Scott Mofield
2.1st
Temptation-Stone to Bread (4:3-4)
a.Devil
Tempts Jesus (4:3)
b.Jesus
Quotes Scriptures to Rebuke (4:4)
3.2nd
Temptation-Power and Glory for Worshipping
the Devil (4:5-8)
a.Devil
takes Jesus to a higher place (4:5)
b.Devil
Tempts Jesus (4:6-7)
c.Jesus
Quotes Scriptures to Rebuke (4:8)
4.3rd
Temptation-Angels Will Save Jesus
from Perishing (4:9-12)
a. Devil
Takes Jesus to the Pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem (4:9a)
b.Devil
Tempts Jesus (4:9b-11)
i.Temptation
(4:9b)
ii.Quotation
of Scripture by Devil (4:10-11)
c.Jesus
Quotes Scriptures to Rebuke (4:12)
5.Conclusion-Devil
Leaves Exhausted (4:13)
B.Textual
Problems.The
one real textual problem of note occurs in verse 4, where the best manuscripts
have omitted “but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”The
King James Version includes this, as well as some older translations, but
most of the more modern translations have left it out.It
appears in Matthew 4:4 and is a completion of the citation of the passage
from Deuteronomy that Jesus is quoting (Deut. 8:3).
C.Translation
Problems.
(1)peirazein
(4:2) can mean “attempt,” or “test” with a good intention, or “put
to test” with a bad intention.It
is obvious here that the intention of the author here is for the last usage,
but it is not meant to necessarily test the faith of Jesus, but the divine
salvation plan.
(2)gegraptai
(4:4, 8,10) is a stereotyped formula which is used to introduce an Old
Testament passage.Some translations
will take up the stereotype and translate this as“it is written in Scripture,”
while some of the more literal transcripts will translate it more purely
as “it has been written.”
D.Analysis
of Key Words.
(1)peirazo as
mentioned above has several different meanings, and is used in the Septuagint
to refer back to God’s testing of the Israelites in the wilderness, and
vice versa.Thus, this, as well as
the time period of forty days, can be seen as being reflexive of that time
in the Israelite history.
(2)diabolos
(2:2) is used by Luke (as well as Matthew) instead of Mark’s satanas.Luke
does use that affiliation elsewhere, though.He
may be wanting to play on the role of the devil in the Book of Job as the
tester of God.
(3)oikoumene(4:5)
is used to supplant Matthew’s use of kosmos.Luke’s
word means the “inhabited world” while Matthew uses the more general “world”
term.Luke seems to want to bring
to the forefront the political context of the empire.Luke
may be trying to bring out the temptation to have political power by using
more fine-tuned words for the devil’s reference.
(4)latreuo
(4:8), which is generally translated as “serve”, is also used by Luke in
the cultic sense of “worship.”The
devil has demanded that Jesus not just give affiliation to, but also worship
him.
(5)”to
Jerusalem” (4:9)Matthew does not
have such a specific place, but refers to the holy city.Luke
wants everyone to understand where they are at when Satan gives Jesus the
final temptation.He wants to insure
that his readers will have a proper frame of reference.
E.Form-critical
Issues.There
do not seem to be any major issues of form criticism that relate to this
passage.
F.Use
of Sources.The
use of this story in Matthew and Luke, and their duel elaboration of the
story that Mark tells, has signaled to many scholars that this passage
may have come from the hypothetical source Q.It
is interesting that the order is changed from Matthew, the final two temptations
being reversed.Luke’s accents the
ascension and the finale setting as taking place on the temple pinnacle.Luke
also uses the Old Testament to frame the rebukes of Jesus, as well as the
last temptation of the devil.
G.Cultural
Background.
(1)What
were some of the cultural understandings of the character of the devil,
or satan, especially in relation to the Book of Job, and how would they
have affected a reading of this passage?
(2)What
are the implications of having the final temptation take place on the pinnacle
of the temple, and concurrently, as that being the place where the devil
invokes his only use of scripture?
H.Relation
to other NT texts.Obviously,
this pericope is shared among the Synoptic gospels.Luke
stresses ascension and the commandment to not test the Lord.Matthew
stresses the importance of only worshipping the Lord God, and forsaking
all other gods.The order of the
temptations brings this out, as both of these themes are brought out in
the final temptation sequences in their respective passages.Also,
Luke adds to the end of his passage, that the devil left Jesus “when [he]
had finished every test.”Luke seems
to imply that the devil may have tempted Jesus even more than what we have
recorded.Matthew has Satan depart
immediately after the final temptation.Eerily,
Mark leaves out the temptation narrative altogether, simply summarizing
it by saying that Jesus went into the wilderness and was tempted by the
devil.
I.Problems
of History.There
do not seem to be any significant problems in this area.The
only one that may raise an eyebrow rests in the question of what was the
order in which Jesus was tempted.Even
then, the consequences are not of major significance.
J. Literary
Observations and Questions.
(1)Ascension plays a major role in the rendering of this story in Luke.There is a definite textual move that is meant to either increase the dramatic tone, or to re-iterate the increasing volume of the temptations.
(2)It
is interesting to note that the Spirit led him into the wilderness, and
the devil seemed to take over from there, becoming Jesus’ new “tour guide.”
(3)It
is interesting to note the temptations for what Satan tempts Jesus with:a.His
hunger
b.His
political standing
c.His
life
Is there something that Luke is trying to say about the increasing amount of power and authority that would be shown or gained in each temptation?
3.Significance
for Theology and Preaching
A.What
does this passage have to say about the reality of temptation and
its
source?
B.The
devil actually uses the words of the Scriptures to tempt Jesus.What
should this say to us when we are interpreting the Scriptures ourselves.Should
we make sure that our interpretation does not become a part of another’s
temptation?
C.In
his time in the wilderness the only time that Jesus was tempted?Were
there other times when his human side was put to the test?
D.The
devil was looking for signs from Jesus of his divine power and authority
in two of the temptations.Do we
look too much for signs of divine intervention in our faiths?Is
this putting God to a test?
4.Additional
Bibliography
Chance,
J. Bradley.“Luke.”Mercer
Commentary on the Bible.Macon,
Ga:Mercer
University
Press, 1995. (1007-1042)
Fitzmeyer,
Joseph A.The Gospel According
to Luke I-IX.The Anchor Bible.
Vol. 28
Garden
City, NY:Doubleday, 1981.506-519.
Humphrey,
Hugh.“Temptation and Authority:
Sapiential Narratives in Q.”Biblical
Theology
Bulletin.Vol
21.(Sum 1991)43-50.
Johnson,
L.T.Luke.Sacra
Pagina.Vol 3.Collegeville,
Mn.: Liturgical Press, 1991.
73-76.
“Luke.”The
Interpreter’s Bible.Vol 8.New
York:Abingdon Press, 1952.83-88.
Paffenroth,
Kim.“The Testing of the Sage.”Expository
Times.Vol 107.(Fall
1996)
142-143.