Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 <inaudible>
Speaker 1 00:00:20 Then Jesus was led by the spirit, into the desert to be tempted by the devil in the name of father and the son and the Holy ghost. Amen. Today we'll talk about the temptation, the desert. We'll start by taking a quick look at temptation. We can understand temptation in two ways in the first place, as we all know, as we all know all too well attempt, tation is an internal enticement. It's an internal enticement to sin, which arises from the inclination of our appetites, like our central appetites, which are disordered because of a problem. We all have. That's called concupiscence or accepting of course, or lady now concupiscence is a $3 word, but it just means the unreasonable disordered desired for central goods that we all suffer from. Except for, of course her, when we're tempted, we have this little, her sometimes big, or sometimes it can even get to be a huge battle raging in our souls.
Speaker 1 00:01:32 But as we all know, from our catechism, even if this battle rages for hour or even days, as long as we haven't provoked the temptation, and as long as we don't give into and consent to the temptation, we haven't committed any sin. So that's the first sense is temptation is an internal enticement. Secondly, temptation can also mean being put to the test, a test coming from some external object, which is being presented to our senses. Now this second kind of temptation that of an external object being presented to our senses can definitely produce the first kind of temptation that internal enticement after all, that's the purpose of most modern advertising and certainly a huge swath of what passes for fashions. But it's true also that in the second of temptation with an external object being presented to our senses, there doesn't necessarily have to be any sort of internal motion associated with it.
Speaker 1 00:02:33 So how would that work? Well, suppose someone was trying to con us to do something we didn't want to do, like throw a rock through a big plate glass window. And they're trying to connoisseur that by promising us that they're going to reward us with a liver and sauerkraut flavored milkshake. If we do it, it's pretty safe to say, unless you're actually starving to death, the offer of a liver and saw crowd flavored milkshake would remain an external temptation and our passions, our desires. Those wouldn't be provoked in the slightest degree by an offer like that. In other words, in this milkshake situation, we'd be put to the test, but we wouldn't have any internal temptation. We wouldn't experience any internal movements of our appetites towards this gross kind of a milkshake towards the object with which we're being tempted. This object we're being tested with.
Speaker 1 00:03:26 So it's quite possible to have an exterior temptation, to have something presented to us without having any corresponding interior temptation whatsoever. So for the sake of clarity, let's call the first type that we've talked about, that internal BA battle type, this internal enticement being tempted. That's what we think of any way. That's the common usage. Let's call it the second type being tested it's in front of us, but it doesn't provoke that interior struggle. So the internal enticement, we call that being tempted and something external. We can call that being tested. Today's gospel refers to three temptations of Christ, our lower, but with our usage, it would, you must clear to refer to these, not as three temptations, but as three tests. In fact, the word used in the scripture that's translated. Tempted is 10 Tata rater. And it's principle of is to try to prove, to put to the test that's its principle of mania when you translate it.
Speaker 1 00:04:24 In other words, today's gospel is referring to the second kind of temptation the liver and sauerkraut flavored milkshake, kind of temptation and exterior test, which doesn't necessarily provoke any corresponding interior movement in the person's soul towards the object being dangled in front of him. So Allah though, our Lord could be tested by the devil Christ. Our Lord could not be interiorly tempted by the devil or by anything else for that matter. Why not? Because of who he is. He's got what he blast me to say that God could be temped to descend. So that's why Christ is only tested. He couldn't possibly Billy and he certainly wasn't tempted by the devil or anything else. There were no internal movements out towards anything the devil could dangle in front of him. Okay. So if these external temptations were only tests, what was the point of Christ or Lord going on in the desert to go through these tests from the devil?
Speaker 1 00:05:27 Anyway, we're going to get into all that right now. And for the most part, this part of the sermon is a paraphrase with some direct quotes from the work of Ted Shri and Tim gray. Okay. Now immediately before the senior today's gospel, today's gospel is taken from the fourth chapter of st. Matthew's gospel. But if we just go a few lines before in the third chapter, we see our Lord being baptized in the river, Jordan by st. John the Baptist. And as he comes out of the water, the gospel tells us quote and lo the heavens were open to him and he saw the spirit of God, descending, dove, and coming upon him and behold, a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, close, quote, inspired, inerrant, word of God. We're going to spend some time going through the details here at the baptism, because it's important to understand for today's gospel.
Speaker 1 00:06:23 And it'll bring that episode in a clear focus. First off the bat, autism is having out in the wilderness by the Jordan river. Why would that be significant up until the time of our Lord? The Exodus was there, the single most important event in the history of the Jewish people. So in st. John the Baptist called the people out into the wilderness to be baptized in the river. Jordan, this was a very significant sign for the Jews when they followed st. John the Baptist out in the wilderness, and they were baptized in the Jordan and passed over reentering the promised land, they were ritually reenacting the Exodus, and they're filled with great hope that God would once again, free his people this time, not from the pagan Egypt, but from their current pagan rulers, the Romans and part of this hope was also rooted in the fact that st John the Baptist was appearing to them in a certain light.
Speaker 1 00:07:21 Let's take a closer look at that st. Matthew points South at st. John, the Baptist wore hairy garments bombed with a leather trap. Well, so what the Jews of that day were certainly familiar with the old Testament and they knew exactly what this clothing was important. The prophet Alijah also known as yes, used to wear this type of clothing. And as we know, the angel Gabriel had explicit. Lee told st. John's father another choose didn't know that at large, but we do the angel Gabriel had explicitly told st. John the Baptist father, Zachary, that Saint John would quote, be grateful for the Lord and shall go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to repair unto the Lord a perfect people. Okay. The Jews are also for lodges return. They knew that when Elijah would return, he repairing the way for the Messiah, this messianic King.
Speaker 1 00:08:16 So in st. John, the Baptist appears in Harry garments with letter girdled, looking like Alijah, and then he's preaching. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand the Jews see this, and they're left wondering, and then he's doing this action, this ritual reenactment of the Exodus, and coming into the promised land there during this baptism unto repentance at the Jordan. Okay. And notice what happened at the baptism, our Lord, as he comes out of the water, you have a visible manifestation of the Holy spirit coming down like a dove. You have the voice of God, the father saying this is my glove son in whom I'm well pleased that people are hearing. And you have st. John the Baptist, this prophet pointing him out. And they knew that Elijah was going to come before the Messiah and point it as, as his predecessor, when the prophet Samuel anointed, David as King, the Holy spirit came mightily upon him.
Speaker 1 00:09:13 So the visible coming of the Holy spirit upon our Lord journey's baptism in the Jordan can be seen as his anointing as King in Hebrew. The word for anointed one is Messiah. The Greek word is Christ. It's often used an old Testament, described the Kings of the house of David who are anointed with oil. When they took office, the term Messiah also referred to the future anointed King, who would lead the new Exodus and restore the Davidic kingdom. So after having been publicly born witness to, by the voice of God, the father, by a visible manifestation of the Holy spirit, in the form of a dove and by the preaching of st. John the Baptist, when our Lord came up out of the Jordan, he's ready to begin his messianic mission of building the kingdom of God. So what were the Jews expecting the Messiah to do well, based on their understanding of such messianic scriptures as Psalm two.
Speaker 1 00:10:13 And if we had time, I'd read the whole thing, but you should, it's not that long Psalm two Psalm two specifically speaks about the Messiah. So based on that understand of messianic scriptures like that, the Jews thought that the Messiah would lead them the restoration of Israel and the tall tribes, and liberate them from the pig and nations. Now, there were different understands of this. Some thought that the Messiah would drive off the Romans restore the political fortunes of Israel and like King Solomon would once again, rule from the Holy city of Jerusalem. In other words, they were looking for an earthly Messiah to free them from the pagan nations, but instead of confronting the Romans and can, instead of confining these pagan oppressors, instead of confronting the contemporary version of Pharaoh's army, no sooner has our Lord been baptized and thereby identified publicly as the Messiah or the noisy one. Then he heads off into the desert.
Speaker 2 00:11:12 <inaudible>
Speaker 1 00:11:14 That's his very first action after the baptism, what does he go out into the desert by starting his public ministry in a duel with the devil, our Lord shows what type of messianic King he will be. Our Lord came not to fight the Romans, but to attack the very root of the problem, which is sin, the sins of Israel, and indeed of all of mankind in Augustan points out. We have as many masters as we have faces. We have as many masters as we have. Vices advice is a sinful habit. We have as many masters is that we have vices. So when we're talking about sin, we're talking about bondage. In other words, if sin were conquered, if sin were trampled under foot Israel in all of mankind would truly be free. The bondage of the Jewish people was, and unfortunately it's still is much worse than iron chains, much worse than Dungeons, much worse than a Roman military occupation. It's slavery to sin, deliberation or glory came to give the Jewish people. And indeed all of mankind is a liberation from sin.
Speaker 1 00:12:55 So indeed he does come to lead a new Exodus, but not into an earthly land. He came to lead his followers into the promised land of heaven. So now let's turn to the battle with the devil and the desert in order to appreciate what our Lord is doing. We need to take a closer look at certain aspects of the Exodus. We all know this story. The people of Israel have become slaves done in Egypt. God raises up. Moses sends him to Pharaoh with two, with a message. Let my son go. Israel is my firstborn son, that my son go after striking Egypt with the plagues. Moses leads him out and he parts the waters of the red sea and the people of Israel flee. And then they begin wandering through the wilderness towards the promised land on a trip that took 40 years a trip in which Israel was tested and tried to appreciate what our Lord does.
Speaker 1 00:13:54 Now, we need to consider three of the major trials that Israel underwent during those 40 years, the first trial you can read about this in Exodus, chapter 16. At this point, after watching the Lord strike the land of Egypt with the 10 plagues and after safely passing through the red sea with the waters piled up on either side of them, just imagine what that would've looked like as your Flint with the waters piled up on either side of it. And you're on a dry path on the bottom of the ocean. And there's this pillar of fire and pillar smoke right behind you to keep Pharaoh's army from catching up to you. Cause they're in hot pursuit, you have this army and hot pursuit, but the pillar of fire and pillar smoke is right behind you. As you're flipping through there and the waters are stacked up on each side.
Speaker 1 00:14:42 So then after, after going through that, after seeing the mortal enemy Pharaoh and all his armies just completely wiped out. When the waters closed over, then now the people are safe in the desert. They've got peace and quiet, and now they've seen all these things. They've seen all these miracles. They're being led by a pillar of fire at night and it clears smoke during the day. Now they're finally completely free to worship the one, true God and spirit and truth and peace and freedom. So now they're just full of joy and completely trust in the Lord and rely on his Providence, right wrong read from the word of God in all the congregation of the children, Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness and the children Israel said to them what the God, we had died by the hand of Lord in the land of Egypt.
Speaker 1 00:15:35 When we sat over by the flesh, set over the flesh plots and ate bread to the full, why have you brought us into this desert that you may destroy all the multitude with famine close quote, the word Lord. They have no trust in God at all. And as we know, God sent the manna, this bread from heaven to feed them second trial. We can read about this in Exodus, chapter 17, here we go. Again, the people of God have moved to a new camp. Now it's really important to remind ourselves that they didn't just wander around looking for a place to camp and say, Oh, this looks like a nice place. They were led. They were led by the pillar of fire and pillar of smoke. And then specifically, also by the commandment of God, himself as the scriptures make clear, I'll read Exodus 17 verse one, all the congregation of the sons of Israel moved on according to the commandment of the Lord and camped, but there was no water for the people to drink close quotes.
Speaker 1 00:16:36 Okay. So God has led them to this new camp site. And in spite of all they've seen. And even though they're now being fed by this miraculous heavenly bread called manna, they commenced to throw another fit X to 17 versus two. And following therefore the people found fault with Moses and said, give us water to drink. And Moses said to them, why do you find fault with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test? But the people thirsted there for water and murmured against Moses and said, why did he bring us up out of Egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst close quote. So God responds by having Moses, give them water from a rock and quote. He called the name of the place Massah and Meribah massive means temptation or testing. And Mary bomb means contention. So he called the place, the name of the place mass.
Speaker 1 00:17:24 And Meribah because of the fault finding the sons of Israel. And because they put the Lord to the test by saying, is the Lord among us or not close? Quote, Exodus 17, seven. Okay. Now, keep in mind. They're throwing this fit and asking is the Lord among us or not? And here's this pillar right there of, of smoke right there at night. It's fire in the day, it's smoke. It's standing right there and they're throwing this big fit. They're fed by this miracle bread. And they're wondering if the Lord is among us now, obviously God had let him there. Obviously he hasn't left them. And obviously he's been feeding them with manna for heaven. It's not like he's going to let them all thirst to death by this 10, they should learn to humbly trust God to take care of their needs. But instead they arrogantly put God to the test by demanding that God prove he's among them by giving them water right then and there it's like, God, we demand this.
Speaker 1 00:18:15 Here's our little hoop. You jump through it. That's the kind of situation that we see at this point. Third trial we can read about this. Next is chapter 32, which contains a story. The golden calf. We all know the story. After Moses went up on the mountain, except they're 40 days. People said to Aaron arise, make us gods. That may go before us. And Aaron builds a pig and idle a golden calf. It's a statue of Apris. This is the Egyptian bold God of strength and fertility. And then he promptly commits sin of idolatry by worshiping it. So you took the people out of Egypt, but you didn't take Egypt out of the people. That's the lesson there. Okay. So what have we seen? We've taken a quick look at three of the great trials they exited. The first trial was that doubting that God provide food for them in the desert.
Speaker 1 00:19:07 The second trial is that of Israel putting the Lord chest had massive by asking is the Lord among us or not with a pillar of smoke standing right there in the camp. And then these little pipsqueaks have the arrogance to demand that God prove that he's among them by giving him water on demand. Third trial is that of idolatry. Israel worshiped the golden calf. Now let's take all this and apply to today's gospel throughout Jewish history. The King has been regarded. It is an embodiment of the whole nation. So what happened to the King be said to have happened to the people as a whole, when the King is faithful to the covenant, then the entire nation receives the blessing of God. But when they have sin on the throne, the entire nation suffers. The King represented the people. Well as the anointed one Christ our Lord, when a Bude as a Jewish, she was followers as the representative and as the representative, our Lord 40 days in the desert symbolically reliving the 40 days, days of the exited or 40 years of the Exodus during his time in the wilderness, the experiences, the same three trials that Israel did during ecstasy, but with one huge difference where Israel flailed our Lord and in the process as a great foreshadowing of his ultimate triumph on the cross, he conquers sin and he defeats the devil.
Speaker 1 00:20:41 Now just pause for a sec on this. Why what's in it for the why is the devil tempting him who should stop and ask herself this question? Cause he's trying to figure out who our Lord is. He's not sure st. Thomas explains. I quote from the Summa as Santa Gustin says Christ was known to the demons only insofar as he willed, not as the author of eternal life, but as the cause of certain temporal effects from which the demons formed a certain conjecture, that Christ was the son of God. But since they also observed in him, certain signs of human frailty, they did not know for certain whether he was the son of God, wherefore, the devil wish to tempt him. Moreover disappears from the very manner of the temptation. When the devil says, if they'll be the son of God, which words Saint Ambrose explains his falls, what means this way of addressing him?
Speaker 1 00:21:44 Save it though. He knew that the son of God was to come. It. He did not think that he had come in the weakness, the flesh close quote st. Thomas Aquinas, it's the devil. Isn't sure the devil knows he's dealing with somebody very unusual here, but he doesn't know. So that's why he said, are you the son of God? That's what he's trying to find out. Okay. First temptation Saint Matthew. And when he had fasted 40 days and 40 nights afterwards, he was hungry. And the tempter coming said to him, if the I'll be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread, who answered and said it is written not in bread alone with a man live, but in every word that proceeds from the mouth of God close quote started Lord's first temptation. He faces hunger in the desert, but unlike Israel or Lord doesn't waiver and in response to the devil's temptation, he quotes scripture. Now, when you're reading the Bible, every time our Lord quotes, the old Testament, one really good habit to get into is to go back and read the part of scripture that our Lord Jesus quoted from. So we're going to do just that. He's quoting from Deuteronomy chapter eight now in this chapter, but Moses is warning the people not to forget God, I'll read Deuteronomy chapter eight, verses two and three. And we're going to get the context of what our Lord is quoting.
Speaker 1 00:23:15 And you should remember all the way, which the Lord thy God has led you these 40 years in the wilderness, that he might humble. You testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not any humbled, you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know nor did your fathers know that he might make. You know, that man does not live by bread alone, but that man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord close quote, sir, Lord quotes, a scripture which refers directly to the first trial of Israel in the desert. But what Israel had failed at our Lord does perfectly second temptation st. Matthew, then the devil took him up into the Holy city and set them upon the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, if thou be the son of God, cast yourself down for it is written that he has given his angels charge over thee and in their hands, they shall bear thee up less perhaps thought dash they foot against a stone.
Speaker 1 00:24:22 Jesus said to him is written again. Thou shall not tempt the Lord. Thy God close quote. Now, in this case, the devil is trying to get our Lord to put God to the test, to prove he means what he says and notice that the devil is actually quoting scripture. He knows scripture. In this case, our Lord responds by quoting part of Deuteronomy six 16. Moses has just told the people they should love the Lord, their God, with all their hearts, with all their souls and with all their might. And then a verse 16 Moses States quote, you shall not tempt the Lord like God, as you tested him at Masa close quote, our Lord quotes, a scripture which refers directly to the second great failing of Israel in the desert at Masa. And again, what Israel failed at, or Lord does perfectly third temptation Saint Matthew.
Speaker 1 00:25:18 Again, the devil took him up into a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them and said to him all these will I give thee if falling down that will adore me. Then Jesus said to him, be gone. Satan for it is written the Lord, thy, God shut our door. And him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left him and behold angels came and ministered to him, close quote, the Haydock commentary notes at this point, Christ is not quote, cite the precise words of scripture, but rather the substance of several verses Deuteronomy five, seven and nine, six, 13, and 10 20. I'll read those verses thought should not have strange gods in my sight. Thou shall not adore them. And now shall not serve them. Thought shall fear the Lord, they God, and she'll serve him only close quotes.
Speaker 1 00:26:07 So the third great failing of Israel and the desert was idolatry. And in his third temptation or Lord, just brushes that away again. We see what Israel had failed at. Our Lord does perfectly our Lord's victory over the devil sets the tone for the rest of his public ministry. For those three years, he'll travel through the Holy land, freeing men from sin and from the effects of sin by healing, the sick casting out devils and forgiving sins. As we read in first, John three eight for this purpose, the son of God appeared that he might destroy the works of the devil during this Holy land. Let us carefully examine our hearts to make sure we're not imitating the people of Israel to make sure we don't forget all the marvelous things the Lord has done for us and continues to do for us, especially remaining really present with us and the boss. Plus it's sacramental altar far more marvelous than a pillar of fire. Let's carefully examine our hearts to make sure we placed all our trust in him to make sure that we're careful not to put him to the test, to make sure that we aren't guilty of worshiping any false gods gods like pleasure, power, possessions, sex ourselves
Speaker 1 00:27:59 During this Holy land. Let us rather strive to imitate Christ our Lord with fasting prayers and resisting temptations. Let us strive to show our thankfulness to the father for sending his son that he might destroy the works of the devil.
