Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 28
John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 370 f
Thomas R. Haney, “I guess that’s why people,” Today’s Spirituality, p. 138
“I guess that’s why people”
I guess that’s why people
stand in rosary lines
waiting like latter-day Veronicas
to grasp at the veiled image
of a God who finally threw himself
off the temple pinnacle
Somehow a God as unpretentious
as the bread we eat
or as available as communion lines
isn’t any more marvelous than
a carpenter who refuses to bake
bread out of desert stones.
Madeleine L’Engle, The Irrational Season, p. 168 f.
The Irrational Season
Since he did not fall for any of the temptations Satan offered him he had nohubris and so he is not a tragic hero. With the tragic hero there is always the question of what might have been, how the tragedy could have been averted. If Oedipus had not killed the old man at the crossroads; if Faust had not heeded the temptation of knowledge and youth; if Macbeth had not listened to the witches and lusted for the crown. …
With Jesus the might-have-been was answered when the Spirit led him into the desert to be tempted. There is an inevitability to his life, but it is not tragic inevitability because his will remained free.
Richard L. Jeske, “Expository Article,” Interpretation (October 1984), p. 407
“Expository Article”
In John 6–7 there is the exact reproduction of the synoptic temptation story within the context of Jesus’ daily ministry: It is demanded of Jesus that he make bread in the wilderness (6:31), that he become their king (6:15), and that he go to the Temple and perform a spectacular miracle, to “show himself to the world” (7:4). The world will make peace with Jesus but on its own terms, a demand which the synoptic temptation story depicts as demonic.
John L. McKenzie, “Temptation I: In the Desert,” The Civilization of Christianity, p. 24-34
Thomas Merton, The Way of Chuang Tzu, p. 110
The Way of Chuang Tzu
Robert C. Morris, “Paradoxical Security,” Weavings (September/October 2006), p. 18
“Paradoxical Security”
The blessing hidden in the dangers of the Test is that our souls can be shaken free of their attachment to the lesser gods we have confused with the true and life-giving One. Jesus, tested in the wilderness, realizes and renounces his own inclinations to become the kind of Messiah the Fearmonger would delight in—the magician and power-wielder who can console, enchant, and then dominate the flock.
Malcolm Muggeridge, A Third Testament, p. 115
A Third Testament
However, quite soon after [Christ’s] death his Church decided to close with the Devil’s offer, and in place of freedom provided miracles, mystery and authority—in contemporary terms, affluence, the marvels of science and an all-powerful state—to the very great betterment of the human condition. If now Christ remained in the world, he would upset everything again with this terrible, devastating, sublime freedom of his. So again he must die.
Parker Palmer, “Jesus in the Desert: The Temptations of Action,” The Active Life, p. 99-119
John Howard Yoder, “The Comissioning and Testing,” The Politics of Jesus, p. 30-34
Imaging the Word, Vol. 1, p. 150-153
3 John 6:31
4 Deuteronomy 8:3
6 Job 1:12; John 6:15
8 Deuteronomy 6:13
9 John 7:4
10-11 Psalm 91:11-12
12 Deuteronomy 6:16
1-2 John Milton, from Paradise Regained, Divine Inspiration, p. 79
4 Wendell Berry, “In Distrust of Movements,” Citizenship Papers, p. 50
“In Distrust of Movements”
4 Francis Patrick Sullivan, “The Smell of Truth,” A Time To Sow, p. 73
9-13 J. Barrie Shepherd, “Pinnacle,” The Moveable Feast, p. 39
“Pinnacle”
There is a towering
deep within these forty
days that finds one…
you are teetering across the edge
of everything, a palm leaf
in your face, a shout
“Hosanna?” trembling
in your eager longing ears.
The more you suffer,
don’t you see, the more you
feel entitled to a reckoning
and to your final triumph over
all the kingdoms of the world.
Beware!
1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit 2 for forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days; and when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”
5 And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”
9 And he took him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, ‘He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,’ 11 and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” 12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.
4:1 ιησους δε πνευματος αγιου πληρης υπεστρεψεν απο του ιορδανου και ηγετο εν τω πνευματι εις την ερημον 4:2 ημερας τεσσαρακοντα πειραζομενος υπο του διαβολου και ουκ εφαγεν ουδεν εν ταις ημεραις εκειναις και συντελεσθεισων αυτων υστερον επεινασεν 4:3 και ειπεν αυτω ο διαβολος ει υιος ει του θεου ειπε τω λιθω τουτω ινα γενηται αρτος 4:4 και απεκριθη ιησους προς αυτον λεγων γεγραπται οτι ουκ επ αρτω μονω ζησεται [ο] ανθρωπος αλλ επι παντι ρηματι θεου
4:5 και αναγαγων αυτον ο διαβολος εις ορος υψηλον εδειξεν αυτω πασας τας βασιλειας της οικουμενης εν στιγμη χρονου 4:6 και ειπεν αυτω ο διαβολος σοι δωσω την εξουσιαν ταυτην απασαν και την δοξαν αυτων οτι εμοι παραδεδοται και ω εαν θελω διδωμι αυτην 4:7 συ ουν εαν προσκυνησης ενωπιον εμου εσται σου πασα 4:8 και αποκριθεις αυτω ειπεν ο ιησους υπαγε οπισω μου σατανα γεγραπται προσκυνησεις κυριον τον θεον σου και αυτω μονω λατρευσεις
4:9 και ηγαγεν αυτον εις ιερουσαλημ και εστησεν αυτον επι το πτερυγιον του ιερου και ειπεν αυτω ει υιος ει του θεου βαλε σεαυτον εντευθεν κατω 4:10 γεγραπται γαρ οτι τοις αγγελοις αυτου εντελειται περι σου του διαφυλαξαι σε 4:11 και επι χειρων αρουσιν σε μηποτε προσκοψης προς λιθον τον ποδα σου 4:12 και αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους οτι ειρηται ουκ εκπειρασεις κυριον τον θεον σου 4:13 και συντελεσας παντα πειρασμον ο διαβολος απεστη απ αυτου αχρι καιρου
Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 62 143
Robert F. Morneau, “The Call to Teach,” Gift Mystery Calling, p. 97-102
Parker Palmer, “Jesus in the Desert: The Temptations of Action,” The Active Life, p. 116-119
Flora Slosson Wuellner, Prayer and Our Bodies, p. 49 ff.
John Howard Yoder, “The Platform,” The Politics of Jesus, p. 34
Imaging the Word, Vol. 1, p. 120-123
14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, and a report concerning him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.
4:14 και υπεστρεψεν ο ιησους εν τη δυναμει του πνευματος εις την γαλιλαιαν και φημη εξηλθεν καθ ολης της περιχωρου περι αυτου 4:15 και αυτος εδιδασκεν εν ταις συναγωγαις αυτων δοξαζομενος υπο παντων
Denise Levertov, “The Day the Audience Walked Out on Me and Why,” Footprints, p. 26
Robert McAfee Brown, Unexpected News, p. 89-104
John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan L. Reed, Excavating Jesus, p. 63
Excavating Jesus
Walker Percy, The Message in the Bottle, p. 136
The Message in the Bottle
Donald Senior, Biblical Foundations for Mission, p. 260-262
John Howard Yoder, “The Platform,” The Politics of Jesus, p. 34
18 Psalm 146:7-9; Isaiah 61:1-2
21 Amos 8:11
26 1 Kings 17:8-16
27 2 Kings 5
29-30 Egerton 1r
16-24 Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 43
16-21 Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 62 143
16-21 Malcolm Muggeridge, Something Beautiful for God, p. 76
16-21 Frederick J. Streets, “My Soul is a Witness,” Earl Lectures, 1/29/97
"My Soul is a Witness"
16-21 Imaging the Word, Vol. 1, p. 120-123
16-19 Robert F. Morneau, “The Call to Teach,” Gift Mystery Calling, p. 97-102
16-18 Flora Slosson Wuellner, Prayer and Our Bodies, p. 49 ff.
17-21 Walter Brueggemann, Gathering the Church in the Spirit, p. 19-23
Gathering the Church in the Spirit
The scandal is that this gift of power and wellbeing is given in unauthorized ways to an uncredentialed agent for an undeserving populace, a gift that will disrupt all social-economicpolitical conventions (p. 21)
the folk who heard Jesus … sensed, upon hearing, that in the life of Jesus power was being unleashed in the world that would call into question all of their old arrangements of power and advantage. (p. 21f.)
17-19 Donald Juel, Messianic Exegesis, p. 83 f.
18-21 Oscar Romero, The Violence of Love, p. 72, 124, 217 & 221
17-19 Walter Brueggemann, “Energizing and Amazement in Jesus of Nazareth,” The Prophetic Imagination, p. 98
“Energizing and Amazement in Jesus of Nazareth”
21-30 Imaging the Word, Vol. 1, p. 124-127
21 David Dark, The Sacredness of Questioning Everything, p. 159
The Sacredness of Questioning Everything
Jesus often refused what was in his time the reigning interpretation of scripture. As is the case with the prophetic tradition he draws on, I believe his refusal was an act of faithfulness that transcended the insufficiently faithful readings of his contemporaries. He insisted that the words mean more than they had up to that point (“Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”).
21 Francis Patrick Sullivan, “My Keeper’s Brother,” A Time To Sow, p. 47
24-27 Geza Vermes, The Changing Faces of Jesus, p. 206 f.
The Changing Faces of Jesus
According to Luke’s version, the Galilean Jesus saw a link between his charismatic deeds and those of Elijah and Elisha, the two foremost wonder workers active in the northern kingdom of Israel …
It is impossible to prove the verbal authenticity of these sayings, but as far as their substance is concerned I have no doubt that it was not in the interests of the evangelists or of the primitive church to invent them.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up; and he went to the synagogue, as his custom was, on the sabbath day. And he stood up to read; 17 and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 And all spoke well of him, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth; and they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself; what we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here also in your own country.’” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his own country. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land; 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and put him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong. 30 But passing through the midst of them he went away.
4:16 και ηλθεν εις την βου ην τεθραμμενος και εισηλθεν κατα το ειωθος αυτω εν τη ημερα των σαββατων εις την συναγωγην και ανεστη αναγνωναι 4:17 και επεδοθη αυτω βιβλιον ησαιου του προφητου και αναπτυξας το βιβλιον ευρεν τον τοπον ου ην γεγραμμενον 4:18 πνευμα κυριου επ εμε ου εινεκεν εχρισεν με ευαγγελισασθαι πτωχοις απεσταλκεν με ιασασθαι τους συντετριμμενους την καρδιαν κηρυξαι αιχμαλωτοις αφεσιν και τυφλοις αναβλεψιν αποστειλαι τεθραυσμενους εν αφεσει 4:19 κηρυξαι ενιαυτον κυριου δεκτον 4:20 και πτυξας το βιβλιον αποδους τω υπηρετη εκαθισεν και παντων εν τη συναγωγη οι οφθαλμοι ησαν ατενιζοντες αυτω 4:21 ηρξατο δε λεγειν προς αυτους οτι σημερον πεπληρωται η γραφη αυτη εν τοις ωσιν υμων 4:22 και παντες εμαρτυρουν αυτω και εθαυμαζον επι τοις λογοις της χαριτος τοις εκπορευομενοις εκ του στοματος αυτου και ελεγον ουχ ουτος εστιν ο υιος ιωσηφ 4:23 και ειπεν προς αυτους παντως ερειτε μοι την παραβολην ταυτην ιατρε θεραπευσον σεαυτον οσα ηκουσαμεν γενομενα εν τη καπερναουμ ποιησον και ωδε εν τη πατριδι σου 4:24 ειπεν δε αμην λεγω υμιν οτι ουδεις προφητης δεκτος εστιν εν τη πατριδι αυτου 4:25 επ αληθειας δε λεγω υμιν πολλαι χηραι ησαν εν ταις ημεραις ηλιου εν τω ισραηλ οτε εκλεισθη ο ουρανος επι ετη τρια και μηνας εξ ως εγενετο λιμος μεγας επι πασαν την γην 4:26 και προς ουδεμιαν αυτων επεμφθη ηλιας ει μη εις σαρεπτα της σιδωνος προς γυναικα χηραν 4:27 και πολλοι λεπροι ησαν επι ελισσαιου του προφητου εν τω ισραηλ και ουδεις αυτων εκαθαρισθη ει μη νεεμαν ο συρος 4:28 και επλησθησαν παντες θυμου εν τη συναγωγη ακουοντες ταυτα 4:29 και ανασταντες εξεβαλον αυτον εξω της πολεως και ηγαγον αυτον εως οφρυος του ορους εφ ου η πολις αυτων ωκοδομητο εις το κατακρημνισαι αυτον 4:30 αυτος δε διελθων δια μεσου αυτων επορευετο
Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 45, 47 f.
31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath; 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” 37 And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
4:31 και κατηλθεν εις καπερναουμ πολιν της γαλιλαιας και ην διδασκων αυτους εν τοις σαββασιν 4:32 και εξεπλησσοντο επι τη διδαχη αυτου οτι εν εξουσια ην ο λογος αυτου 4:33 και εν τη συναγωγη ην ανθρωπος εχων πνευμα δαιμονιου ακαθαρτου και ανεκραξεν φωνη μεγαλη 4:34 λεγων εα τι ημιν και σοι ιησου ναζαρηνε ηλθες απολεσαι ημας οιδα σε τις ει ο αγιος του θεου 4:35 και επετιμησεν αυτω ο ιησους λεγων φιμωθητι και εξελθε εξ αυτου και ριψαν αυτον το δαιμονιον εις μεσον εξηλθεν απ αυτου μηδεν βλαψαν αυτον 4:36 και εγενετο θαμβος επι παντας και συνελαλουν προς αλληλους λεγοντες τις ο λογος ουτος οτι εν εξουσια και δυναμει επιτασσει τοις ακαθαρτοις πνευμασιν και εξερχονται 4:37 και εξεπορευετο ηχος περι αυτου εις παντα τοπον της περιχωρου
43 John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 347
38 And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them.
40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
4:38 αναστας δε εκ της συναγωγης εισηλθεν εις την οικιαν σιμωνος πενθερα δε του σιμωνος ην συνεχομενη πυρετω μεγαλω και ηρωτησαν αυτον περι αυτης 4:39 και επιστας επανω αυτης επετιμησεν τω πυρετω και αφηκεν αυτην παραχρημα δε αναστασα διηκονει αυτοις
4:40 δυνοντος δε του ηλιου παντες οσοι ειχον ασθενουντας νοσοις ποικιλαις ηγαγον αυτους προς αυτον ο δε ενι εκαστω αυτων τας χειρας επιθεις εθεραπευσεν αυτους 4:41 εξηρχετο δε και δαιμονια απο πολλων κραζοντα και λεγοντα οτι συ ει ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου και επιτιμων ουκ εια αυτα λαλειν οτι ηδεισαν τον χριστον αυτον ειναι
42 And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them; 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
4:42 γενομενης δε ημερας εξελθων επορευθη εις ερημον τοπον και οι οχλοι επεζητουν αυτον και ηλθον εως αυτου και κατειχον αυτον του μη πορευεσθαι απ αυτων 4:43 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους οτι και ταις ετεραις πολεσιν ευαγγελισασθαι με δει την βασιλειαν του θεου οτι εις τουτο απεσταλμαι 4:44 και ην κηρυσσων εν ταις συναγωγαις της γαλιλαιας