Chapter # 1 Paragraph # 4 Study # 1
November 27, 2018
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
(Download Audio)
(031)
Thesis: Jesus had to endure "testing" by the adversary in extremely adverse circumstances.
Introduction: In our last study we saw that the Father identified the Son as "My Beloved Son" Whose impact upon the Father was significant "pleasure". This was in light of Jesus' full embrace of John's major theological doctrine and in light of Jesus' awareness of the significance of the "split" heavens and the descent of the Spirit. I argued that this was the "seed form" of the main aspect of Mark's "picture of Jesus": the Mighty One Who resolved the issue of "the pride of life" in man.
Now, as we continue in Mark's presentation, we note that he only gives what is called "the temptation of the Christ in the wilderness" a scant two verses in contrast with both Matthew and Luke. We want, this evening, to see why that might be and what those two verses tell us about Jesus.
- I. The Larger Picture in its Uniqueness.
- A. We have already seen that each of the four writers of "Gospel" had his own unique perspective of Jesus, according to his own perception of Jesus as the solution to his own greatest perceived weakness.
- B. Within that reality, we find the Gospels in alignment with each other along certain lines.
- 1. The biggest issue in all four Gospels is Jesus' identity as both "Son of Man" and "Son of God" within the issues of His essential humanity and His essential deity.
- 2. The next biggest issue in the four is the essential character of both God and man as he was created to be in view of the questions regarding the essence of what it means to be "God" and what it means to be "Man".
- a. On the one hand, "God" is the Ultimate Executor of Power.
- 1) This makes "God" the Ultimate King/Sovereign.
- 2) This makes His essential inclination a crucial question: is He fixated upon being seen as "Lord", or is He fixated upon "Love"?
- b. On the other hand, "Man" is the Ultimate Image of God in creation.
- 1) This makes "Man" the ultimate expression of God in His creation.
- 2) And, again, this makes his essential inclination a crucial question: is he created to be a "Lord", or is he created to be a "Servant"?
- c. The resolution expressed in the Gospels is that both God and man are "persons who make decisions that impact others" ("lords") and are "persons whose fixation in action is to serve the highest interests of those others that are affected by their decisions".
- 1) The pictures presented as major theses are those of "Lion", "Eagle", "Calf", and "Man".
- 2) The Lion and the Eagle represent "kings" in their respective domains (earth and heaven).
- 3) The Calf and the Man represent "servants taking action for the sake of others" in their respective domains (labor for the one who is their "lord"; on earth as Calf and in heaven as Man).
- C. Mark's "picture" is that of Jesus as "The Coming Mighty Lord" Who comes to "please the Father" (as His "servant" and to "deliver His people" as their "servant").
- 1. Thus, Mark's picture of Jesus includes His "deity".
- 2. But also Mark's picture of Jesus includes His essential nature as a "servant": God, the Servant of God.
- II. The Larger Picture as Explanation for the Differences in the Records of the Gospels Regarding the "Temptation".
- A. Mark's inclusion of any record at all of Jesus' "Temptation" is rooted in the "Servant" side of the "picture" (John, whose "picture" was not servant or man focused, did not include any record of such an event).
- B. Matthew's and Luke's pictures of Jesus both include a heavy focus upon the "man" issue and Jesus had to be seen as superior to Adam if He was to be seen as the perfect man; thus, the extended focus upon "temptation".
- 1. Mark used 30 words in two verses for his presentation.
- 2. Matthew used 184 words in eleven verses for his presentation.
- 3. Luke used 203 words in thirteen verses for his presentation.
- III. The Larger Picture as Explanation for the Other Differences Between Mark's Record and Those of Matthew and Luke.
- A. In harmony with the "lower" themes of "servanthood" and "humanity", all three record the Spirit's direct involvement as the One dominating Jesus' activities.
- B. In respect to the descriptions of the method of the Spirit's involvement, Matthew and Luke present the Spirit in a shepherd-like mode of "leading" Jesus into the wilderness, whereas Mark presents the Spirit as forcefully dominating Jesus' movement out into the wilderness.
- C. In respect to the "place" where the confrontation takes place, all three point to "the wilderness" where Jesus' "level highway" was to be "prepared".
- 1. According to Isaiah's imagery, the "wilderness" was a metaphor for man's profound depravity in view of the need for a level highway.
- 2. Thus, Jesus found Himself surrounded by the "evidences" of the magnitude of His task of getting men to "believe" in the Love of God and "trust" in His words.
- D. In respect to the length of time involved, all three wrote of 40 days.
- 1. Both Matthew and Luke indicate that these days were of "fasting" which afterward left Jesus hungry and weakened.
- 2. Mark makes no comment about the details of the events in those 40 days other than to put his verb "tempted" in the present tense so that we understand that the one doing the "tempting" was present and active throughout those days.
- E. In respect to the identity of the "Tempter", Matthew and Luke present him as "the devil", but Mark presents him as "the Satan".
- 1. This alters our perception of the meaning of "being tempted".
- a. "The Devil" is a deceiver and "temptation" is the attempt to seduce the tempted into error by deceit.
- b. "The Satan" is an opponent and "temptation" is the attempt to seduce into error by "evidences of success by the opposition" by generating a sense of hopelessness.
- 2. In regard to this attempt to generate a sense of hopelessness, "The Satan" had two major realities to which he could point.
- a. The reality of "wilderness" is a reality of massive complexity in regard to depravity.
- b. The presence of "wild beasts" is another "evidence of the success of the opposition".
- F. In respect to the presence of angelic ministers, only Matthew and Mark mention their presence in the sense of coming alongside to give aid (Luke does mention angelic ministers, but only in view of the devil's temptation to "force" their efforts into play).
- 1. Mark does not give any details of "angelic ministry", but it enhances his thesis that Jesus is deity by bringing "God's ministering spirits" into the picture.
- 2. Matthew tells us that the angels didn't "show up" until the "temptation" was accomplished and the devil had departed.
- IV. Mark's Point: Jesus Endured the "Test" That Was Required to Demonstrate the Greatness of His Superior Mightiness.
