Archbishop Peter Jensen’s weekly online series on The Essential Jesus (the gospel of Luke). In each study the Archbishop will lead us through the book we intend on giving away to as many people as possible.
STEP 1: READING
Read Luke chapter 4, verses 1-13. This is the temptation of Jesus. In the Essential Jesus start reading from the heading ‘Chapter 4’ on p17 and then over the page to the first few paragraphs. Stop where the text says ‘Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee…”
STEP 2: REFLECTION
In chapter three we read that Jesus will baptise people with the Holy Spirit. Like God's champions of old, he is also filled with the Spirit for his ministry. Now the Spirit leads him into the wilderness where he will be thoroughly tested. Jesus is the only son of Adam to obey God's revealed will perfectly. Despite the good opinion we have of ourselves, he is our only hope. Can he sustain this? Satan aims bring him down to frustrate the plan of God. He seeks to divert Jesus from his calling as Son of God to bring salvation by God's method. Jesus uses the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God, and the shield of faith. He trusts God, at great cost to himself. He knows that to save the world he needs to obey God's revealed will. He repulsed Satan for our sake.
STEP 3: DISCUSSION
1 What were the sins of other biblical champions? What does this show us about Jesus?
2 What tests did Israel experience in the desert and how did it differ from that of Jesus?
3 Why is merely quoting the Bible insufficient to defeat temptation? Is this what Jesus did?
4 What do you make of the words 'he left Jesus until an opportune time'?
Ask your questions
Ask your questions about each study as it goes up.
Previous study click here
Prepare for the next study by reading the rest of Luke chapter 4. (ie to the heading ‘Chapter 5’ on the top of p20)
