Remember the last big meal. How did you feel after? Food coma. Not clear thinking. Sleepy. Suggestible.
Jesus goes into the wilderness. 40 days and nights.
He fasts, so he’s not in a food coma. Open to God.
40 -highly symbolic. Israel in the wilderness
3 testings -very powerful.
In Genesis 22 the Lord tests Abraham, and they (Abraham + Isaac) begin by taking a 3 days journey.
Israel through Moses tries to persuade the Pharoah to allow them to go into the wilderness for three days to worship while in Egypt (Exodus 5)
Yet, once they have escaped from slavery and are in the wilderness, all they do after 3 day of Exodus they run out of water, so they complain and cry out about how awful things are at Meribah and Massah – no worship though! (Exodus 15)
Gideon falsely tests the LORD 3 times – Judges 6-8
Jon 2 Jonah 3 days in the fish’s belly
Jesus faces three tests: food testing (wilderness, not garden) Temple -mighty deed -superhero Power + authority. Each time he quotes from the book of Deuteronomy (chapter 8, then 6)
Lent is a time for training in virtue. Jesus is leading the way for us as our Rabbi teaching his disciples.
He expects testing-he is prepared He knows the scripture-he has the verses ready to use to bring clarity to the situation.
He removes the junk so that the important thing remains the important thing.
