Luke 2.1-2 Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wild. For forty wilderness days and nights he was tested by the Devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when the time was up he was hungry. (THE MESSAGE version)
The Lord's Prayer carries the words 'do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil.' We read in Luke's account of Jesus' testing in the wilderness that Jesus was 'led by the Spirit into the wild' where he contends with the Devil. Although the Spirit drives Jesus into the desert, would be right to think that the Spirit (whom he was full of from the baptism) effectively 'led' Jesus into temptation?
It has been drawn to my attention that Pope Francis suggests that this phrase of the Lord's Prayer (do not lead us into temptation) has been rendered inadequately and inaccurately by the English translation. He contends that the Lord God does not lead us into temptation, so why should we pray that God would not? Rather, it is God's nature to pick us up wherever it is we have fallen, not to make us fall. The Roman Catholic Church is considering a key change under the guidance of the Vatican. I wonder what you think?
Has this phrase which we obediently say, perhaps without much thought, puzzled you in the past?
The account of Jesus' forty days in the desert (where he was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him at the end, Mark tells us) is one of those parts of the Gospel which takes us into a very strange place. Few of us can imagine the desolation and featureless-ness of such a landscape. Even fewer might be able to imagine what it might be like to be without sustenance for 40 days. Mark's Gospel suggests that Jesus was compelled (or even pushed) into the desert by the Holy Spirit. It was not a gentle leading, rather a forcing out.
However Jesus was impelled, compelled, driven by or led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for those forty days, the result was that Jesus drove the Tempter out through resolute, quiet and determined responses. The attempt to discourage and overwhelm him with self-doubt failed. Temptations surrounding appetite, ambition and pride were rebuffed as Jesus remembered how his identity was based on God's blessing ('You are my Son, the beloved, in you I am well pleased).
Tonight I am struck that the antidote to power-hunger is worship. As we enter the bewildering world of Brexit decision making this week, where ever the power matrix becomes located, remembering that God is sovereign and worthy of all praise and worship may yet help us not to be tempted to despair or lose hope.
On a much lighter note, I wonder if any reader can name the band who had the number 2 hit single in the charts which include Jesus’ words “Lead us not into temptation”? Apparently fellow band members laughed when the songwriter said he wanted to write a song based on the Lord’s Prayer.
ReplyDeleteYou might enjoy listening to it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=xWwtMrDX2o8
Well that was a throw back!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the humour too - it is incredible how serious we can become when we discuss Christian things!
P
I looked up ‘ lead us not into temptation’ , and found an article refuting the Pope’s interpretation of the ‘Lord’s prayer’. If you would like to read the whole article which goes into the complexities of translation, here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://theconversation.com/lead-us-not-into-temptation-why-pope-francis-is-wrong-about-the-lords-prayer-88886
I find the author’s examples from the Bible food for thought. A couple include the story of Job (where Satan explicitly asks for permission to test Job) and the testing of Abraham’s faith.
To my mind, both of these are tests of faith rather than temptation to sin in the way I would imagine. Yet, tests of faith are also a temptation to sin, as they are a challenge to God’s commandment to worship only Him.
Another temptation from the New Testament comes to mind:
Luke 22:31-34 New International Version (NIV)
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.”
34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.”
Here, Jesus unambiguously states that Peter will be tested. Permission has been sought, and God has permitted it. Does this mean that temptation does come from Satan, but God puts His seal of approval on the request to tempt?
All these situations are those where ones faith is tested. What about the rest of the commandments? Are they different? Perhaps they are no different, because as Jesus points out, love of God obviates the need for any of the other commandments. The temptation to sin in any other manner, is therefore, no different to the temptation to lose faith in God or to place another need above love for God.