From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Tue Feb 17 1998 - 12:40:17 EST
On Mon 16 Feb 98 (19:45:18), mphilli3@mail.tds.net wrote:
> I would interpret this to mean that a great many temptations were
> visited upon Jesus in the wilderness, while only the three culminating
> temptations are recounted. Your mileage may vary.
Michael:
Interesting. The Matthaean and Lukan order is different; these three
temptations were repeated again and again in shifting combinations, together
with other temptations we can know nothing about. The aim of these temptations
appears to have been to get Jesus to abandon the Way of the Cross; hence his
outburst to Peter at Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:22-23), and his having to
set his face as a flint to go up to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51; cf Isaiah 50:7).
God sent Moses and Elijah to impress upon him the importance of his EXODOS
that he must perform in Jerusalem (Luke 9:31). Even on the Cross, he was
tempted to come down from it without dying on it (Matthew 27:40-42). He was
to rise again from the tomb on the third day, not come down from the cross on
the first day!
We cannot enter into Christ's sufferings for us. "[He] was in all points
tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15).
But here I go preaching: the cardinal sin of the b-greek FAQ. 8-(
---
> "Celui qui est proche de l'Eglise est souvent loin de Dieu."
I thought it was "He who would have God for his Father must have holy church
for his mother" (Augustine). I am reminded of a jingle I saw somewhere once:
"Every time I see a church
I pay a little visit.
So, when at last I'm carried in,
The Lord won't say, 'Who is it?'"
We know what Augustine's besetting temptations were: "Da mihi castitatem et
continentiam, sed noli modo" !!!
CARIS KAI EIRHNH,
Ben
-- Revd Ben Crick, BA CF <ben.crick@argonet.co.uk> 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK) http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
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