1st Sunday of Lent Year C - 14/2/2016 - Gospel: Lc 4:1-13
The last temptation of Jesus
St Luke begins his gospel with the role of the Holy Spirit and ends his gospel with the role of the Holy Spirit. The temptation in the wilderness begins with the Holy Spirit
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness Lk 4,1
After forty days in the desert the evil spirit tempted Jesus. It was the first temptation the devil had with Jesus and it was not the last because they promised to return at other times. Three times they tried hard to tempt Jesus and three times they failed.
The first time the devil knew that Jesus was hungry and they tempted Him to take care of the body: You are God's Son, change these stones into food to eat.
Jesus answered the scriptures says: man does not live on bread alone. v.4
The second temptation the devil lured Jesus into commit pride and world glory by saying world's power and glory would be given to Jesus if he worshiped them.
Jesus told them the Scriptures say: You must worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone. v.8
The third time the devil challenged Jesus to show off magic power by jumping down from the cliff.
Jesus drove them away saying: You must not put the Lord your God to the test. V.12
St Luke told us that
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting Him, the devil left Him, to return at the appointed time. v.13
It looks like 'the appointed time' happened at the Crucifixion of Jesus, at the time Jesus went through the spiritual desert, not forty days but probably forty hours counting from the time of his arrested in the garden to His last breath on the cross. The Bible didn't use the word 'temptation' at His last hours but the mockery, the ridiculed and the jeers happened at the cross bearing the traits of the first temptation: namely showing off power, disobey God the Father and gained world's glory and power and followers. The temptations appeared from the mouths of the leaders of the people and from the criminal and from His executioners.
At the crucifixion the leaders cheers Jesus and other rebuked Him saying
Let Him save Himself if He is the Son of God, the Chosen One' Lk 23,35
At the first temptation the devil challenged Jesus to jump off from the temple. Here they challenged Jesus to jump off from the cross. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe. Mk 15, 30-32.
One of the criminals who were being crucified at the same time with Jesus told Him
Are you not the Christ, save yourself and save us as well v.40
Jesus responded nothing to those who ridiculed Him but Jesus promised eternal life for the thief who asked for pardon when he made a plea to Jesus that
Remember me when you come into your kingdom Lk 23,43
Indeed, responded Jesus, I promised you, today you will be with me in paradise v.43
We pray for the gift of being able to resist against temptations especially the disguised ones.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness Lk 4,1
After forty days in the desert the evil spirit tempted Jesus. It was the first temptation the devil had with Jesus and it was not the last because they promised to return at other times. Three times they tried hard to tempt Jesus and three times they failed.
The first time the devil knew that Jesus was hungry and they tempted Him to take care of the body: You are God's Son, change these stones into food to eat.
Jesus answered the scriptures says: man does not live on bread alone. v.4
The second temptation the devil lured Jesus into commit pride and world glory by saying world's power and glory would be given to Jesus if he worshiped them.
Jesus told them the Scriptures say: You must worship the Lord your God, and serve Him alone. v.8
The third time the devil challenged Jesus to show off magic power by jumping down from the cliff.
Jesus drove them away saying: You must not put the Lord your God to the test. V.12
St Luke told us that
Having exhausted all these ways of tempting Him, the devil left Him, to return at the appointed time. v.13
It looks like 'the appointed time' happened at the Crucifixion of Jesus, at the time Jesus went through the spiritual desert, not forty days but probably forty hours counting from the time of his arrested in the garden to His last breath on the cross. The Bible didn't use the word 'temptation' at His last hours but the mockery, the ridiculed and the jeers happened at the cross bearing the traits of the first temptation: namely showing off power, disobey God the Father and gained world's glory and power and followers. The temptations appeared from the mouths of the leaders of the people and from the criminal and from His executioners.
At the crucifixion the leaders cheers Jesus and other rebuked Him saying
Let Him save Himself if He is the Son of God, the Chosen One' Lk 23,35
At the first temptation the devil challenged Jesus to jump off from the temple. Here they challenged Jesus to jump off from the cross. Let the Christ, the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe. Mk 15, 30-32.
One of the criminals who were being crucified at the same time with Jesus told Him
Are you not the Christ, save yourself and save us as well v.40
Jesus responded nothing to those who ridiculed Him but Jesus promised eternal life for the thief who asked for pardon when he made a plea to Jesus that
Remember me when you come into your kingdom Lk 23,43
Indeed, responded Jesus, I promised you, today you will be with me in paradise v.43
We pray for the gift of being able to resist against temptations especially the disguised ones.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia