You know when you watch a TV programme and think you have seen it all, but then you notice something very different? It is the character on the left of the screen, who you have never seen before, but they make all the difference – even changing the sub-plot.
Where it all began?
As we start Lent for this 2023, I wonder if we have never seen the parallels between the Creation myth from Genesis and Jesus’ Temptations in the Wilderness.
We are in the older story of creation within Genesis. Genesis 3:1-7 actually predates Chapter 1’s version. We have mention of Eden. I recall in the war in Kuwait in 2003, I was station at an airbase supporting allied bombing in Iraq. When a tasking order was released, my job was to ensure that the crews were only aware of the mission relevant to them. We also had to ensure that the crews complied with the law – even in war, more so in war. Certain sites were out of bounds. One of them was the Garden of Eden. I wonder if this was a historical desire to protect what archaeologists thought might be the Garden of Eden rather than the actual site. The creation stories come from many millennia prior to the time Genesis was recorded by the 4 or 5 teams of authors.
Garden of Eden
Eden means delight, or luxury or even dainty. The creature that God had created, which we know of as Adam, means comes from the Earth. Within this Garden of Eden, we have the Tree of Knowledge, a place of not just plentiful but boundless produce. It was a metaphor, not that the tree would be there to support those within the Garden but that God was there with them. In the passage we have heard today, we hear of the breakdown in the relationship with God. That link between God and humanity is strained. From this, we now start to even find a breakdown between man and woman – once so in extricably linked but now vulnerable…seen in the nakedness. If they eat of the Tree, they will find delight – all knowledge.
Original Sin
From this story we are introduced to Original Sin, a theory which suggests that God permitted sin to be introduced into humanity, and that this flaw is seen in every one of us. One member of this church recently told me that when they were a child, services were really dreary. They had to sit still, to comply with what society dictated, not able to speak, and they were told that they were sinners, of no value unless God forgave. This is where this comes from. There are alternative understandings: Original Blessing is one.
Oops : Missing
There are some big pointers to counter this. What are we not seeing? Firstly, sin is never mentioned. We equate the Devil with the serpent, who was one of the many gods in Babylonian myths where the story originated but the Devil nor Satan is never mentioned. We are led to believe that Adam and Eve were in fear of God, when throughout Scripture, we are repeatedly told “Do not Fear”. The shame that we perceive is felt by Adam and Eve isn’t also mentioned.
God is asking us not to fear, not to feel shame, but allow our faith in God to enable us to maintain the path. Where we deviate off the pathway whether intentionally or not, if we do, we can return to God, the God of love. With Jesus, we see that articulated in his life, and we desire to follow Jesus in that.
Lent is a time of repentance: not one of shame. It is a time to turn our hearts and minds to God, not to become increasingly sad, through enhanced shame and guilt. This Genesis creation myth provides us with a backdrop that can be misinterpreted. It is one of a breakdown of that relationship between God and us. But, through Lent, we can rebuild and strengthen that bond through giving of time: resting with God, knowing God more.
Where does Jesus fit in with this?
In Lent for Year A (of the Revised Common Lectionary) we are offered perspectives of how Jesus relates to those around him. We may be surprised whether we are focussing upon Satan, Nicodemus, the unnamed woman at the well, an unnamed blind man and Lazarus or …relationships we may have with God – just like the Old Testament passage. What are we not seeing?
Like the Genesis passage, this is not meant to be a literal story but one of metaphorical meaning – the Jewish way of writing was one of exaggeration and metaphor. As we enter into Lent, this story explains the divinity of Jesus, his relationship with God, and how we can see our relationship with God.
Jesus’ Temptations
We have Jesus led by the Spirit, in relationship with God. He is there a long time, 40 : a figure which represents a long time – think of how many days in Lent, the time on the Exodus, Noah’s flood, the time Moses was up Mount Sinai, the time Elijah was on the run. Jesus is in the wilderness. In the 1st C Jews believed that the wilderness was full of evil spirits in the form of animals – hence Mark 1:13 where he mentions beasts. There are parallels with the Genesis story, temptation. What are we not seeing?
The word Devil or Satan is used, but this word means adversary, the one who accuses, the one who opposes, not a being. It was only in the 6th C did we see a red horned creature appear into our understanding, albeit descriptions varied from the 1st C Book of Revelation to the extant literature focusing upon the god of Pan.
You can have it – all of it
Matthew has Jesus responding with Scripture to provide a secure framework for his understanding. It isn’t about Jesus being fearful or having shame but confidence in God. It isn’t about financially prosperity. If Jesus could make boundless loaves of bread, he could feed more than 5000 adults on the side of the hill, but humanity itself at a whim. In the Beatitudes Jesus declares “Blessed are those who hunger for righteousness, for they will be filled”. Jesus declines – as the Son of God, a term referring to the Emperor of the Roman Empire at the time – that he could jump from the highest point of the Temple and survive. The highest point of the Temple was a platform in Jerusalem which was in full visibility of all those within Jerusalem. This isn’t Facebook, Jesus wasn’t there for popularity contests but for people to choose to believe.
Finally, Jesus is offered all that God has made, and knows that it is already available – because he is in relationship with God. And that’s us as well. This isn’t about pride nor power nor possession. Surely we have seen the benefits of that during the Covid crisis. We can feel bloated with self-pride, or that desire for power – seen with some politicians, and possessions which we might buy online at a whim. Relationships ware now seen as vital for our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
But Jesus is King!
But Jesus is not seen in any way as a King as we know on Earth. Pilate asked whether Jesus was King? He expected wealth, political power and military strength – Jesus had none. But Jesus had a relationship with God. God has a kin_dom, a relationship with every one of us.
So what do we do next?
We can know Scripture like it is our natural language but we need to put it into action. As we face battles – and we will – we contemplate with God upon our actions. If prayer is about knowing the mind of God, rather than treating God as a cosmic slot machine – we do good, God answers our wishes, we can find ways of not giving in to following easy victories such as eating the apple but following God.
I found the dialogue interesting and I enjoyed it