A Lenten Reading of Matthew - Day Five

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:1-25 (NRSVUE)

We each face our own temptations

Following his baptism by John, Jesus prepares himself for his public ministry.  He begins by withdrawing into the wilderness - maybe wondering whether to pattern himself after John's own ministry.

The Baptizer's witness originated out of the wilderness and people came to him at the Jordan River.  John seemed to break his own fast by eating locusts and wild honey - maybe whatever he could find.  This may remind us of God feeding Elijah by ravens in the wilderness.  

Jesus is tempted and these may have been considerations for what kind of leader he would be.

Would his main thrust be feeding multitudes by miraculous means?

Would he put his Jewish faith behind him and start something completely new?

Would he conquer kingdoms and be an earthly emperor similar to Caesar?

Jesus rejects each of these.  

He also rejects John's model of calling people to him out in the desert.  Jesus moves to where the people are.  He goes to the disciples that he calls which would have been a reversal - a rabbi would attract followers and decide whether to accept them or not.

Jesus goes throughout Galilee - wherever he finds the masses.  He teaches and heals.  He makes this ministry his own and begins to redefine what a Messiah will look like.  He exemplifies the name Emmanuel or God with us.

As we move through Lent, what are the pieces of your religious or spiritual history that you have kept as bedrocks to your faith today?  Which parts may have been important to your journey but are no longer vital to your beliefs now?  If you had to think about your spiritual mission in life, what would be the main thrust of what you feel God is calling you to do?

Prayer for the day:

Enlighten our understandings with knowledge of right, and govern our wills by your laws, that no deceit may mislead us, no temptation corrupt us; that we may always endeavor to do good and hinder evil.  Amidst all the hopes and fears of this world, take not your Holy Spirit from us; for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

Prayer by Samuel Johnson, England, 18th century

Photo by Geoffrey Gilmour-Taylor via Flickr.com.  Used under the Creative Commons license.