Matthew 4:1-11: The Temptations of Jesus
Testing and Tempting So Jesus the Royal Son, Servant, and Sacrifice through whom God will fulfill his “righteousness,” his intention to set all things right, has been identified and equipped for his ministry by God in his baptism. As Israel, God’s “son” (Ex.4:22), came through the waters of the Reed Sea into the wilderness to be tested by God as to genuineness of their faith, so to the Royal Son, Jesus, is lead into the wilderness by the Spirit, the same Spirit just given to him, to be tested. In this Jesus recapitulates Israel’s experience. That’s a big word for “do-over.” He “does over” what Israel did, and did wrong, doing it right this time. Remember, God never gave up on his plan to use Israel as the people through whom he would bless the world (Gen.12:1-3). Thus Jesus walks the path his people did so God can fulfill that promise to and through his people. This scene too is, in the words of one scholar, “utterly drenched in OT theological themes, imagery and dialogu...