Introduction

Where We’ve Been: Last episode we looked at the sacred spaces and places of the Bible. We looked at gardens and mountains and how they overlap, temples and their mimicking of garden-mountains, and finally the wilderness where God “is not”, unless of course He decides to be present.

Where We’re Going: Today, we’re going to discuss Jesus, and His interactions with divine forces throughout His ministry. Today’s lesson will draw on a lot of what we have studied previously. First, we’ll begin with what is standard belief for most people as they read through the gospels. 

Jesus in the Wilderness

The gospels are arranged in such a way that they remind us of something old, while still revealing something new. They walk down paths walked down before, but approach things differently in light of Jesus. For example, the opening of the gospel of Matthew retells the story of Israel’s exit of Egyptian slavery (an event we noted was full of supernatural activity) to the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai. Note the pattern here:

• Jesus is called out of Egypt like Israel (Mt. 2:15; quotes Hosea 11:1)
• Jesus passes through water on the way to Israel, just as the people of Israel passed through the water on the way to what would ultimately become the nation of Israel (Mt. 3:13-17). (NOTE: this is one of many actions connecting Jesus to being a “prophet like Moses” [Acts 3:22; 7:37])
• Jesus then goes into the wilderness for 40 days, symbolic of Israel’s 40 years of wandering. 
• Jesus then announces the coming of the “kingdom” of God through instruction about who these kingdom people are (Sermon on the Mount; Mt. 5-7), similar to Moses’ instruction on Mt. Sinai in Ex. 19 and following about the “kingdom” (Ex. 19:5-7) and who God wants Israel to be. 
• We could continue from here, but this is sufficient enough to show us how Jesus is retreading the steps of Israel and being connected to Moses. With this path laid out for us, let’s discuss the Wilderness event of Matthew 4. 

Recall, that the wilderness 1) was where Israel faltered in one of their first tests of obedience. They grumbled and complained, and longed to go back to Egyptian slavery. Recall also that 2) the wilderness was regarded as a place of evil (sacrifice “for Azazel”; Lev. 16:7-9). In the Jesus temptation in the wilderness:

• It is certainly true that evil is present, as “Satan” (now regarded as a proper name, unlike in the Old Testament where it is a general term), comes to Jesus with three temptations.
• Unlike Israel however, Jesus will not succumb to the evil around Him, but stand firm with God and His word in obedience. This act shows Jesus to be better. Israel that will not fail in its task. 

The three temptations of Jesus are these (from Matthew’s gospel):

•  Turn stones to bread to satisfy hunger (4:3-4; quotes Dt. 8:3)
• Jump from the top of the temple to prove that Jesus is the Son of God (4:5-7; quotes Dt. 6:16; NOTE: Satan quotes from Ps. 91:11 here)
• Worship Satan, and Jesus will be granted all the kingdoms of the world (4:8-11; quotes Dt. 6:13)

We can understand the temptations being presented here. 

• The first temptation would address the hunger pains that Jesus was feeling. Unlike Israel, Jesus doesn’t grumble and complain about food, but trusts the Father to deliver. 
• The second temptation is an attempt to use Scripture to make Jesus prove who He is to Satan. Maybe acceptance with the Jewish people is the idea? Jesus doesn’t bite and instead places the Scripture within its proper context. This seems to be proof enough as Satan then takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world. 
• The third temptation provides Jesus with the solution to His mission. He is here to reclaim the nations (Psalm 82; Dt. 32), but Jesus does not need to get Satan’s permission to do it! It will be accomplished not through acknowledging the current usurped authority of Satan, but through death on the cross. 

From here, Jesus’ kingdom begins to work. He calls His disciples and starts casting out demons (as we’ve noted before). Alongside all of this is some significant imagery:

• Twelve disciples are called. There were other followers of Jesus that went along with Him and “the Twelve”, but the text continually refers to “twelve” as an important number. Why? Twelve was the number of Israel’s tribes. One disciple for every tribe of Yahweh’s chosen nation was selected, and they went out casting out demons (Lk. 9:1-6). God’s kingdom was coming with a vengeance. 
• Alongside this calling of disciples is the event called the “limited commission” (as opposed to the “Great Commission of Mt. 28:18-20). Instead of going into “all the world” the call was to go to surrounding cities preparing the way for Jesus (Lk. 10:1). 70 are called here to go ahead of Jesus, a significant number that takes us back to the 70 nations listed for us in Genesis 10 at the Tower of Babel. The Tower was the moment God dispossessed the other nations and set beings in His council over them. Now those nations were on their way to coming back to Him (read Lk. 10:18-20).
• Summary: Psalm 82 and Dt. 32 are being fulfilled in Jesus and the disciples. The reversal of the nations is underway. Jesus is reclaiming what was formerly disinherited.

Jesus on the Mountain

One of the greatest admissions in the gospels is that of Matthew 16, where Peter recognizes Jesus as “the Christ, the son of the living God”. It is after this point that there is a shift in the gospels to focusing on Jesus’ upcoming death. There is no question who Jesus is to these evil beings, He must be defeated.

What is most interesting about this admission is where it takes place. Jesus and the disciples are in Caesarea Philippi. 

• This is the area that was formerly ruled by giants (remember Og King of Bashan?). 
• It is also a place that came to be known as “the place of the serpent”. 
• It was also thought to be the connecting place to the underworld (part of why giants were considered to be undead shades/demons)
• Lastly, it is in the area near Mt. Hermon, the supposed mountain where the rebellious angels of Genesis 6 originally covenanted against God. 
• In Jesus’ day the place was famous for its temple to Zeus.
• Summary: this is an evil, evil place. 

It’s in this place that Jesus says he will build His church and that “the gates of Hades” (the place of the dead) shall not prevail against it. Nothing was going to stop the kingdom that Jesus was bringing into the world. 

Following the confession, we go up on the mountain (likely Mt. Hermon) where Jesus is transfigured and the pronouncement “this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased, listen to Him” is given. On the mountain where the evil angels made their covenant against God. 

Immediately following these events, the gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) march us toward the death of Jesus. He has come for the evil beings and they are now going to come for Him. Unfortunately, for these beings death will not defeat Jesus, it will provide the victory. 

Summary

The ministry of Jesus was not merely one of freeing us from sin (the problem of Genesis 3). It was also to punish the rebellion of Genesis 6 and reclaim the disinherited nations of Genesis 11. Jesus was here to take away sin AND its consequences. His life, ministry, and death accomplished just that.