Click here to read part one.
Click here to read part two.

The man had been squatting in front of Jesus. He moved away and sat with his back against the opposite side of the cave. He stared at Jesus. Jesus looked back at him calmly. The man’s face began to change a little. His smile became slightly awkward, as if he were forcing it. Lines of anger appeared on his forehead. The man sighed.

“Well, I don’t suppose there’s any use arguing with a man who just fasted for 40 days. Obviously bread’s not the way to… You know, I agree with you in principle. I still think there would be no harm in having a little bread, just to give you strength to get back to town. But never mind. Okay. Right. And good for you. I admire your principles.”

The two sat staring at each other. Then the man perked up and got excited again.

“I also admire your considerable knowledge of scripture. A man of the Word, are we? Well, I have another idea for you. A wonderful idea. A way to start your work in these parts with a bang.”

He paused.

“And the best part is, this idea comes right out of the Bible.”

Part Three

Jesus looked at him, curious as to what he would say.

“I was just thinking about that marvelous verse you quoted. Deuteronomy, yes? The children of Israel, wandering in the wilderness for all those years. So hungry. Relying only on manna. And why? To learn the lesson you just quoted. “Human beings cannot live by bread alone but are sustained by every word that comes from the mouth of the Almighty.”

“If you intend to sustain yourself on every word that comes from the mouth of God, so be it. Let me offer you a word from the scriptures. A word we might say, from the mouth of God.”

“Psalm 91 - One of my personal favorites. How does it go again?”

The man closed his eyes and pressed his palms together as if in prayer. He bumped his thumbs repeatedly against his lip.

“Oh yes, I remember. ‘Whoever sits in the refuge of the Most High shall dwell in the shade of the Almighty. No evil will befall you, nor any plague come near you. He will charge his angels, concerning you, and they will catch you and lift you up, lest you strike even your heel against a stone.’”

“Lovely verse. So hopeful. So ridiculously hopeful in light of the considerable evil that has befallen the woeful children of Israel over the years. But never mind that. The point is, do you intend to stand by your claim? Will you indeed live by every word that comes from the mouth of God?”

“Of course,” said Jesus.

The man smiled. “I expected nothing less.”

“Well then, here is my idea. You know the top of the temple mount? Well, of course you do. The corner by the wall. The one with the terrifying drop - down, down, down, into the Kidron valley. Why it must be three or four hundred feet to the bottom.”

The man’s eyes came alive. He leaned forward and put his hands on the ground so that he was on all fours. He moved toward Jesus like a cat stalking its prey.

“Now what you and I will do is go there at a prearranged time. We’ll announce that you’re going to give a speech or sermon or devotion or whatever. One of those things you people like to do. Then, after a dramatic pause, you’ll LEAP from the temple, falling to what seems to be a certain death.”

He moved a little closer to Jesus, still on all fours.

“Only you won’t die. Because God won’t allow it. You are a favored son. Set apart, remember? If anyone sits in the refuge of the Lord God Most High, it is you, Jesus. There is no way any harm will come to you. Angels will swoop out of the heavens and catch you just in the nick of time. The Bible says so, and you’ve said you believe it. The people will be amazed and astounded. They will flock to you by the thousands.”

The man lifted his hands from the ground and sat back, cross-legged, right in front of Jesus. He looked up and away, as if he was planning something. He tapped his index finger against his lips a few times.

“We’ll do it, say, a week before Passover. Wouldn’t want to take attention away from such an important event. That would be tacky. But the crowds will already be there. I tell you, there is no better way for a young rabbi to establish a reputation and gain a following than by performing some sort of miracle like this. The people LOVE this sort of thing. They will love YOU. Why preach your message to dozens when you can bring the word of God to thousands?”

He was breathing deeply, as if he had been running. He swallowed hard a couple of times.

“That’s what can happen if you really ARE a man of Scripture. If you really WANT to do the work of God. If you really want to make a DIFFERENCE. If you really intend to LIVE by the words of God. I mean, you do believe in the Bible don’t you?”

Jesus stared at his feet for a moment or two. Then he lifted his eyes to look at the man before him. He struggled to sit forward and leaned toward the man.

“You dare quote the holy scriptures to me? You choose a couple of verses from a Psalm, drag them kicking and screaming out of their context, and throw them at my feet with such a blatantly self-serving interpretation? You expect me to fall for such juvenile Biblical chicanery?”

Jesus took a deep breath and struggled to stand. It took him several seconds but he managed to get to his feet. At first it almost looked as if he would fall over. The man stared at him.

And then it seemed that Jesus gained some strength. He took a step toward the man.

“You quote to me from the Psalms. Hear now while I quote from the Shema, the very heart of scripture, indeed the holiest reflection of truth at the heart of God.”

Jesus took a another step toward the man, who scrambled to his feet and stood defiantly across the cave.

“Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God is the Lord, the One and Only. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and with all the strength you can muster.”

Jesus took a step forward.

“TEACH these things to your children.”

He took another step.

“SAY them at home and when you walk and when you rise and when you go to bed.”

Another step.

“BIND these words to your arm and between your eyes. WRITE them on the doorposts of your home.”

Jesus took a last step. He and the man were face to face.

“And you SHALL NOT put the Lord your God to the test!”

The two stood staring at each other. The man’s face seemed to shimmer a bit. His eyes grew cold and hard. His smile disappeared. He no longer looked like Jesus. He looked like an obscene approximation of a man. He had a face and a body, but something was terribly wrong about him. Anger flashed in his eyes. He bared his teeth.

Jesus looked at him with obvious disgust. He turned away and began to walk back to his side of the cave.

He took two steps and the man cried out.

“Wait!

Jesus stopped but did not turn around to face the man.

“Listen to me,” he said. “Close your eyes and I want you to imagine all the kingdoms of the world. Every throne from the East to the West. All of the riches of Rome and all of her power. Beautiful and exotic women from around the world will throw themselves at your feet. Kings will bow before you. All of this I can give you if you will come back here, bow at my feet, and worship me!”

Jesus stood, frozen in place with his back to the man. Suddenly his shoulders began to shake. He bent over. His chest heaved, and it sounded like he was coughing.

Instantly the man’s countenance changed. His face softened and his voice became oily smooth.

“There there, Jesus. I know you are famished, hungry, and weak. We’re almost done. Just one final step and you shall receive every nourishment and pleasure that you desire.”

Jesus’ shoulders shook harder. The man frowned and his eyes narrowed. The sounds coming from Jesus began to make sense. He was laughing. Laughing as hard as he could. He turned around, still bent over with one hand on his knee. He lifted his other hand toward the man and looked up as if he was going to say something, then he doubled over and collapsed into laughter again.

He managed to gain control of himself for a second, but when he looked up at the man he burst into giggles once more.

The man across the cave looked completely stunned.

“I’m sorry,” said Jesus in between laughs. “I’m trying to…” He burst into another round of wheezing laughs. “I’m trying not to laugh, but it’s so funny.”

“What?” said the man in a flat, irritated tone.

Slowly Jesus’ laughter subsided. He stood and faced the man. His smile seemed to fill his entire face.

“It’s just…so ridiculous. I spend 40 days here with no food. Only the presence of God and the simple help of my friend to sustain me. I refuse food from you. I refuse to join you in that absurd attempt to garner fame for myself. I quote to you from our most sacred scriptures. But somehow you think I’m going to bow down and worship you?”

Jesus’ face grew solemn.

“Did you really think that was going to happen…Satan?”

At the mention of his name, the man seemed to shrink. He became hunched over and began edging toward the opening of the cave.

Jesus walked toward him.

“Every time I said no to you it was easier than the time before. And with each of your offers it became more clear who you are and what you want. Leave me. Now!”

In that instant, the man disappeared.

Jesus stood looking at the opening of the cave. Exhaustion overcame him, and he fell to the floor.

He heard footsteps coming from outside the cave. Jesus lifted his head and saw his friend arrive at the mouth of the cave with bread and water and a blanket. The man rushed to his side.

“Easy now, my friend. Lay back. I’m here, and it’s over. You did it. Forty days.”

The man broke off a piece of bread and poured water over it, softening it. He pushed the bread gently into Jesus’ mouth. Jesus close his eyes, chewed with pleasure, and swallowed.

“One more,” the man said and put another piece of bread in Jesus’ mouth.

Jesus whole body relaxed with pleasure.

“That is SO good.”

They sat together in silence. Jesus was chewing and the man was cradling Jesus’ head in his arms.

“That’s all you should eat for now. We’ll go slowly, and I won’t leave you until you’re ready to walk. I’ll do for you as I’ve done for many desert pilgrims and what was done for me long ago.”

“Thank you.”

Jesus closed his eyes and began to fall asleep. Suddenly his eyes popped open again and he looked up at the man.

“Did you meet a man on the way here? Did he speak to you or delay you in coming? Did you hear voices when you came near the cave?”

“No,” said the man. He looked closely into Jesus’ eyes.

“Did YOU meet a man? Did YOU hear voices?”

Jesus closed his eyes and a very quiet and small smile came onto his face.

“I heard everything I was meant to hear.”

rlp

Note: Those who are familiar with this story will notice that I greatly expanded the quotations of scripture from both Satan and Jesus. In putting this story together I was faced with a difficulty. Knowledge of the context and nature of the scriptures quoted by Satan and Jesus is critical to the meaning of the story. Most modern people would not recognize or understand the difference between a verse from the Psalms and one from Deuteronomy chapter 6, the passage that is known as the Shema. In order to make that meaning and context clear, I had both of them quote more extensive passages of scripture than is in the original story.

Matthew 4:1-11

Note: Podcast Audio File Below

Click here to read part one.

The man stared at him quietly, then pulled his hands away from each other and brought them together in a sharp clap. The sound was so harsh and loud to him after living in silence that his whole body convulsed. The man clapped again. And again. And again. The time interval between claps grew less and less until it became applause. A huge smile broke out across the man’s face. It was the nicest, most sincere smile he had ever seen.

“Hello Jesus.”

Jesus’ mouth fell open in shock and surprise. His heart began to race. The man’s face grew solemn and he tilted his head a little to the right. His lips pouted with concern.

“I can tell by your face that you weren’t expecting me. I hope I’m not intruding on your little vision-quest or whatever it is you’re doing out here in this God-forsaken place.”

Part Two:

The man stepped forward, ducking his head, and entered the cave. He took a step or two toward Jesus, then stopped. His eyes moved to Jesus’ feet and side to side as he looked at his arms. Then he returned his gaze to Jesus’ face. He exhaled loudly and deliberately.

“My God, what HAVE you done to yourself?”

He stepped forward and knelt beside Jesus, who was still sitting with his back to the wall. Jesus didn’t move. The man rubbed the edge of Jesus’ filthy robe between his thumb and forefinger, clucking his tongue and shaking his head. He then looked as his fingers distastefully, as though something nasty was on them. He glanced around, spotted a nearby rock, and wiped his fingers on it.

He sighed again, loudly.

“Look at your arms, your legs. Oh my God, your poor feet. What happened to your sandals?

Jesus said nothing. He stared straight ahead.

The man laid his hand on Jesus’ cheek and bent his head down, putting his eyes in front of where Jesus was staring, trying to get Jesus to look at him. Jesus obliged him by shifting his eyes and looking directly into his.

“Jesus, you look like death. Your face is so drawn. I think I can see your ribs through your robe, or whatever is left of it.”

His long hair fell forward in front of Jesus’ face. The scent of fragrant oil was heavy in the air. Jesus reached up and rubbed the man’s hair between his fingers. He stared at the oil on his hand and brought his fingers to his nose.

The man smiled.

“Like it? It’s pure nard. A whole flask of it. It’s outrageously extravagant, I’ll admit. But the ladies do love it.”

He flashed his perfect smile again and sat on the ground a few feet from Jesus. His face became serious.

“You know, I’ve been against this fasting business from the start. I remember when we first started seeing it. Oh, it’s one thing when you’re grieving, I suppose, but these religious quests out here in the wilderness - that’s just ridiculous. Fools have been coming out here for years. What it does for them I’ll never know. Perhaps the masses need their punishments. They feel good if they can offer a pound of flesh for their sins. But you, Jesus - you know better. You know there is no sin in the body and its needs. You surprise me. I thought you were more clever than this.”

Jesus opened his cracked lips and whispered, “My friend is coming with bread.”

“Yes, I saw your friend on the way here. A nice man with loaves of bread in a little knapsack. I’m afraid he won’t be coming. He’s otherwise engaged. A little problem at home, I think. I assured him I would take good care of you.”

Jesus’ face remained slack and void of expression. When he spoke he didn’t have the energy to put much expression into his words. All he could muster was a weak monotone.

“I know you, who you are. What have you to do with me?”

“You know me?” The man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t think we’ve ever met. Well, if you know me, what’s my name?”

Jesus turned his eyes away and stared straight ahead, saying nothing.

The big smile returned. “Don’t want to say it, huh? Suit yourself. Say, I bet you’re hungry. Why don’t we eat something.”

The man got up and walked out of the cave. He returned seconds later with a fresh, hot loaf of bread. He sat down across from Jesus and slowly pulled the loaf apart, tearing it down the middle. The smell of bread filled the cave. Something in the base of Jesus’ tongue seized and his mouth tingled and filled with saliva. He licked his lips.

The man took a bite out of the loaf and chewed it with obvious pleasure.

“Oh, absolutely delicious. It’s from that little bakery by the well. You know the one? The little lady with the limp and the outdoor oven. She does make good bread.”

He took another bite, chewed it deliberately, then swallowed.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but it is supper time. And there are rules, you know. I’m not allowed to touch you or harm you in any way. Unfortunately, that means I can’t give you anything. Not yet anyway. Trust me, if I could I would have brought you a fresh robe, a bucket of water, and a sponge.”

He emphasized the word sponge in a strange way. He drew it out a little too long and hit the final consonant too hard. Jesus looked at him and there was a glimmer of malice in his expression. His smile covered it up almost immediately.

Jesus licked his lips again.

“Oh listen, there’s no reason for all this fuss and suffering. I can’t give you any bread, but you can make your own.”

The man looked around and took up a large, smooth stone, roughly the size of a loaf of bread. He tossed it at the feet of Jesus.”

“Turn that stone into bread.”

Jesus looked at him quizzically.

“I assure you, you can. You have the faith for it. You’re special. What was it she said to you?”

He paused, thinking.

“‘Set apart.’ That’s what she said. You’ve been set apart for great things, Jesus. You have the gift of faith. Great faith. I know it when I see it. With your faith you could probably move this whole mountain. You can turn a stone into bread.”

Jesus stared at the stone on the ground and said nothing.

The man became excited and began to speak faster.

“Think of it. A man who can turn stones to bread. Why, the people would flock to your side. Give them a leader who can feed them, and they will follow you right to the gates of hell if you asked them. The great rabbi Jesus who fed the hungry and the poor. Use your power, for goodness sake. Your fast is over. You made it. 40 days have come and gone. Nothing wrong with eating now.”

He paused and then spat out a command.

“Turn that stone into bread. Do it. Take it and serve yourself.”

There was a slight echo in the cave, and Jesus heard that last phrase softly repeated.

“Serve yourself.”

“No.” He said. “Perhaps I have this power of which you speak. But it doesn’t feel right to use it to serve myself. I don’t need the bread that badly. I can wait until we get to town.”

“But why not?” the man asked impatiently. “What’s the harm in a little loaf of bread?”

Jesus closed his eyes.

“Because I won’t even start down that road - the road of serving myself. Anyway, the scriptures say that people do not live by bread alone, but are fed by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

The man had been squatting in front of Jesus. He moved away and sat with his back against the opposite side of the cave. He stared at Jesus. Jesus looked back at him calmly. The man’s face began to change a little. His smile became slightly awkward, as if he were forcing it. Lines of anger appeared on his forehead. The man sighed.

“Well, I don’t suppose there’s any use arguing with a man who just fasted for 40 days. Obviously bread’s not the way to… You know, I agree with you in principle. I still think there would be no harm in having a little bread, just to give you strength to get back to town. But never mind. Okay. Right. And good for you. I admire your principles.”

The two sat staring at each other. Then the man perked up and got excited again.

“I also admire your considerable knowledge of scripture. A man of the Word, are we? Well, I have another idea for you. A wonderful idea. A way to start your work in these parts with a bang.”

He paused.

“And the best part is, this idea comes right out of the Bible.”

rlp

Part Three Coming Soon...

Note: Podcast Audio File Below

RLPDV scripture story

And immediately the Spirit cast him out into a desolate and lonely place. And he was in this wilderness forty days, being tempted by the Satan. And he was with the wild beasts. And the angels cared for him.
==================Mark 1:13

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.
==================Matthew 4:1-2

Part One

As a boy he watched them leaving Nazareth, wearing their white robes and going into the most desolate country they could find. They would be gone for days and then return, famished and sometimes wounded. But their faces shone with wisdom and secret knowledge.

He asked his father who these people were and what they did.

“They are the Essenes. They are a holy people, and they go to be alone and with God and to seek visions and dreams. It is not a thing for a married man, nor a father, nor anyone who is a part of the community.” He waved his hand around to indicate the town.

“It is good to be one of them, but it is also good to be a man and work and have children.”

“Will I be one of them someday?”

Joseph paused and tugged at his beard.

“I don’t know. The Spirit of God will either lead you there or keep you here. It is in the hands of the Lord.”

**********

The first day his hunger was a mild but constant reminder of what he faced in the coming days. The desert was a strange place to him. He wandered the barren hills wearing the clean, white robe of a pilgrim. He picked up rocks and wild plants, holding them thoughtfully and then tossing them aside. He found a shallow cave in one of the hills and said, “This is where I will sleep.” He took a red cloth from inside his robe, tied it to a rock, and placed it on top of a boulder where his friend could see it from the path below.

The second day seemed eternally long. He said every prayer he could remember, but he heard nothing in return. When his friend arrived to drop off water, he waved to indicate he was okay. His friend waved back and set a jug of water down about 50 yards from the cave. Later boredom set in. He fidgeted, paced, and began talking to himself. At night he heard the sounds of wild animals. Scratching and snuffling and digging noises came from the darkness. He was afraid and could not sleep.

On the fourth day he was surprised when the hunger pains left him. When he tried to stand, he became light-headed. He spent most of his time sitting in the shade, quoting from the Psalms and talking out loud. It was nice to hear a human voice, even if it was his own. By the end of the day he couldn’t tell the difference between talking to himself and talking to God.

After seven days, pain returned to him. He wept during the day. At night he rocked back and forth, saying, “I cannot do this. I cannot do this. I cannot do this.” Hunger slowly took over every part of his mind, mocking him and jabbing at him with sharp pangs. He could hardly concentrate on his prayers, because he kept daydreaming about food. He felt spiritually weak and his prayers turned confessional and apologetic.

On the 15th day he was calm. He hardly moved at all. He never saw his friend arrive and was surprised when he found a jug of water at his feet.

He lost track of days after that. His friend began leaving chips of wood with numbers written on them - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. His defecation had ceased many days before. Once or twice a day he would crawl to the ledge in front of his cave and lay on his side, urinating onto the rocks below.

On the 25th day he saw his first vision. His father wrestled with a gaunt and starving man who was wearing nothing but a loincloth. Though Joseph was much stronger and seemed to be winning the struggle, the gaunt man suddenly plunged his thumbs into his father’s eyes. Joseph cried out and fell to his knees, blood streaming from his eye sockets. The gaunt man opened his mouth and a cackling laughter came out. He fumbled at the front of his loincloth, feeling for something and not finding it. He ripped away his loincloth and there was blood. He howled in grief.

“I gave my body, and now even my manhood is gone. I have been unmade. I am fit for NOTHING.”

The sound of the last word echoed through the hills, and he realized that he had shouted it himself. He wept with his head nodding forward.

After that the visions came quickly, one after another. His dreams at night merged with dreams during the day. Every manner of good and evil appeared before him. Dancing women in scant clothing, priests and merchants, banquet tables filled with fruits, breads, and meat. Thick, purple robes and golden coins floated just outside his grasp. At the end of each day the gaunt man would come, wiggling his bloody thumbs and frightening away the people in the visions. Naked and howling, he turned over the tables of food, screaming with rage.

On the day the wood chip had 37 written upon it, a woman appeared to him. He no longer knew the difference between reality and vision. She bathed his forehead in cool water and whispered comforting words to him as though he was a child. His hands clutched at her robe and he lay his head in her lap, sobbing. She leaned down and whispered in his ear.

“The Lord God Most High has given two words to you.”

He turned his head and her face was only inches away. She was clean and beautiful and she smelled like frankincense. She smiled and said, “Set Apart.”

And then she was gone.

For 24 hours he said those two words over and over.

“Set apart.”

“Set apart.”

“Set apart.”

“Said a part.”

“Setup art.”

“Set apart.”

The words became one sound and he couldn’t remember what they meant. He could no longer hear them as two separate words.

“Setapart”

“Setapart”

“Setapart”

The new word was full of rich meaning that caused him to weep with joy. But he could find no words to describe it.

And then one morning there was a note under a rock. The note said:

39 days. Will bring food and water tomorrow evening. You will have to eat slowly. I will stay with you until you are ready to come home.

He awoke on the 40th day with the note clutched in his hands. His mind was empty and clean and smooth. He sat slumped against a wall of the cave all day and stared, relishing the quiet. No visions came to him.

As the shadows began to lengthen at the mouth of the cave, he heard the sound of footsteps. He exhaled deeply, letting go of his control. He began sobbing. His friend would care for him. It was finished.

A man approached and stood in the mouth of the cave. He lifted his head slowly, expecting to see his friend with a loaf of bread in his hands. Instead, he saw himself, except he was healthy and well-fed, as he had been when he first came to the wilderness. He dropped his gaze to the man’s feet and slowly looked upward. Those were his sandals. That was his white robe. Those were his hands. His chest. His oiled hair hanging in ringlets about his broad shoulders. His full and healthy face. It was like looking in a mirror.

The man stared at him quietly, then pulled his hands away from each other and brought them together in a sharp clap. The sound was so harsh and loud to him after living in silence that his whole body convulsed. The man clapped again. And again. And again. The time interval between claps grew less and less until it became applause. A huge smile broke out across the man’s face. It was the nicest, most sincere smile he had ever seen.

“Hello Jesus.”

Jesus’ mouth fell open in shock and surprise. His heart began to race. The man’s face grew solemn and he tilted his head a little to the right. His lips pouted with concern.

“I can tell by your face that you weren’t expecting me. I hope I’m not intruding on your little vision-quest or whatever it is you’re doing out here in this God-forsaken place.”

rlp

Part two coming soon...

Note: Podcast audio file below