations that we face day in and day out?