Esther 6:1-14

6:1 On that night the king could not sleep, and he gave orders to bring the book of records, the annals, and they were read to the king. 2 It was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had conspired to assassinate King Ahasuerus. 3 Then the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 So the king’s servants told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” The king said, “Let him come in.” 6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, “What shall be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” Haman said to himself, “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” 7 So Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king wishes to honor, 8 let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden, with a royal crown on its head. 9 Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials; let him robe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him conduct the man on horseback through the open square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor.’ ” 10 Then the king said to Haman, “Quickly, take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to the Jew Mordecai who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” 11 So Haman took the robes and the horse and robed Mordecai and led him riding through the open square of the city, proclaiming, “Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor.”

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13 When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is of the Jewish people, you will not prevail against him, but will surely fall before him.”

14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman off to the banquet that Esther had prepared. (Esther 6:1-14, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here with editing and supplement from September 27, 2006 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year Two):

Overnight, between Esther’s two banquets, King Ahasuerus “could not sleep,” and so had “the book of records, the annals,” brought in and read to him (Esth. 6:1). From this he first learned how Mordecai had foiled the conspiracy of two of his eunuchs to assassinate him (v. 2); and so he asked, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The answer was, “Nothing has been done for him” (v. 3). At that opportune moment (in the wee hours?)–opportune for the story line, inopportune for Haman–Haman arrived in the outer court, and was invited in (vv. 4-5). Ironically, Haman had come “to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him” (v. 4). But the king has in mind to honor Mordecai, a point that Haman will only realize at the end of the conversation. The king asks, “What shall be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?” (v. 6a) and Haman presumes that the question is about himself. Who else? “Whom would the king wish to honor more than me?” he thinks (v. 6b). Linda Day points out that “the king’s omission of [Mordecai’s] name parallels Haman’s concealment of the identity of those he intended to annihilate” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Esther 6:6). And so Haman proposes that the king give the man whom he wishes to honor the full royal treatment “For the man whom the king wishes to honor,” says Hamon, “let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden, with a royal crown on its head” (vv. 7b, 8). Not only should the man whom the king wishes to honor be identified by robes with the king himself; there should be public recognition of him. “Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials; let him robe the man whom the king wishes to honor, and let him conduct the man on horseback through the open square of the city, proclaiming before him: ‘Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor’ ” (v. 9).

Haman is certainly surprised, even confounded, when the king directs him to give that royal treatment to Mordecai. “Then the king said to Haman, ‘Quickly, take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to the Jew Mordecai who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned” (v. 10). But in spite of his mortification, he carries out the king’s order. “So Haman took the robes and the horse and robed Mordecai and led him riding through the open square of the city, proclaiming, ‘Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor’ ” (v. 11). The fact that his is the role of “one of the king’s most noble officials” (v. 9) counts for nothing in the shadow of Mordecai’s glory. When this humiliation is over, Haman hurries home in shame. “Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered” (v. 12), “a sign of grief,” says Day, with reference to “2 Sam. 15:30; 19:4; Jer. 14:4; Ezek. 24:17” (ibid., on v. 12). Haman’s wife Zeresh, who earlier proposed that Haman build the gallows for Mordecai (5:14), now interprets the new turn of events. “If Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is of the Jewish people, you will not prevail against him, but will surely fall before him” (v. 13b). In this state of oppression, messages come to bring Haman to Esther’s second banquet. “While they [Haman’s ‘friends’] were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman off to the banquet that Esther had prepared” (v. 14).

The poetic justice by which Haman had to bestow on Mordecai the honours which he had envisaged for himself, is a kind of mental torture preliminary to his execution which the next chapter brings. Haman, having carried out the king’s orders and sent Mordecai forth on his procession through the city, returned home in deep depression to his not too sympathetic wife and friends. In such a state of gloom he might have forgotten his dinner with the queen had not the servants come to call for him. (L. E. Brown, Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962, reprint 1972, sec. 333f, p. 384 on Esth. chap. 6).

Judith 10:1-23

Judith Prepares to Go to Holofernes

10:1 When Judith had stopped crying out to the God of Israel, and had ended all these words, 2 she rose from where she lay prostrate. She called her maid and went down into the house where she lived on sabbaths and on her festal days. 3 She removed the sackcloth she had been wearing, took off her widow’s garments, bathed her body with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment. She combed her hair, put on a tiara, and dressed herself in the festive attire that she used to wear while her husband Manasseh was living. 4 She put sandals on her feet, and put on her anklets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and all her other jewelry. Thus she made herself very beautiful, to entice the eyes of all the men who might see her. 5 She gave her maid a skin of wine and a flask of oil, and filled a bag with roasted grain, dried fig cakes, and fine bread; then she wrapped up all her dishes and gave them to her to carry.

6 Then they went out to the town gate of Bethulia and found Uzziah standing there with the elders of the town, Chabris and Charmis. 7 When they saw her transformed in appearance and dressed differently, they were very greatly astounded at her beauty and said to her, 8 “May the God of our ancestors grant you favor and fulfill your plans, so that the people of Israel may glory and Jerusalem may be exalted.” She bowed down to God.

9 Then she said to them, “Order the gate of the town to be opened for me so that I may go out and accomplish the things you have just said to me.” So they ordered the young men to open the gate for her, as she requested. 10 When they had done this, Judith went out, accompanied by her maid. The men of the town watched her until she had gone down the mountain and passed through the valley, where they lost sight of her.

Judith Is Captured

11 As the women were going straight on through the valley, an Assyrian patrol met her 12 and took her into custody. They asked her, “To what people do you belong, and where are you coming from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I am a daughter of the Hebrews, but I am fleeing from them, for they are about to be handed over to you to be devoured. 13 I am on my way to see Holofernes the commander of your army, to give him a true report; I will show him a way by which he can go and capture all the hill country without losing one of his men, captured or slain.”

14 When the men heard her words, and observed her face--she was in their eyes marvelously beautiful--they said to her, 15 “You have saved your life by hurrying down to see our lord. Go at once to his tent; some of us will escort you and hand you over to him. 16 When you stand before him, have no fear in your heart, but tell him what you have just said, and he will treat you well.”

17 They chose from their number a hundred men to accompany her and her maid, and they brought them to the tent of Holofernes. 18 There was great excitement in the whole camp, for her arrival was reported from tent to tent. They came and gathered around her as she stood outside the tent of Holofernes, waiting until they told him about her. 19 They marveled at her beauty and admired the Israelites, judging them by her. They said to one another, “Who can despise these people, who have women like this among them? It is not wise to leave one of their men alive, for if we let them go they will be able to beguile the whole world!”

Judith Is Brought before Holofernes

20 Then the guards of Holofernes and all his servants came out and led her into the tent. 21 Holofernes was resting on his bed under a canopy that was woven with purple and gold, emeralds and other precious stones. 22 When they told him of her, he came to the front of the tent, with silver lamps carried before him. 23 When Judith came into the presence of Holofernes and his servants, they all marveled at the beauty of her face. She prostrated herself and did obeisance to him, but his slaves raised her up. (Judith 10:1-23, NRSV)

The following comments are repeated here from September 27, 2006 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year Two):

After Judith’s prayer for deliverance of Israel (Judith, chap. 9), which includes confidence in her plans (cf. 9:10), she transforms herself from the penitential mourner in sackcloth and widow’s garments into the beautiful lady that will certainly attract Holofernes’ attention. She “bathed her body with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment. She combed her hair, put on a tiara, and dressed herself in the festive attire that she used to wear while her husband Manasseh was living. She put sandals on her feet, and put on her anklets, bracelets, rings, earrings, and all her other jewelry. Thus she made herself very beautiful, to entice the eyes of all the men who might see her” (vv. 3b, 4). Her preparations include food and dishes, “for cooking her food in accordance with Jewish dietary laws” (Linda Day, NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Judith 10:5). As she leaves the town with her maid, Uzziah and the elders of Bethulia are most impressed with her beauty (vv. 6-7), and apparently understand her mission very well, saying, ““May the God of our ancestors grant you favor and fulfill your plans, so that the people of Israel may glory and Jerusalem may be exalted” (v. 8). She orders that the gate be opened (v. 9), and as she leaves the men’s eyes follow her as far as they can.

In the valley, she and her maid are taken into custody by an Assyrian patrol (vv. 11, 12a) to whom she explains, “I am a daughter of the Hebrews, but I am fleeing from them, for they are about to be handed over to you to be devoured” (v. 12b). She claims to have information for Holofernes, showing “him a way by which he can go and capture all the hill country without losing one of his men, captured or slain” (v. 13). Her words and “her face–she was in their eyes marvelously beautiful”–convince the Assyrians (v. 14). She is reassured by them, brought to camp “to see our lord” (i.e. Holofernes), and directed not to fear but “tell him what you have said,” for if she does so, “he will treat you well” (vv. 15-16). Her arrival at the camp brings “great excitement,” for all the men react to her beauty as the patrol reacted (v. 18). Their admiration of her beauty spreads to admiration of the Israelites, but not with the result admiration should bring. “Who can despise these people, who have women like this among them? It is not wise to leave one of their men alive, for if we let them go they will be able to beguile the whole world” (v. 19). Ironically, it is they who are being beguiled. According to Day, “the Assyrians’ overreaction is one of the humorous moments of the story” (ibid., on Judith 10:19).

As Judith is brought into the tent of Holofernes, he is “resting on his bed under a canopy that was woven with purple and gold, emeralds and other precious stones” (v. 21). But he comes forward (v. 22), and in “the presence of Holofernes and his servants, they all marveled at the beauty of her face” (v. 23a); nevertheless, she remembers to defer to one in high office as she prostrates herself and does obeisance to him, but his slaves bring her to her feet (v. 23b). Holofernes clearly is included among the “all” who “marveled at the beauty of her face,” but for now at least, he maintains the formality of the situation. He will welcome her (11:4) and accept her explanation of her departure from Israel (11:5-19, cf. the response of Holofernes (11:20-23). Little does he really know about what awaits him!

Acts 19:1-10

Paul in Ephesus

19:1 While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied- 7 altogether there were about twelve of them.

8 He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord. (Acts 19:1-10, NRSV)

On August 8, 2007 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to August 3, Year One), comments were based on those of September 27, 2006 (Wednesday in the week of the Sunday closest to September 21, Year Two), and the relevant portion of comments on Acts 18:24-19:7 from October 23, 2005 (the Sunday closest to October 23, Year One). The comments of August 8, 2007, are repeated again here:

According to Acts, this reading brings us to Paul’s first extended stay in Ephesus. He was there earlier briefly and left Priscilla and Aquila there (Acts 18:19a), and even had a brief “discussion with the Jews” in the synagogue (v. 19b), but declined the invitation to stay longer (v. 20), apparently because he wanted to visit “home bases” in Caesarea, Jerusalem and Antioch (v. 22), though he did promise to return to Ephesus “if God wills” (v. 21). In 1 Corinthians, Paul says he will “stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Cor. 16:8-9). Establishing the work in Corinth and Ephesus, where he spent more than two years (cf. Acts 19:10) represents two of Paul’s major achievements during the decade of the fifties, the period of his life about which we are best informed.

Paul’s first issue at Ephesus was apparently some correction of work done by Apollos. Even though Apollos has preached in Ephesus, and has been instructed by Priscilla and Aquila, when Paul arrives in Ephesus, he is told, “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2). This was in response to his question, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” (v. 2). These “disciples” (v. 1) were apparently only baptized “into John’s baptism” (v. 3). Paul tells these believers, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus” (v. 4). They respond immediately and are “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (v. 5). When Paul lays his hands on this group of “about twelve” (v. 7), they experience their own Pentecost, for “the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (v. 6; cf. 2:4; 10:44-46, as interpreted by 11:15 and 15:8-9).

Paul’s question for them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” (v. 2a, NRSV), has been variously translated. The Greek text, translated very literally, is “Having believed (pisteuvsanteV, pisteusantes), did you receive ( ejlavbete, elabete) the Holy Spirit?” The Greek word translated “having believed” (pisteuvsanteV, pisteusantes) is an aorist tense participle, and the main verb, “did you receive” ( ejlavbete, elabete) is in the aorist–or simple past–tense. The usual rule is that an aorist tense participle refers to action prior to the action of the main verb, which would support the translation in the King James Version, and those who see Paul as referring here to a second work of grace, baptism with the Holy Spirit, as subsequent to initial conversion with its “baptism of repentance.” A literal translation, “Having believed (pisteuvsanteV, pisteusantes, aorist participle), did you receive the Holy Spirit?” is expressed by the Authorized Version as “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye became believers?” (AV/KJV). The New International Version puts the former understanding in the text and the latter in a footnote: “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when [note a: ‘after’ NIV] you believed?” (NIV, TNIV). In some sense, all Christian believers have the Holy Spirit: “But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Rom. 8:9). But some Christians understand the baptism with the Holy Spirit to be a deeper life experience subsequent to initial Christian conversion. For them, the translation, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit after you believed?” (NIV note, TNIV note, cf. AV/KJV text) would better describe their understanding.

So understanding this text to refer to an experience of deeper spiritual life, or a second work of grace for the believer has merit, but there are other considerations. Sometimes the aorist participle and the aorist main verb are not clearly different in time. A notable example is the common expression, “answered and said,” as in Matthew 4:4, “But he [Jesus] answered and said” (KJV, for “But he having answered [aorist participle], said,” in a literal translation of the Greek; “But he answered,” NRSV). A recent book on Greek grammar does not really decide between the two options for translating here. “The aorist participle, for example, usually denotes antecedent time to that of the controlling verb. But if the main verb is also aorist [as it is in Acts 19:2], this participle may indicate contemporaneous time” (Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar: Beyond the Basics, 1995, p. 614). In a footnote, Wallace adds, “From my cursory examination of the data, the aorist participle is more frequently contemporaneous in the epistles than in narrative literature” (p. 614, n. 2). For us, the important question is not so much when and how, or how many, were your Christian experiences “back then,” but are you living in the Spirit, filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18b) now?

So the NRSV translation of Acts 19:2, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” doesn’t rule out a sequence such as, “Having believed, did you then subsequently receive the Holy Spirit?” but neither does it clearly indicate such a sequence. John Wesley’s comments are worth quoting:

Have ye received the Holy Ghost? - The extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, as well as his sanctifying graces? We have not so much as heard - Whether there be any such gifts. (Wesley on Acts 19:2, http://wesley.nnu.edu/john_wesley/notes/acts.htm#Chapter+XIX, accessed again Sept. 23, 2008; you may need to copy and paste the URL)

Into what were ye baptized - Into what dispensation? To the sealing of what doctrine? Into John's baptism - We were baptized by John and believe what he taught. (Wesley on v. 3)

John baptized - That is, the whole baptism and preaching of John pointed at Christ. After this John is mentioned no more in the New Testament. Here he gives way to Christ altogether. (Wesley on v. 4)

And hearing this, they were baptized - By some other. Paul only laid his hands upon them. They were baptized - They were baptized twice; but not with the same baptism. John did not administer that baptism which Christ afterward commanded, that is, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. (Wesley on v. 5)

Wesley apparently understands this not as a reference to two works of grace within the normal Christian way of conversion, but a full realization of that to which John could still only anticipate in the future. Someone once told me that Billy Graham was once speaking to an interdenominational group of ministers with differing views on such matters. He said, “One thing is clear, and we can all agree on that, the Bible says, ‘Be filled with the Spirit.’” The key question is not, What have you experienced in the past? but How is it with you now? Is your heart right? Are you finding ways to put your faith to work?

In the final paragraph of today’s reading, Paul begins an extensive period of ministry in Ephesus, with the support and assistance undoubtedly of these twelve who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Paul “entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God” (v. 8). As earlier in other places, Paul meets some resistance, causing him to change the location of his work. “When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus” (v. 9). The reference to “the Way,” is, of course, the way Christian believers referred to their faith in Christ at this time (cf. 9:1-2). “For the first time,” says Beverly Roberts Gaventa, “Luke specifies that Paul takes believers with him when he separates from the synagogue” (HarperCollins Study Bible, rev. ed., 2006, on Acts 19:9). “Tyrannus,” says Christopher R. Matthews, was “perhaps a local philosopher; the name appears in inscriptions in Ephesus” (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Acts 19:9). According to a few manuscripts (D 614 1409 and a few old Latin mss.), the time of Paul’s lectures in the hall of Tyrannus was “from eleven o’clock in the morning to four in the afternoon” (cf. NRSV text note a). Matthews says that “the hours mentioned in [NRSV] note a suggest the building was available to Paul during siesta time” (ibid.). “This continued for two years,” says Luke, “ so that all the residents of Asia, both Jews and Greeks, heard the word of the Lord” (v. 10). Matthews, in reference to Luke’s summary here, calls attention to “the churches of Rev. 2-3,” located in the Roman province of Asia, of which Ephesus was the major city (ibid., on v. 10).

Luke 4:1-13

The Temptation of Jesus (Mt 4.1-11; Mk 1.12-13)

4:1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. 3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” 4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.’ “

5 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6 And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,

and serve only him.’”

9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,

to protect you,’

11 and

‘On their hands they will bear you up,

so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ “

12 Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:1-13, NRSV)

On April 21, 2007 (Saturday in the week of the Second Sunday of Easter, Year One), comments were repeated with revision and supplement from April 9, 2005, (Saturday in the week of the Second Sunday of Easter, Year One). The comments are repeated here. For parallel accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke, see the separate file, Temptation of Jesus.

Luke’s account of the Temptation of Jesus begins with a connection to his baptism by John when “the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove” (Lk. 3:22). He “was led (h[geto, ēgeto, cf. ajnhvcqh, anēchthē, ‘was led,’ Mt. 4:1) by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil” (4:1-2). Luke (and Matthew as well) apparently avoided Mark’s verb, “drove” ( ejkbavllei, ekballei). The connection is implicit in Mark’s adverb “immediately” (eujqu;V, euthys) and Matthew’s “then” (tovte, tote). After the temptations, Luke reports that Jesus returns to Galilee “filled with the power of the Spirit” (v. 14) and the devil “departed from him until an opportune time” (v. 13, cf. 22:3, 31, 53). Luke has already reported the arrest of John (3:18-20) which Mark and Matthew include in their report of Jesus’ return to Galilee. “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news’” (Mk. 1:14-15; cf. Mt. 4:12, 17).

The account of three temptations is presented only in Matthew and Luke, apparently from another source than Mark (commonly called “Q”). Although the order differs–Matthew’s second temptation is Luke’s third–these accounts are quite similar. Whereas Mark refers once to “Satan” (Mk. 1:13), Luke refers consistently to “the devil” (Lk. 4:2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 13). Matthew refers to “the devil” at the outset (Mt. 4:1), whom he calls “the tempter” once (v. 3), and “Satan” at the end (v. 8), but “the devil” twice (vv. 5, 8). Matthew presents a fuller version of Jesus’ quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3 (Mt. 4:4; cf. Lk. 4:4). Matthew refers to “the holy city” (Mt.4:5) where Luke refers to “Jerusalem” (Lk. 4:9). In quoting Psalm 91:11-12, Luke includes “to protect you” (Lk. 4:10, omitted by Mt. 4:6). Matthew uses “again” (pavlin, palin) twice (Mt. 4:7, cf. kaiv, kai [‘and,’ omitted NRSV], Lk. 4:12; Mt. 4:8, for which Luke has “then” [NRSV for kaiv, kai, lit. ‘and’]).

So far, the differences in wording are rather trivial, but in the temptation accounts about “all the kingdoms of the world” (Mt. 4:8-10; Lk. 4:5-8), the third in Matthew’s order, the second in Luke’s, have different emphases. Matthew refers to “a very high mountain,” and to “all the kingdoms of the world,” he adds “and their splendor” (Mt. 4:8). To the words, “showed him,” Luke adds “in an instant” (Lk. 4:5). In Luke’s account, the devil’s offer is more elaborate. “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours” (Lk. 4:6-7). For this, Matthew simply has, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me” (Mt. 4:9), but he has Jesus dismiss Satan summarily. “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, / and serve only him’ ” (Mt. 4:10). Luke’s version lacks, “Away with you, Satan!” (Lk. 4:8). But Luke seems to be tracking the devil. “When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time” (Lk. 4:13). Marion Lloyd Soards notes the connection here with Luke 22:3 (NOAB, 3^rd ed., 2001, on Lk. 4:13), with its reference to the betrayal by Judas: “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve” (Lk. 22:3).

So Jesus is faced with three temptations of the kind which, for us, would mean that we turn away from trust in God for “our daily bread” (Lk. 4:3-4; Mt. 4:3-4) as we are instructed to pray in the Lord’s Prayer (Lk. 11:3; Mt. 6:11), we seek for power and honor in the world at any cost, specifically the cost of worshiping Satan (Lk. 4:5-8; Mt. 4:8-11), and we presume to put God to the test (Lk. 4:9-12; Mt. 4:5-7). In every instance Jesus counters the devil’s temptations by quoting scripture. Perhaps the devil quoted scripture with the third temptation (in Luke’s order) out of frustration with his lack of success to that point. In any case, Jesus provides an example for us as we face temptation.

Ronald D. Worden, Ph.D.

rdworden@hgst.edu

deanworden@comcast.net