God Pause for Thursday, 2 March 2017 of The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States with Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

God Pause for Thursday, 2 March 2017 of The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States with Scripture: Matthew 4:1-11

Matthew 4:1

 Then the Spirit led Yeshua up into the wilderness to be tempted by the Adversary. 2 After Yeshua had fasted forty days and nights, he was hungry. 3 The Tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, order these stones to become bread.” 4 But he answered, “The Tanakh says,

‘Man does not live on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of Adonai’”[Matthew 4:4 Deuteronomy 8:3]

5 Then the Adversary took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the Temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “jump! For the Tanakh says,

‘He will order his angels to be responsible for you. . . .

They will support you with their hands,

so that you will not hurt your feet on the stones.’”[

Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11–12

]

7 Yeshua replied to him, “But it also says, ‘Do not put Adonai your God to the test.’”[

Matthew 4:7 Deuteronomy 6:16

]

8 Once more, the Adversary took him up to the summit of a very high mountain, showed him all the kingdoms of the world in all their glory, 9 and said to him, “All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 “Away with you, Satan!” Yeshua told him, “For the Tanakh says,

‘Worship Adonai your God, and serve only him.’” [

Matthew 4:10 Deuteronomy 6:13–14

]

11 Then the Adversary let him alone, and angels came and took care of him.

[Complete Jewish Bible]

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How do we use the words of scripture? When we call on the power vested in the words of the Bible, is it to build up or to tear down? Do we seek to bring life or death? Are we doing God's work, or our own? Shakespeare wrote that "the devil can cite scripture for his own purposes," and in today's reading we see the devil using the words of Psalm 91 to try to convince Jesus to defy God. In so doing Satan turns scripture into an idol. He thinks he can trick Jesus into mistaking a few words of scripture for the will of God.
The forty days of Lent parallel Jesus' forty days in the wilderness. During this season of self-examination, we are challenged to face our temptations and confess, like Jesus, that we have nothing but God alone on whom to rely. We must fearlessly tear down our idols--even if those idols are built from the very words of scripture.
Sovereign God, smash our idols, and fill our mouths with the truth of your holy Word. Amen.
Jessica Christy
M.Th. Student, Luther Seminary
Matthew 4:1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
2 He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.
3 The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."
4 But he answered, "It is written, "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,
6 saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, "He will command his angels concerning you,' and "On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.' "
7 Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, "Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor;
9 and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
10 Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! for it is written, "Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.' "
11 Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him. [New Revised Standard Version]
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