I wish I could claim authorship for the following but they are summaries of passages from the study guide for the Holy Father's book "Jesus of Nazareth."
The Temptations of Jesus
The temptations of Jesus are fundamentally about idolatry and about who God is. The first temptation is hunger.
Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” Luke 4:1-4
Hunger symbolizes all of our physical needs and the physical evils we experience. Jesus' mission is to point the way to the heavenly kingdom, not to make sure that all earthly evils are overcome on earth.
The second temptation is to rule the kingdoms of the world. The devil offers Jesus the opportunity to unite all kingdoms in peace and unity, and so to abandon his message of sacrifice, humility and self-emptying love.
The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours." Luke 4:5-7
Jesus wins the only glory that matters: glory from the Father, who desires peace that can only be found in the eternal Kingdom of heaven.
The third temptation is for certainty; for Jesus to cast himself from a height so that God will send angels to catch him.
The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' Luke 4:9-11
This temptation is for Jesus to submit to human requirements for certainty - in other words, to have faith on our terms, not God's. This would reverse the proper relationship between God and man. (Another reason why "guaranteed prayers" are wrong - God is not a vending machine!)
I can easily see how I have been (and continue to be) tempted by hunger (for stuff - even good Catholic books to learn more about the faith.) I am tempted to rule - my home, my space at the office, my parish, etc. and I am tempted by the need for certainty (having Luke in Afghanistan gives new meaning to the words "Jesus I trust in You.")
Reading the 4th chapter of Luke used to irritate me. I mean - how can you tempt someone that is sinless? But when read in the context of idolatry it makes a lot more sense. I really wish sometimes that the Bible came with directions! (Yes, I know there are annotated versions but I am trying to curb my hunger for yet another Catholic book!)
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