Like Father, like sons - 23 August 2010 |
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When Jesus begins his ministry in Luke 4, his first encounter is with the Devil (vv. 1-13). The Devil concludes his temptations with the suggestion (!) that Jesus should throw himself down from the pinnacle of the Temple, citing Ps 91:11-12 in support of the idea.
Apparently Satan’s Scripture Memorisation System didn’t get as far as Ps 91:13: “You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.”
Jesus then moves on to the Synagogues (note the inclusion in vv. 15 and 44; cf. also vv. 16, 20, 28, 33, 38). He gets a cool reception. The crowds respond particularly badly when he mentions the Elijah-Zarephath and Elisha-Naaman episodes, no doubt perceiving the implied comparison between themselves and the godless Israelite nation in 1-2 Kings.
Ironically, their reaction tells us all we need to know about them. While Satan had urged Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the Temple, the Israelites wanted to “throw him down the cliff” (v. 29).
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Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Bible, Minister's Blog