Jesus tested III. (Matt 4:8-11)

The two previous tests of Jesus were subtle, but the last is so blatant that one wonders how anyone could fall for this one. Jews in Jesus’ time recited the Shema (Deut 6:4-5) daily reminding themselves of their allegiance to God. How then could worshipping Satan be a temptation to any Jew, let alone Jesus? First, Matthew deliberately sets parallel the beginning and the end of Jesus’ ministry. After His resurrection, Jesus stands on a mountain and sends out His disciples stating that ‘all authority’ has been given to Him in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18).[1] What Satan offers at the beginning of the journey on another mountain is similar, but it requires no cross. Thus, Jesus is faced with the question of at what cost He receives what God wanted to give Him. The devil’s proposal is a shortcut.

Jesus again turns to Scripture and specifically to Deuteronomy, the book that is the most sustained theological reflection on Israel’s wilderness wanderings and what is required of God’s people in the land. His citation of Deut 6:13 is not exact in Matt 4:10, but it summarises well the thrust of the chapter: one should worship YHWH, the Lord only. The word ‘only’ is a notable addition, which does not appear in the Hebrew (the NASB adds it in italics), though it is clearly implied in the context (see Deut 6:14). In other words, Jesus recognises the subtle challenge of Satan that worshipping him need not exclude worshipping God as well, but Jesus clarifies that this is not an option.

This last test then is the temptation of idolatry in the sense of worshipping something/one other than God. Since in the West we do not tend to worship tangible statues as idols, it is much harder for us to recognise what constitutes idolatry. One possible definition of an idol is something/one that we set our hearts on to achieve happiness and fullness of life. It may be material possessions, fulfilment in a job, praise of our abilities, a need for a particular relationship. Wanting fulfilment and many of these things we desire are not wrong in themselves, but Satan’s offer for achieving our goal involves a shortcut that requires no costly discipleship in following God’s call.

I believe, there are two aspects which might help us catch ourselves in the act: priorities and excess. First, what are our priorities? What is it that pulls at our hearts more than the relationship with God? Perhaps we can hardly wait to finish reading our Bible and praying in order to get on with a particular activity. We may feel that we cannot stop doing or wanting something; it takes over our life. What is it that excites us so that the relationship with God pales in comparison and feels boring or dry? Secondly, are there any areas of excess in our lives? When Satan promises satisfaction, somehow it is never enough. Desire can become a bottomless pit, no matter how much you pour into it, there is always the hunger for more. On the other hand, when we receive satisfaction from God’s hands, there is a sense of enjoyment and then rest in what we have been given.

Jesus’ threefold test is ultimately one of trust. Trust in God’s provision, protection and trust in God’s way of receiving His gifts through an exclusive allegiance to Him. Israel, God’s son in the wilderness failed the test, but Jesus, God’s Son passed it. It is because He did not shun the cross that we are enabled to walk in His footsteps.

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[1] An obvious question is how this authority of Jesus’ relates to His pre-resurrection authority. In other words, did He not have ‘all’ authority before? This is a complex Christological question, that cannot be answered here, but I take Walter Moberly’s helpful reflections that in an interpersonal relationship, as one responds to another person in ever new situations, there is always the potential for the deepening and growth of that relationship without necessarily implying deficiency in the earlier stages. It is in this context that ‘Jesus in his resurrection is given fully and definitively that which was already truly his during his earthly life.’ The Bible, Theology, and Faith: A Study of Abraham and Jesus (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000), 193-97 (197).