While being tested in the wilderness, Jesus referred to three events from the Book of Exodus in reliving the history of his people. He was subjected to the same temptations as they were, but he overcame them.
The first: “Order these stones to turn into bread” (Matthew 4:1-4).
In the desert, the Lord said to Moses: “Now I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you… ‘Each one gathers as much as he could eat. Let no one leave any of it till morning.’ But they did not listen and some of them left it till morning. It bred worms and became foul” (Exodus 16:4,19-20).
God wanted to rescue them from the frenzy of materialism and the desire to accumulate food.
He did not succeed: the seduction of the goods of this world is almost unstoppable. It is difficult to settle for the daily bread to allow everyone to have enough to live on.
Jesus was tempted to use his ability to produce bread for himself. He reacted by referring to scriptures: “One does not live on bread alone, but also from everything that comes from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
The selfish use of accumulated wealth and living off the work of others, who lack the necessities of life, is a behaviour dictated by the evil one.
The second temptation: “Throw yourself down from the pinnacle of the temple” (vv.5-7).
The ultimate goal of evil is not to cause some moral decay, fragility or weakness, but to undermine the relationship with God.
This is achieved when doubt that the Lord will keep his promises and his word to protect, and fear that at crucial moments he will abandon those who trust in him creeps in.
The need to demand proof arises from this doubt. In the desert, the exhausted, thirsty people of Israel succumbed to this temptation and exclaimed: “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7). They provoked God by asking him to perform a miracle.
Even Jesus was subjected to this test, but did not budge. Unlike the people of Israel, even in the most dramatic moments of his life, he refused to ask the Father for proof.
The third temptation: “All this I will give you if you kneel down and worship me” (vv.8-11). It is the temptation of power, of domination over others.
The choice is between being a master or a servant. You can also use your ability and talent to humiliate those who are less gifted.
Jesus did not lack the talent to emerge, to climb all the steps of the religious and political power.
He was intelligent, lucid and courageous and, he charmed the crowds. He certainly would have been successful. But he made the opposite choice: he made himself a servant.
The people of Israel in the desert got tired of their God and worshiped a golden calf: the material idol, the work of human hands. Jesus never bowed down before any idol. He was not seduced by political power, money or the use of weapons.
The latter part of the gospel is an invitation to reconsider our lives and make us aware that privileges are not offered by God, but by the tempter.
To his children, the father of Jesus presents only humble service of the sisters and brothers.
Father Fernando Armellini SCJ
Claretian Publications (bibleclaret.org)
Translated by Father John Ledesma sdb
Abridged by Father Jijo Kandamkulathy cmf
