Bib 314 Visalia Nov 13: Week 2: More Signs/Culture and Parties/Matt 3-4 Baptism and Testation

Culture and Parties:

The bicultural comedian Dan Nainan:

Remember:

What continent is Israel on? ASIA.

JESUS WAS ASIAN.

How many are in a cross-cultural marriage?

ALL MARRIED PEOPLE.

Remember our definitions of:

Text?
Sign?

How would you define 'culture'?

CULTURE=

a way of

thinking
feeling
valuing and
acting

by one or more persons

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As we began a week in which we pause to retrieve the "Old" Testament backstory (uh, 'front-story')

to the "New" Testament Gospel of Matthew, we introduced the topics of

CULTURE and KINGDOM.

We often take "culture" for granted, as it is simply the way we (one or more person) thinks and feels.

(Note: we didn't say "race"...and we are defining "culture" broadly. So, all marriages are cross-cultural, even if both persons are of the same race, as everyone thinks/feels differently, and has different "cultural" preferences.

It's "all around us...even when we go to church," just as Morpheus said to Neo about 'the matrix':

Because of this, we are often blinded to our culture and how we "see through it." Do fish even know they are in water?

It's easy to assume our cultural identity or preference is the "best" or "right" way (as in a bounded set that everyone should be in)....or the way everyone else sees/interprets things.

"We don't see things as they are,
we see things as we are."
-Anaïs Nin

So, re: culture, and the central question of our class,

Who is Jesus is Matthew?:

He is:

a) someone who is cultural:

he was a member of a culture ( Was Jesus bicultural in any way?

How did you respond to the suggestion that Jesus was Asian? What other 'cultures' was he part of?).

Consider: "All divine revelation is culturally mediated." (Leonard Sweet, "Aqua Church 2.0," p.. 67...context).

b)someone who often was, and whose message often was, counter-cultural. ('the first shall be last," etc.... see The Upside Down Kingdom textbook)

c)someone whose ministry and message were cross-cultural (not just to Jews, etc).

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That's so UPSIDE DOWN!

Jesus confronts a Democrat:

Parties:

Each party has its own culture.
Remember which party you belong to (see your nameplate).
Note; for your signature case study, you can ..instead of approaching it from "What would Jesus do?"...you can write it as "What would a member of my party do?"

Many changes occurred as the Jews fret (new temple , synagogues, etc. But key for understanding Matthew are four "parties," groups, sects that emerged. These are discussed in detail in Hauer/Young, Chapter 10, particularly pp. 221-227, see also Kraybill, pp.

Pharisees .lay scholars/ middle class Oral and Written Torah    angels, demons, resurrection........
Sadduccees   priestly/aristocratic         Written Torah only               no angels, demons, resurrection

Essenes: quiet, communal, prob connected to Dead Sea Scrolls
Zealots    advocated armed rebellion against Rome

Read more on each from Ray VannDer Laan:

Essenes Zealots

In this video, a rabbi summarizes the four:

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Since we have spent so much time discussing the various "parties" of Jesus day, it is helpful to our discussion of culture to hear how one writer views and succinctly characterizes each group's approach to culture (even though the following is overstatement:

"Pharisees separated from culture

Sadducees blended into the culture

Zealots ruled over culture/misused it

Essenes ignored culture....

The Pharisees were sectarian, developing an unending number of laws to separate themselves from the common people.

The Sadducees were syncretists, compromising their beliefs in order to blend into the culture.

The Zealots misused culture as they attempted to usher in God’s kingdom through the use of force.

The Essenes ignored culture altogether, retreating from society where they could seek mystical encounters with God in monkish privacy...

And so we see that sectarians love God but fail to love their neighbors,

And so we see that sectarians

love God but fail to love their neighbors,

while syncretists love their neighbors,

but fail to love God."

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BAPTISM/TEMPTATIONS

-- Tell me what these clips from "The Matrix" have to do with today's
topics: Jesus' birth, call, baptism and temptations (help)

part 1:
part 2: immersion :
:
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An interviewer once asked the Wachowski Brothers, creators of The Matrix trilogy if all the biblical allusions and references people spot in the movies were intentional.

I am guessing many fans were anxious for the (hardly orthodox Christian) brothers to deny or at least defuse such expectations

They said something like:

"Yes, and there are more than anyone knows!"

As examples, just trace the license plate references, IS 54 16

and the Nebuchadnezzar's plaque.

Texas Style Stylish Baptism:

Big Rich Texas Baptism:

REMEMEMBER This "literary technique" above (of two phrases being so related as to be almost synonymous/interchangeable is called, in computer language,

DROP-DOWN BOX

a "DROP DOWN BOX. We will picture it by this symbol/sign

In the same way as when you encounter a drop-down menu on a website, and you know you can choose different options, when we talk about "drop-down boxes" in the "text message" of the Bible, will mean a place where you can choose between two options/terms.

IN our passage, tonight we dropped down

kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven.

See notes from class on why this difference>\

Kingdom of God
Kingdom of heaven

is itself a drop-down-box.

Both refer to the same reality.

You may remember why the two terms:

heaven
God

and why only Matthew uses the first.

In fact, the first person to post in the comments below this post the reason why wins a prize.

Check out the INCLUSIO in MARK, which hyperlinks his baptism and death? (See "temple tantrum/ which curtain was torn?")

--

Joel Hofman has a great point:

All Bible translators have to confront the problem of words that don't convey the same meaning to a modern audience as they did to an ancient one, said linguist Joel M. Hoffman, author of "And God Said - How Translations Conceal the Bible's Original Meaning."

"For example, `John the Baptist' was really like `John the Dunker,'" Hoffman said.

John was doing something new by submerging people in water to cleanse them of their sins, but that is lost on people 2,000 years later, Hoffman said. Today, people hearing John's title might think it refers to a Baptist denomination rather than his then-strange behavior. -link

What are the THREE Scriptures (TRIPLE paste)quoted, paraphrased are alluded to in the "Text message from God" at Jesus' baptism:

“This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

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Notes from FPU faculty Camp/Roberts:

All four gospels contain a version of Jesus’ baptism. Matthew records the story of Jesus’ baptism in chapter 3, Mark begins his gospel with the story in 1:1-11, Luke has the story in short form in 3:21-22, and John’s version is in 1:19-34. How does this text further answer the question “Who is Jesus?” in Matthew?

Read Matthew 3:1-17 Matt transitions to Jesus’ adult ministry by introducing him at his baptism. Mt uses a common ancient literary device called syncresis, which means to make a judgment about something or someone by comparison. It is, in that sense, a simple comparison/contrast. There are 2 comparisons that are being made in chapter 3. One has to do with Jesus and John, the other with Jesus and the Pharisees/ Sadducees. The passage is structured in 3 sections. vv. 1-6 is a description of John and his message. John is presented as a fulfillment of a passage from Isaiah 40, where Israel is being called to return from exile. John is engaged in the same ministry as Isaiah, that of recalling the people. One might conclude that Mt is insinuating that whileIsrael returned from exile in they never fully returned to God. John’s appearance and location set him the liminal space of the wilderness, apart from Jerusalem society. He stands in the Jordan River, where Israel also would have crossed into the land as they returned. The place of baptism in the Jordanmay draw the reader’s attention to the fresh start crossing the Jordan into the land represented for Israel.

vv. 7-10 is a description of the Pharisees, Sadducees and others coming to John for baptism. John confronts them with a message of repentance that specifies the repentance must include acts of righteousness that demonstrate their repentance. The reference “God is able from these stones to raise up children of Abraham” may draw the readers attention to the 12 stones piled at the Jordan when Israelentered the land under Joshua’s leadership. The implication is that even stones can be made into children of Abraham. The difference is their acts have to reflect the righteousness characteristic of true repentance and change.

A brood of vipers refers to a hole in ground where snakes would lay eggs and cover them with dirt for incubation. The newly hatched snakes would remain in the ground undetected by those passing by. A misstep into such a nest could be fatal. The threat is unseen; the passerby thinks the ground is safe, but it is not.The reference to cutting down plants that do not bear fruit is a common analogy used throughout Matthew (for example 7:16-20, 13:24-30). vv 11-12presents John comparing himself to “the one coming.” The comparison is based on a greater than/ lesser than logic. John is lesser because he baptizes with water; the one coming is greater because he baptizes because he baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire. John is lesser because he is not worthy to carry the sandals of the one coming. John announces judgment, the one coming is actually able to bring judgment.

vv 13-17 draws a comparison between Jesus and the Sadducees/ Phar and between Jesus and John. Note the way that the Sadducees and Pharisees are greeted vs. how Jesus is greeted. (see worksheet) The comparison between Jesus and John involves John putting himself as the lesser in Jesus’ presence. Jesus’ enigmatic response allowing John to baptize him is said to “fulfill all righteousness.” How is this to be understood? Does Jesus need to be baptized in the same way others do? John’s is

a baptism of repentance; is this what Jesus thinks he needs to do?
Repentance doesn’t only mean turning from inappropriate action, but also involves going in the direction you ought to be going. Jesus aligns himself with God’s purposes. The dynamics between John and Jesus would seem to indicate that part of God’s purpose is for J not to take the greater position but to place himself in the subservient position to John. This is a crucial, initial assertion that we will see reiterated through Mt’s gospel, which links righteousness to a reversal of power relationships, and Jesus being the faithful, humble servant. Immediately following this action, the divine voice announces affirmation of this action and of Jesus’ identity as beloved son. This is what is expected of the son.
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Baptism at the Jordan<, we didn;t have time to watch this helpful video:

Vander Laan video; WET FEET Complete video below:

NOTES ON VIDEO:
There are at least three themes in the DVD episodes and lesson notes:

· Baptism

· God requiring us to take the first step

· The ark of the covenant and the Spirit’s indwelling (as God dwelled in a special way above the mercy seat, covering the ark)

RVL explains that the Israelites did not see the Jordan as holy or something to worship — unlike how the Egyptians saw the Nile or the Hindus saw the Ganges. Rather, the Israelites saw the Jordan as a barrier.

Additional background
In the poor soil of the Great Rift, plants only grow thickly at the river banks. Hence, the Jews spoke of the Jordan’s “thicket.” Despite being more of a creek than a river, it looked like a fence or barrier, as it produced an array of trees in a barren land.
And the river flowed very rapidly due to the steep grade from Horeb to the Dead Sea. It’s slower today as much of the water is gone for irrigation.
Old people, babies, men and women carrying all their possessions on their backs would have struggled to cross the River.
Some of the 12 tribes were given land east of the Jordan, but they all crossed over to take the western lands together.

Crossing the Jordan
What would they have seen crossing the Jordan as meaning to them? They crossed from what to what?

· anticipation and reality

· the desert and Promised Land (land of milk and honey)

· wandering and being home

· slavery and freedom

· safety and danger (they died in the desert of old age, by and large. They crossed over at Jericho, a large walled city, and then fought many battles)

· testing and triumph

· cowardice and courage

· a land of paganism and land transformed to show God to the world

· preparation and mission (Israelites wandered 40 years so that they’d be a desert-hardened people ready to conquer Canaan)

John baptized in the Jordan, near Jerusalem, meaning near Jericho, perhaps at the very place where the Israelites crossed.
Remember that Hebrew thought is more picture and metaphor, and that God often chose times and places for symbolic reasons. What would a First Century Jew, learning that John was baptizing in the Jordan think that meant?
He could have baptized higher up the river, in other rivers, in springs, in pools, even in Roman bathhouses — with heated water. Why do all the Gospels introduce John as baptizing in the Jordan, near Jericho? (people were there from Jerusalem, and that road went by Jericho)
Possible answers:

· It meant crossing a barrier. As the Israelites passed through water to the Promised Land, freedom, home, mission, etc., baptism symbolized —

o the coming of the Kingdom (Promised Land), freedom (promised by the prophets when the Holy Spirit returned to Israel, and John had the Spirit),

o the coming of prophesied inheritance (to the prophets, our “inheritance” is the new earth purged of wickedness, so that we are saved from our enemies): a new home

o freedom from sin (John baptized into forgiveness of sins)

o mission (John taught his followers that repentance was more than not sinning, it required new values)

(Luke 3:10-14) "What should we do then?" the crowd asked. 11 John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same." 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized. "Teacher," they asked, "what should we do?" 13 "Don't collect any more than you are required to," he told them. 14 Then some soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He replied, "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely--be content with your pay."

(Luke 3:18) And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.

o Jesus had not yet been revealed. Rather, this is the good news prophesied in the Old Testament, the coming of the Kingdom, God’s reign on earth, the Messiah, salvation from their enemies.

o Note parallels of “good news” to story of crossing Jordan

Jesus came to John for baptism
Why? Jesus said “to fulfill all righteousness,” which is hardly transparent. Why should a sinless man be baptized by John?

· To endorse John’s work

· To be anointed by the greatest of the prophets for mission (compare Elijah’s anointing of Elisha 1 King 19:16) although Jesus was hardly John’s disciple or apprentice

· To demonstrate the meaning of the baptism that was to come.

Remember, the Jews thought in pictures. How does Jesus’ baptism show us a picture of Christian baptism?

· Spirit descended and remained on him (John 1:32)

· This is my beloved Son

· In whom I am well pleased

Do the heavens open up when we are baptized?
RVL notes that there are several parallels between Jesus’ baptism and the Creation. See chart on p. 62 of teacher’s guide.
Notice that to the Jews, a body of water represented chaos. They were a desert people and water was dangerous. Rain meant floods rushing through waddis, killing people without warning. Even today, Jews don’t live on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, whereas Westerners would consider that prime real estate. Hence, in Rev 22, we are told there will be “no sea” in the new heaven and earth.

(Gen 1:2) Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

“Hovering” means to hover like a bird over a nest.
Both stories speak in terms of God doing his work through the Spirit over water. Both stories bring life out of the waters. Both stories lead quickly to temptation, except Jesus resisted the devil, whereas Adam and Eve did not.
Shortly after his baptism, we read of Jesus baptizing (John 3:22) in the Judean countryside, but never again. We learn from John 3:23 that John later baptized at Aenon, which is on a tributary to the Jordan, showing that there was no magic in the Jordan (baptisms take whether there or elsewhere).
Why did Jesus stop baptizing? In the Gospels, there’s no mention of literal baptism from Jesus’ baptism until the Great Commission! In John, references to Jesus baptism stop in chapter 3 (except for references back), although the doctrine is referred to in, for example, the story of Nicodemus in c 4.
When Jesus sent out missionaries, he did not instruct them to baptize. Evidently, once John was imprisoned, there was no more baptizing until Pentecost. It certainly wasn’t recorded. Why not baptize?
(I don’t know but I like to ask the question, because it helps show that baptism, though important enough to be commanded in the Great Commission, was not the centerpiece of Jesus’ mission.)
Possible answers:

· Jesus’ baptism would be by the Spirit, and the Spirit wouldn’t be given until after Jesus death.

· Jesus wanted to endorse John’s work but not continue it

· Jesus mission was to preach the good news of the Kingdom and do works of compassion. Jesus wanted to add deeper meanings that could not be anticipated before his resurrection. Baptism would become the mark of his disciples after his resurrection, but, for example, you can’t be baptized into his death before then.

Pentecost
Pentecost was God’s timing. Why did God choose Pentecost?
Pentecost was a festival first fruits, sacrificed in honor of God at the beginning of the harvest. These sacrifices were acts of great faith, as there was no guaranty that the rest of the harvest would come in — locusts, hail, fire, and even rain could all destroy the harvest, but the first of the harvest was given to God on Pentecost.
Also, Pentecost is honored by the Jews as the anniversary of the giving of the Law to Moses on Sinai — as that occurred 50 days after the first Passover, at the end of the 10 plagues, according to Jewish tradition.
So God added to Christian baptism the meanings: the beginning of the harvest and the giving of a new covenant, as well as all it meant before.
Surely the Jews understood this to be after the pattern of John’s baptism, except that Peter explained that now baptism included the gift of the Spirit in fulfillment of the prophesies anticipating the Kingdom.
At Pentecost, they probably baptized at the temple. What was the symbolism?
(Acts doesn’t say where they were in Jerusalem, but it had to be a big enough space to hold well over 3,000 listeners (not all were converted), in a city of narrow streets. And it had to be central enough that such a large crowd would be there. And there had to be facilities to immerse 3,000. The temple courts are the most likely place by far.)
Baptismal fonts at the temple were for cleansing — to become ritually clean to be able to make sacrifice. How would First Century Jews have interpreted their own baptism?

· Worshipers had to be clean before entering the temple, but the new Christians didn’t go into the temple. They went into the church.

· Jews walked into and out of the pools themselves. They cleansed themselves. Christians are baptized — it’s always passive. Baptism is a gift received, not a work performed.

· Baptism is into a new community, a new Kingdom, a new relationship with God

· Sacrifice would be expected

· Repent (like John taught) and be immersed into (eis) the forgiveness of sins (like John taught) and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (as John predicted and as Jesus himself received)

Mission
Each of these crossing-over events were into mission.
The Israelites crossed the Jordan near Jericho, a walled city, that God expected them to conquer. They passed through water to begin God’s fight with paganism. And it was immediate. (“Joshua” and “Jesus” are the same word in Hebrew! Did you ever wonder why Jesus is named after Joshua rather than Moses?)
Jesus’ baptism was at the beginning of his ministry — but not of war. It was a ministry of preaching the Kingdom and works of compassion — a radically different approach to conquest, but conquest nonetheless.
Our baptism is into the Kingdom, to be servants of God in his mission, which is a continuation of Jesus’ mission.There are at least three themes in the DVD episodes and lesson notes:

· Baptism

· God requiring us to take the first step

· The ark of the covenant and the Spirit’s indwelling (as God dwelled in a special way above the mercy seat, covering the ark)

The notes are just on baptism. The video is 17 minutes. 10 minutes for announcements, prayer requests, prayer, and fellowship (and first service going late), means the video ends 27 minutes into a 55 minute class. You’ll have 28 minutes to teach.
Some teachers want to go more slowly and continue the Gezer lesson. This is in the teacher’s discretion.
RVL explains that the Israelites did not see the Jordan as holy or something to worship — unlike how the Egyptians saw the Nile or the Hindus saw the Ganges. Rather, the Israelites saw the Jordan as a barrier.
Additional background
In the poor soil of the Great Rift, plants only grow thickly at the river banks. Hence, the Jews spoke of the Jordan’s “thicket.” Despite being more of a creek than a river, it looked like a fence or barrier, as it produced an array of trees in a barren land.
And the river flowed very rapidly due to the steep grade from Horeb to the Dead Sea. It’s slower today as much of the water is gone for irrigation.
Old people, babies, men and women carrying all their possessions on their backs would have struggled to cross the River.
Some of the 12 tribes were given land east of the Jordan, but they all crossed over to take the western lands together.

Crossing the Jordan
What would they have seen crossing the Jordan as meaning to them? They crossed from what to what?

· anticipation and reality

· the desert and Promised Land (land of milk and honey)

· wandering and being home

· slavery and freedom

· safety and danger (they died in the desert of old age, by and large. They crossed over at Jericho, a large walled city, and then fought many battles)

· testing and triumph

· cowardice and courage

· a land of paganism and land transformed to show God to the world

· preparation and mission (Israelites wandered 40 years so that they’d be a desert-hardened people ready to conquer Canaan)

· It meant crossing a barrier. As the Israelites passed through water to the Promised Land, freedom, home, mission, etc., baptism symbolized —

o the coming of the Kingdom (Promised Land), freedom (promised by the prophets when the Holy Spirit returned to Israel, and John had the Spirit),

o the coming of prophesied inheritance (to the prophets, our “inheritance” is the new earth purged of wickedness, so that we are saved from our enemies): a new home

o freedom from sin (John baptized into forgiveness of sins)

o mission (John taught his followers that repentance was more than not sinning, it required new values)

(Luke 3:18) And with many other words John exhorted the people and preached the good news to them.

o Jesus had not yet been revealed. Rather, this is the good news prophesied in the Old Testament, the coming of the Kingdom, God’s reign on earth, the Messiah, salvation from their enemies.

o Note parallels of “good news” to story of crossing Jordan

Jesus came to John for baptism
Why? Jesus said “to fulfill all righteousness,” which is hardly transparent. Why should a sinless man be baptized by John?

· To endorse John’s work

· To be anointed by the greatest of the prophets for mission (compare Elijah’s anointing of Elisha 1 King 19:16) although Jesus was hardly John’s disciple or apprentice

· To demonstrate the meaning of the baptism that was to come.

Remember, the Jews thought in pictures. How does Jesus’ baptism show us a picture of Christian baptism?

· Spirit descended and remained on him (John 1:32)

· This is my beloved Son

· In whom I am well pleased

(Gen 1:2) Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

· Jesus’ baptism would be by the Spirit, and the Spirit wouldn’t be given until after Jesus death.

· Jesus wanted to endorse John’s work but not continue it

· Worshipers had to be clean before entering the temple, but the new Christians didn’t go into the temple. They went into the church.

· Jews walked into and out of the pools themselves. They cleansed themselves. Christians are baptized — it’s always passive. Baptism is a gift received, not a work performed.

· Baptism is into a new community, a new Kingdom, a new relationship with God

· Sacrifice would be expected

· Repent (like John taught) and be immersed into (eis) the forgiveness of sins (like John taught) and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (as John predicted and as Jesus himself received)

Mission (be sure you cover this one)
Each of these crossing-over events were into mission.
The Israelites crossed the Jordan near Jericho, a walled city, that God expected them to conquer. They passed through water to begin God’s fight with paganism. And it was immediate. (“Joshua” and “Jesus” are the same word in Hebrew! Did you ever wonder why Jesus is named after Joshua rather than Moses?)
Jesus’ baptism was at the beginning of his ministry — but not of war. It was a ministry of preaching the Kingdom and works of compassion — a radically different approach to conquest, but conquest nonetheless.
Our baptism is into the Kingdom, to be servants of God in his mission, which is a continuation of Jesus’ mission. link

==
Check out these fish in the Jordan River, who nibbled at my feet (or somebody did(:...)as a pastor from Africa and I baptized some folks in the Jordan River:

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More Signs

Intetrextuality/Hyperlinking

Six Degrees of Separation

Generalization/Particularization

INTERTEXTUALITY or "Hyperlinking"
(when one text quotes another text):
One of Chris Harrison's projects is called "Visualizing the Bible":

"Christoph Römhild sent me his interesting biblical cross-references data set. This lead to the first of three visualizations. Intrigued by the complexity of the Bible, I derived a new data set by parsing the King James Bible and extracting people and places. One of the resulting visualizations is a biblical social network. The other visualization shows how people and places are distributed throughout the text." Chris Harrison-

But why should I tell you when I can show you?::

The bar graph that runs along the bottom represents all of the chapters in the Bible. Books alternate in color between white and light gray. The length of each bar denotes the number of verses in the chapter. Each of the 63,779 cross references found in the Bible is depicted by a single arc - the color corresponds to the distance between the two chapters, creating a rainbow-like effect." .More info about this chart, and charts of the Bible as a social network here.

6 Degrees of Separation:

"A documentary on networks, social and otherwise"
" (part 1):

Parts 2, 3, 4 , 5, (not 6) are also online
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Just as we might see the theme of "subversion of empire" (remember Matthew 2:1 and the video, "In The Shadow of Herod") being repeated, recast and remixed throughout Matthew's gospel..

We might also suggest that the same threetemptations Jesus faced in Chapter 4 were repeated, recast and remixed throughout the rest of the gospel, at different points in Jesus' life...

We noted today that the baptism of Jesus (chapter 3) and the temptations (chapter 4) should be read together as one literary unit or paragraph

Especially helpful is the suggestion by Donald Kraybill ("The Upside Down Kingdom") and Ray Van Der Laan ( "Into the Desert to Be Tested" video) that throughout his earthly life, Jesus was revisited by remixes of the original three temptations ("testations" ) of the devil"in chapter 4.

Kraybill provocatively proffers the following taxonomy of the temptations; suggesting that any later temptation Jesus faced (or we face) is at heart in one of these three spheres:

1= Bread into stones: Economic

2=Jump from temple and test God:Religious

3=Own all kingdoms: Political;

Henri Nouwen ("in the Name of Jesus" )breaks it down this way:

1= Bread into stones: temptation to be relevant

2=Jump from temple and test God: temptation to be spectacular

3=Own all kingdoms: Political; temptation to be rule over

So, it may be useful to plot out various temptations along your life timeline, and ask which of Jesus' temptation are each is tied to.

Nouwen himself, one of the most profound writers on the temptations of Jesus, was both Catholic (gasp!) and struggled with homosexual temptation (!!!)..

And....Uh, on that last temptation, the homosexual one, he was in good company, according to a good Book I read:

"Jesus was tempted in every single way humans are..."(click here for the shocking source...but warning, it's a dangerous book for religious folk!)

SO..if every temptation can be filed under one of the three categories:

Economic Religious Political..

or
Relevant Spectacular Rule over

..under which does sexual temptation occur?

Note Rob Bell's definition of "sexuality," biblically defined:

"For many, sexuality is simply what happens between two people involving physical pleasure. But that's only a small percentage of what sexuality is. Our sexuality is all the ways we strive to reconnect with our world, with each other, and with God." (Rob Bell, "Sex God," p. 42)...

How might virtually all temptations (the three Jesus faced, or others you could name) be fundamentally economic? Kraybill, you'll remember, calls the bread temptation "economic," but how might any/all others temptations trace to this root/'garbage"?
HINT: We noted that he term economics comes from the Ancient Greekοἰκονομία (oikonomia, "management of a household, administration") from οἶκος (oikos, "house") + νόμος (nomos, "custom" or "law"), hence "rules of the house(hold)".^[1

^S

Note that the baptism of Jesus (chapter 3) and the temptations (chapter 4) should be read together as one literary unit or paragraph ( a "coupling" or "particularization") as two items connected.

Remember how important repeated words are..in this case, "SON":

GENERALIZATION/PARTICULARIZATION

-The segue is direct..."Then after his baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for temptation by the devil." (Matt. 4:1)
(see this amazing assortment of Scriptures, maybe he is "God's devil" after all..)

-In light of that, ask In what other ways do the baptism and temptation connect?
How does baptism prepare for temptation?

See the sermon by Nadia Bolz-Weber, "How To Say Defiantly, ‘I am Baptized!’"for a contemporary world application.

NOTE: we'll use (as Van Der Laan does
drop-down box
for the biblical word
which could be translated
Temptation and/or Test

"testation."

NOTE: a drop-down box also in the temptation scene:

The devil's text ,

"IF
you are the son of God.."

might better be translated
(according to the Greek word used) as:

"SINCE
you are the son of God.."

What difference might it make? Is the devil wondering/questioning asking Jesus if he is son of God? Or is he assuming it; he and Jesus both know that he is...and thus "Since you are the Son of God, what kind of ways can I tempt you to use/abuse that Sonship?"
--
Van Der lann, in today's video )below and see This) proposes that the three "temptations" Jesus met in Matthew 4 were the same three that show up (repackaged, revisited) throughout Jesus' timeline on earth...right up to, and especially including the cross (as in, not avoiding it) .Several examples:

Jesus put God ahead of family ("Who are my brothers and sisters?" "Whoveer loves father and mother more than me cannot be my disciple."-Matthew 12:46-48...in fact, how many ways can you find in that whole chapter where Jesus re-encounters versions of one of the testations?

When people reported Herod wanted to kill him, he was not concerned (Luke 13)

When people wanted to make him king by force, he walked away (John 6:15)

When the crowds were hungry, the disciples wanted Jesus to feed them. He refused (Feeding of the Multitude)

The "get behind me, Satan" comment to Peter when Peter suggested Jesus should bypass the cross (Matthew 18)

"go ahead and use Your power; the cross is going to hurt"

The video offered lots of help on how the Testations of Jesus are related to/equated to/hyperlinked to the Testations of Israel in Exodus, Numbers. Deuteronomy. It is no accident that all three testations of Jesus were found in different form in the OT, as well as the Scriptures Jesus used to counter the testations.

Though it is obvious who "The Son (of God)" is in Matthew (Jesus), unless we know the literary/historical background, we miss that in the Old Testament, that phrase is used for Israel/God's people. (see Exodus 4:22-23 and especially the way Matt 2:15 quotes Hosea 11:1) Thus...remember this chart :

Now we realize that God tested/the devil tempted the first "SON" in a similar way.
Jesus the Son succeeds (in 40 days) in "reversing the curse" that Israel the Son inherited by not passing it (in 40 years).

Jesus is not only (in a sense) the
New Moses,

but (in a sense)

(for help on that important point, see this article,
and this) New Adam, New Job, New Israel.

VanDer Laan suggested that the heart of Jesus' "success" was consistently and persistently keeping the "Shema," and not caving into a (mis)use of power. This is the "binder" of the testations: Love God and neighbor.Thus

Q).Who is Jesus in Matthew?

A.) The One who, unlike Israel, passed the wilderness testations by loving God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength....and refusing to give into using "right-handed" (a la Capon) power.

VanderLaan prefers to translate "tests" instead of "temptations."
You have seen that I have coined the word "testations" It would seen that in Scripture that God tests, and the devil tempts...and sometimes both are going on simultaneously.

HERE are some helpful questions you might think about if you want to pursue this topic::

1)What were the three temptations of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11, Compare any ways Mark's account, Mark 1:12-13 and Luke's account, Luke 4:1-13 differ, and suggest any reasons why.

2)How does Nouewen summarize the three temptations(1=to be relevant 2=to be spectacular 3=to rule over). H? How do you (use your own words)?

3)How do the three temptations connect to the historical and literary world of the Hebrew ("Old')Testament?

4)How do the three temptations connect to the contemporary world of Jesus and the disciples?

5)List and discuss several possible ways that versions of the three temptations reoccur and are revisited throughout Jesus' life in Matthew's gospel? (How is Jesus tested/tempted elswhere in Matthew, and how are the temptations versions of a similar one (two, or three) that he faced in the original temptation passage? (see Kraybill, p. 34)

6)What are the three core temptations you face, and how have they revisited you throughout your timeline? How would you categorize them using Nouwen's categories? Using the three categories of the "Shema" (heart/mind/might) a la Vander Laan'? Using Kraybill's three categories (1=Economic 2=Religious 3=Political ; see chapters 1-4 of "Upside Down Kingdom")

7)What have you learned about passing these tests/resiisting these temptations?

8)What does all of this (the Matt 4 Scripture, and testing/tempting) have to do with the Kingdom?

9)Discuss how the passages that deal with Jesus not being immune to temptation( Hebrews 2:17-18, Hebrews 4:14-16, and Hebrews 5:7-9) affect your views of "Who is Jesus?" and of Jesus' divinity and humanity.

It has been moving,, revelational and (even) fun to, have students plot out (on the whiteboard) their timeline.

downs, and ask how you have been revisited throughout your

Notes from Camp/Roberts:

There are 3 temptations which parallel the groups with whom Jesus interacts in MatthewFamished - provide food – crowdsUpon temple - protection - leadersseize world - authority - disciplesWhat is it that each group expects, and how does Jesus meet that expectation, both here and later? It is important that these are real temptations. What would be the result of each if Jesus failed? Tie in the expectation from Isaiah 53. What kind of Christ was expected? Will Jesus prove worthy (a true Son)? The temptations represent and initial test, much like an academic pre-test. Jesus will be tested during his ministry on these same issues by the three groups.

Famished - provide food – crowds

Upon temple - protection - leaders

seize world - authority - disciples

The temptation to satisfy physical needs is a very real and necessary temptation. The temptation account does not denigrate this need, but raises the question of what it means to be fully human. Rulers in the ancient world would often provide bread for people to keep them under control, while not treating them as fully human in other ways. Jesus’ response to Satan is that there is more to being human than meeting physical needs. It also includes being able to make choices about life, where one might need to defer gratification or make choices to the detriment of one’s physical well-being (i.e. selling possessions, death on a cross). Jesus does do miracle which do address real physical needs (food, healing). But he also challenges people in the crowds to go beyond equating physical, material well-being with being fully human.
The second temptation to leap from the temple has 2 components, The first is to draw attention to himself in the center of Jewish life, thereby gaining the approval of the temple leaders. The second aspect involves having the authority to call upon angels to protect him. The temptationis to use authority as a means to demonstrate one’s power and privilege. In Jesus’ interactions with the Pharisees, Sadducees, scribes, temple authorities, he is most frequently questioned about his authority to represent God, and is repeatedly asked to provide a sign demonstrating that authority. Jesus steadfastly refuses to do so. Jesus will not ‘force’ God to provide a sign of Jesus authority beyond the faithfulness Jesus himself demonstrates. The accusations at Jesus’ trial hinge on this question of authority. The third temptation is to receive power without effort. It would entail bowing down to Satan. There is no equal exchange of goods, with Jesus receiving kingdoms in exchange for bowing to Satan. Rather, in the ancient world bowing down indicates a permanent subservient relationship. Satan is offering the kingdoms of the earth if Jesus will submit to Satan’s will and way of doing things. This temptation is linked to the disciples, who frequently are seeking greatness, seats of authority and power, exalted places in Jesus’ kingdom. They are confronted by Jesus about the true cost of gaining those positions. -Camp/Roberts

Temptation scene in "The Passion of the Christ":

If you can't watch the Moodle videos, download the player:
Download the VLC media player at http://www.videolan.org/vlc/

Homework: see syllabus and Moodle.
Revision: the outline for your Three World Presentation doesn't have to be detailed.
To listen to Matthew instead of reading, see the tab at top of this page , or just click here

Bib 314 Visalia Nov 13

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Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Week 2: More Signs/Culture and Parties/Matt 3-4 Baptism and Testation

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