Vicarious Victories

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  Hebrews 4:15-16

Have you ever come off of a spiritual high only to crash and burn in an ugly way?  Have you ever been in a weak and vulnerable place and given in to a temptation that you might normally have been able to resist?  Have you ever been challenged in a negative way to “prove yourself”, and come back with a nasty, defensive or prideful response? Have you ever used the good gifts God gave you for your own glory, rather than his?  If you answered yes to any (or, in my case, all) of these questions, take heart! 

I have read and heard the story of the first temptation of Jesus, found in Matthew 4:1-4, many times, and the typical interpretation usually focused on how Jesus responded to Satan’s initial attack by quoting scripture, thus leaving us an example of how we, too, can combat the enemy with the word of God.

Recently, however, I have looked at this story another way.  For me it really begins with the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.  When Jesus approached John, John objected at first, saying that he was the one who should be asking Jesus to baptize him; but, Jesus explained to John that he needed to do this “to fulfill all righteousness.”  (Matthew 3:15)  So, as Jesus began his public life, he stated its purpose, the fulfilling of every righteous requirement of God.  And why was Jesus setting out to do this?  So that he could be the perfect sacrifice, without spot or wrinkle, and be able to credit to us his own life of perfect obedience in exchange for our lives full of failure and shame.

As Jesus came up out of the baptismal water, the heavens opened and God spoke, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”  What an amazing moment that must have been for Jesus!  The Eternal God, affirming him publicly at the beginning of his ministry; stating that he loved him and was pleased with him; calling him his Son! (Matthew 3:17)

The very next verse, says that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”  (Matthew 4:1) Notice who led him – The Spirit; and the purpose – to be tempted by the devil.  Jesus’ first step of fulfilling all righteousness was baptism; his second step was to be tempted by the devil.  In preparation for this second step, Jesus fasted forty days and forty nights; serious preparation for this most serious encounter!  In a masterful example of understatement, Matthew says “He was hungry.”

It was then that “The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”” (Matthew 4:3)  At first glance, it seems to be a rather harmless temptation.  As a matter of fact, it almost seems like more of a logical suggestion, than a temptation.  But upon closer examination we notice the word, “if”, and the darker picture begins to emerge.  Here was Jesus, coming off the great high where the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God descended on him like a dove, and God called him his Son, and said he loved him and was pleased with him; and here was Satan, when Jesus was vulnerable after a forty day fast, challenging him to “prove it” – to prove that he was the Son of God – by urging him to fall prey to his current vulnerability, his hunger, and to use his power, his gifts, for his own gratification, rather than to the glory of God; the same things I listed in the opening paragraph.

And, what did Jesus do?  He met the challenge with the Word of God.  He succeeded where you and I have failed.  He fulfilled righteousness for us in that temptation.  He was victorious in our place, and he credits to us that victory in every instance of our failure!  Because of Jesus’ victories in fulfilling all righteousness for us, and nothing of our own, God now speaks to us as well, calling us His sons and daughters, telling us he loves us and that he is as pleased with us as he is with his Son!  Grace never ceases to amaze me!

My list of the vicarious victories contained in the first temptation is by no means exhaustive.  If you see more and would like to share them, I’d be delighted.  This new perspective on the temptations has made me want to delve more deeply into each one, and to all of Jesus’ life, to discover new facets of what Jesus did for me in his life, death and resurrection.  I hope that you will be inspired to do the same.