Jesus and the Devil
The Gospel of Luke is a bit of a hodgepodge. We have the birth of Jesus, his baptism by John, all recounted in Matthew as well, and then, the Devil. Not a frequent character in the biblical narrative, but much described in Christian literature for centuries after.
Anyway, the Devil. After his baptism, Jesus is taken on a magic carpet ride. Just back from the Jordan river and his baptism, filled with the Holy Spirit, and before he begins his ministry, he’s starving in the desert. Forty days with no food. Probably pretty stressed, so when the Devil suggests turning a rock into bread, it had to have been a serious test. Why not just do the magic and get something to eat?
First of all, the story makes it clear to us uninitiated proto-Christians that Jesus is not a circus act. He is not here for tricks. He stands in for God the all-powerful, and when amazing things happen, no doubt we are intended to understand that these are just tiny slices of what Got can do.
The other question is all about the Devil. He obviously sees Jesus as the main event, the new manifestation of things that need to get knocked down quickly before this rabbi develops a following. Better to discredit Jesus immediately.
It didn’t work. The Devil offers Jesus the allegiance of all the kingdoms, and then a chance to show off by flying from the tower of the temple. As expected, Jesus has his mind elsewhere. The Devil is a distraction, not part of the plan. Jesus is set to begin his ministry in Galilee, and with the great benefit of hindsight, we all know where this will end. With death, certainly, a fate we all share, but also an extraordinary ministry that changed the world.
Holy one, your power is beyond description, and we ask your blessing as we share the knowledge and faith of Jesus our savior.
John Culter