”Jesus
answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only” (Luke
4:8).
Jesus’
answer to the first temptation contains a hint for wholesome living: “There is
more to life than bread…” There is food for the soul. And what is the food
for the soul, I pray? Faith, hope and love (1Corinthians 13:13).
Wholesome
living is life lived focusing on “food” that feeds and satisfies the soul.
The
second temptation of our Lord Jesus is recorded in Luke 4:6-8.
Temptation
always offering a deal…a good, it is claimed (winning) deal…an advantageous
and necessary exchange.
Generally,
we know (from stories of other people and from our own experience) that if
accept the deal, we lose…the loss is greater than the gain.
One
of the first stories of temptation is described in (Genesis 3:1). The deal was
simple: you eat…you get God-like knowledge. They ate…and lost BIG.
Why?
Because every temptation comes in a larger context (you have to read the fine
print). What was the larger context? It was this:
”And
the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the
garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
for when you eat from it you will certainly die”
(Genesis 2:17).
Jesus
was taken to a high place. What such a high place there could be? Where? There
is no such high place on earth that offers a view like that.
Best
understood, this refers to a mind experience…or spiritual experience.
Remember
Paul’s experience? “I know a man in
Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was
in the body or out of the body I do not know–God knows” (2Corinthians
12:2).
And
the (offered) deal was this: all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for a
worship instance. Jesus didn’t take the deal.
The greater context was this: “It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.” Ultimately, Jesus became the King of kings and Lord of Lords! Praise Him!