Date: February 17,
2002
CJM
Step I - (Initial) Acquaintance
A. Comparison of English or other
published translations
·
Verse
3: “command these stones” (KJV, NKJV, NRSV) vs. “tell these stones” (NIV) vs.
“speak the word that will turn these stones” (Message)
·
Verse
4: “man” (NIV, KJV, NKJV) vs. “one” (NRSV’s gender inclusive language) vs. “it
takes more than bread” (Message, gender neutral)
·
Verse
7: “tempt” (NIV, KJV, NASV, RSV) vs. “test”
(NRSV, NLT) vs. “trial (ASV)
B. Greek/Hebrew Textual Criticism
·
Verse
10: “go” vs. possibly added material (“behind me”) that results in further
embellishment of position (behind, away, hence). Metzger suggests that if the words “behind me” were original,
there is no reason for them to have been omitted; however, copyists may have
recalled the words of Matthew 16:23, in which that phrase is included.
·
“Then
Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the
devil. And having fasted days forty and
forty nights afterward he hungered. And
approaching the tempting said to him: If Son you are of God, say in order that
these stones may loaves become. But
answering he said: It has been written: Not on bread only shall man live but on
every word proceeding through the mouth of God. Then the devil takes him into the holy city and stood him on the
wing of the temple and says to him: If you of God you are then cast yourself
down; for it has been written: To the angels he will give command concerning
you and on hands they will bear you, lest you strike against a stone your
foot. Said to him Jesus: Again it has
been written: Do not overtempt your Lord God.
Again the devil takes him to a mountain exceedingly high and shows him
all the kingdoms of the world and their glory and says: These things to you all
I will give if falling you will worship me.
Then says to him Jesus: Go, Satan; for it has been written: the Lord God
shall you worship and him only shall you serve. Then leaves the devil and behold angels came and ministered to
him.”
Step II -
Disposition
A. Genre - How the text says what
it says
·
The
genealogy, the birth stories, the flight and return, and the baptism seem to be
leading up to this early confrontation.
There is a showdown between two forces; the force of evil and the force
that Matthew identifies as the Messiah, the Moses-like anointed one. The story is one of a cosmic conflict.
·
Why
does the Spirit lead Jesus into conflict?
Is endurance of evil not enough?
Is direct conflict with the forces of evil something to be avoided or
sought out directly?
·
Is
“tempt” the same as “test”?
·
What
is this text saying about evil?
·
The
concept of evil
·
Role
players in evil
·
Is
evil a force?
·
A
coincidence
·
A
result of someone’s/something’s actions
·
Who’s
actions?
·
Ours
·
The
“other” - Satan
C.
Organization
- Where the elements of "B" are located
·
God
as hidden actor throughout this pericope (and through the gospel as a whole;
Satan as hidden opponent throughout gospel, but appears as a particular
character in this story.
Step
III - Composition
A. Immediate Context -
preceding/following pericope
·
The
story is located immediately after the baptism of Jesus and just prior to
Jesus’ calling of disciples.
B.
Organization
of the Compositional Whole
·
Matthew’s
concern for a Jewish audience might be seen in his presentation of Jesus as one
who descends from Jewish lineage (the genealogy), one who confronts and
dispatches evil (the temptation) and one who moves forward with authority after
the confrontation (the calling of disciples).
·
The
plot of Matthew’s gospel as a whole might be understood to be one of kingdom
conflict; kingdom of God vs. kingdom of this world.
C.
Issues
of Authorship
·
Step IV - Context
A. Primitive Christianity
·
Contrast
with Mark 1:12-13 – very brief description of conflict, which seems to be of
physical/endurance nature, rather than moral temptation
B.
Old
Testament and Judaism
·
No
Jewish tradition appears to exist that portrays Satan tempting the Messiah; is
this reason for some to question his “messiahship?”
·
“test”
vs. “tempt”
·
peirazo used by Jewish authorities elsewhere in Matthew
·
Jesus
generally responds with scripture
C.
Hellenistic
World
·
Jesus
sharing in our human condition; vulnerability to temptation?
·
Philippians
2:5
Step V - Distillation
A. Summary of Salient Features
·
We
will be tested
·
Who
does the testing?
·
Is
evil real?
·
Is
the evil one real?
·
If
evil is real, what chance to we have to resist?
B.
Smooth
Translation
C.
Hermeneutical
Bridge
·
The
mousetrap
·
Brutal
force
·
We’re
tempted to explain brutality away
·
Do
we do the same with evil?
·
Explain
it away
·
Rationalize;
compartmentalize
·
The
devil
·
Real
or just red cartoon character seen on side of cans of deviled ham
·
Does
it make a difference if Satan is real
·
Difference
in terms of our response to temptation
Step VI - Contemporary Address
A. Description of Audience
·
UM
congregation in process of building; growing
·
Acknowledge
evil as real
·
Dangers
of over rationalization
·
Psychological
·
sociological
·
Find
help in resisting evil
·
Christ