M1_Lesson 6: Jesus’ Baptism and Temptations
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PREPARATIONS FOR JESUS’ PUBLIC MINISTRY
Then, Jesus became a grown-up man. It was at this time that he was confronted with a fundamental option - whether to live in accordance with God’s will or not.
A. The Baptism of Jesus (Mt. 3: 13-17)
Setting a transition from Jesus’ childhood to his adulthood, the Gospels agree on a common point of introducing John the Baptist, a cousin of Jesus.
Although Jesus was sinless himself, it was fitting for him to be identified with us, the sinful human race. He freely chose to go through everything sinners would
have go (except sin).
We should remember that John the Baptist was a Levite and a prophet. Jesus was the Son of David, the heir to David’s kingdom. David and all the kings after
him were anointed by Levites; a Levite would also baptize Jesus. (Scott Hahn)
The “Spirit of God” that descended on Jesus affirmed the truth that Jesus was truly the “Anointed One”, and re-affirmed by the Father through the “voice from the
heavens” which said: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”.
Obviously, Jesus already embraced his mission as the Messiah, the Anointed One of Israel.
Finally, Benedict T. Viviano commented:
In later Christian tradition the baptism is regarded as the first NT revelation of the Trinity, economically, because Father, Son and Spirit are here together
(Jerome), and Jesus’ baptism becomes a model for Christian baptism.
The Three Phenomena in Jesus’ Baptism
1. The heavens were opened: The opening of the heavens signifies that God has come to visit his people. It symbolizes God’s intervention in human affairs to liberate his
people through his Son-made-man, Jesus the Christ.
2. The Spirit of God descending like a dove: It signifies God’s Spirit resting on Jesus to anoint him with extraordinary power and the gifts he needed for his public ministry.
The dove also symbolizes the Spirit’s gentleness and peace whose presence characterizes the divine joint mission for which God sent Jesus and the Spirit to accomplish for
the people of Israel and the whole world. Jesus came to draw all to himself not by his power and force of arms, but through his love and sacrifice.
3. A voice from heaven proclaiming: “This is my beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased”: The voice from heaven was God the Father’s affirmation of Jesus as the
Father’s own beloved Son, the Messiah who will save his people from their sins.
The baptism of Jesus revealed both who he was and what was his mission was. It showed that Jesus was called to accomplish his Father’s saving work through the
power of the Spirit with which he was anointed.
M1_Lesson 6: Jesus’ Baptism and Temptations
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B. Temptations of Jesus (Matthew 4: 1-11)
Right after Jesus’ baptism, “he was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4.1).
Like any other human being, Jesus also confronted the dilemma, and ordeal of making a moral choice - good, or evil, following God’s will, or heeding Self-interest!
A word of note, however, must be said on how the writers intended to use the words - to be tempted. In our modern sense of the world, temptation is almost
synonymous to something evil, and wicked; something unwanted, and abhorred. But William Barclay offered us another perspective on this reality, particularly in the context
of Jesus’ temptation:
What we call temptation is not meant to make us sin; it is meant to enable us to conquer sin. It is not meant to make us bad, it is meant to make us good. It is
not meant to weaken us, it is meant to make us emerge stronger and finer and purer from the ordeal. Temptation is not penalty of being a man, temptation is the glory
of being a man.
The Three Temptations of Jesus in relation to his identity and mission
1. To turn Stone into Bread (Matthew 4: 2-4)
Jesus was provoked - ‘if you are the Son of God’. Satan new Jesus’ identity as the Son of God, the Messiah vindicated during his baptism by John the Baptist. Thus,
“Christ is being challenged to establish his credibility by offering evidence for his claims” - ‘command the stones to become loaves of bread’.
Fully convinced about his identity and mission, Jesus refused to become an Economic Messiah, a Messiah only in the sense that he grants people their material
needs and wants. Otherwise, Jesus would simply appear to be “bribing people to follow him” in exchange of food. Instead, he deliberately intended that people must “first
recognize God as their ultimate good”, must learn “complete dependence on God.” Only then that hunger, and thirst will disappear. Only then that men and women will find
their true satisfaction.
The first temptation of Jesus is asking us to ponder on our ultimate priority in life, to center our life in obedience to the Word of God, to be faithful to the will of God in
every given situation, not on the momentary desires, and fleeting promises of this passing world.
2. To throw Himself from the parapet of the temple and command the angels to rescue him (Matthew 4: 5-7)
Satan challenged a more spectacular display of Jesus’ power - ‘to throw himself down and command the angels to catch him’. Again, Satan “dared” Jesus to do what
is impossible in the eyes of men and women to make a shortcut to his public ministry: let people be amazed by his wonders, overwhelmed them, and reaped supports, and
hearts.
But Jesus was careful. ‘You shall not put the name of the Lord, your God, to the test’ was a direct reprimand to what Satan had in mind. Jesus disapproved conversion
made because of wonders, and spectacles. He condemned the very idea of making himself a Magical Messiah, a performer of miracles to win people’s allegiance.
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‘You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test’ is an invitation for us to re-examine our motivation, and attitude towards God. It is a gentle calling that simply asks us
to respond in faith, and to follow Jesus in the spirit of loving trust, and obedience - without the spectacles that our doubtful hearts, and selfish desires so desperately seek.
3. To prostrate Himself and worship Satan (Matthew 4: 8-10)
Satan made his greatest offer - ‘All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me’. The entire world, the whole population that Jesus will save
is just right before him waiting to be conquered in their hearts form selflessness, and evil. Satan knew that. Thus, he bribed Jesus, and offered him the world that Jesus will
save, without sweat, in exchange of his allegiance to Satan.
Such temptation is to become a Political Messiah, dominating men and women through political power, and control.
God’s Kingdom does not depend or rest on power, control, or might, It’s place is in the hearts of men, and women who embraced a life of humble confession of, and
conversion to the faith for it is only in this path that sin is conquered, and God reigns forever.
All three of the temptations we see Jesus confronting and defeating in the desert represent the kind of temptations he would have to deal with throughout his ministry.
We must remember that the Gospels were written to guide the early church and its members. They were warning Christians to resist temptation to find their own
meaning and purpose in life through economic security or through personal or political power over others.