Greek Text Studies: John 4:4-26

Greek Study John 4:4-26 (27-42 not included in detail, too damned long!)

4:1-3 The reason for the Samarian Incursion.  Jesus is returning home from his first visit to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover.  He had met the Sanhedrin’s representative, Nicodemus, at night.  

v4 διερχεσθαι (διερχομαι) pres. inf. "[he had] to go" - infinitive serves as the subject of the verb and carries the implication of divine necessity. Or John may just be stating the obvious; to get to Galilee it is necessary to pass through Samaria, unless of course one took the dangerous and dusty “long way around” via Transjordan. A pious Jew would travel through Samaria, but quickly, and having reached Galilee, purify themselves ASAP.

της Σαμαρειας (α) "Samaria" - When the Assyrians captured Samaria, the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, in 722-721, they deported elite Jews and imported ‘common’ aliens who adopted the customs and religion of the local ‘common’ Jews, i.e. the poorest and least literate. They created and embraced a sort of ‘hillbilly religion’ – you know BYOS, (bring your own snake). When the ancestors of the elite returned in the early 6^th century, quite a rift developed.  By 400, the Samaritans had built their own temple on Mount Gerizim in opposition to the temple recently reconstructed in Jerusalem, and by 200 BC they accepted only the Pentateuch as scripture. The final rift cam when the temple at Mount Gerizim was destroyed by the Maccabean (Hasmonean) rulers of Judea, around 107 BC. Worship continued at the temple site after its destruction. A small number of Samaritan villages existed to recent times in modern Syria, many Christian, but have been devastated by the civil war. There are still around 700 living in the West Bank near Shechem today.

  
v5 πολιν (ις εως) "a town" - a village in Aramaic, this is a Greek designation. 

logomenhn (legw) pres. pas. part. "called" – actually named.

Συχαρ "Sychar" - not known, possibly modern Askar on the edge of Mount Ebal.

tou cwriou (on) gen. "the plot of ground" - the field (See Gen.33:19, 48:22, and particularly Josh.24:32 from which the gift is assumed).

τω Ιωσηφ "to [his son] Joseph  - dative; indirect object.

v6 πηγη (η) "well" – actually spring [of Jacob]. The word "well" can be used of collected water. The well, assuming it is the one John speaks of, is some half mile South of Askar. If so, it is strange that the woman comes to a well outside the village. She may be embarrassed to collect water with the other women of the village being married 6 times and all, or she may just prefer the sweeter water.

κεκοπιακως (κοπιαω) perf. part. "tired as he was" – idiom, weary, owrn out from the journey.

εκαθεζετο (καθεζομαι) imperf. "sat" - was sitting, durative is a strange choice of tense.

ωρα ην ως εκτη "it was about the sixth hour" - noon. 

v7 αντλησαι (αντλεω) aor. inf. "to draw water" - infinitive expressing purpose; again, it seems somewhat unusual to come and draw water at this time of the day. 

δος (διδωμι) aor. imp. "will you give [me]" - imperative here should not be taken as a command, but rather a request; "would you please give me a drink …"

πειν (πινω) aor. inf. "a drink" – idiom, aorist indicates "just a sip" in Greek.

v8 απεληλυθεισαν (απερχομαι) pluperf. "had gone" - pluperfect expresses action with ongoing results; the disciples had gone away and left Jesus alone.

v9 ουστης (ειμι) gen. part. I am [a Samaritan woman]

πως adv. "how" - interrogative adverb, introducing a direct question.

ου ... συγχρωνται (συγχραομαι) pres. "do not associate" – idiom; are not friendly [with]/do not share cups /vessels with ("use nothing in common") = this more technical sense is intended here.

v10 την δωρεαν του θεου (ος) gen. "the gift [bountiful] of God" i.e. is "irrevocable".

ο λεγων (λεγω) pres. part. "[who it is] that asks [you for a drink]" - participle functions as a substantive. If the woman had been aware of Jesus' identity, she would have responded by seeking what he offers.

ζων (ζαω) pres. part. "living [water]" – perhaps referring to the life-giving water flowing from the temple in Ezekiel 47, or this image draws on the incident of the water that flowed from the rock during the wilderness wanderings. 

v11 κυριε (ος) voc. "Sir" – literally lord used here as a term of respect.

βαθυ adj. "deep" - The water table at this point is about 150 feet below the surface. 

ποθεν conj. "where" - for the woman "living water" refers to “running water” like that which feeds the well. In a dry region such as Samaria, where did Jesus think he was going to come up with running water?

v12 μειζων (μεγας) comp. adj. "greater than" In the Pentateuch, the only one greater than Jacob was Moses so the “One Greater” may refer to one coming to lead his people, like Moses.

v13 ο πινων (πινω) pres. part. "the ones who drink" i.e. anyone/everyone. 

διψησει (διψαω) fut. "will thirst [again]. This is dry country with limited sources of water, so thirst is a powerful Biblical image usually as a metaphor for spiritual desire, (Ps.42:2, 63:1, 143:6 et al). Water, from whatever source, satisfies but for a moment.

  
v14 ος πινων. .. αν + subj. "whoever drinks" – an aorist punctiliar. 

ου μη + fut. "[will] never [thirst]" – an emphatic negation, here with a future tense.

εις τον αιωνα into the age an idiom usually meaning "into the future."

αλλομενου (αλλομαι) pres. part. "[a spring of water] welling up [to eternal life]" participle is adjectival so "a bubbling over spring.". The covenant fulfilment imagery being expressed here is still drawing on Ezekiel 47.

εις ζωην αιωνιον "to eternal life" - metaphor of an internal fountain, gushing up suggests the richness of the new life made available through the Messiah.

v15 αντλειν (αντλεω) pres. inf. "to draw water" present tense used here, and for the verbs "give" and "thirst", is durative = "may not ever thirst again", "keep on coming here", and "continually drawing water".

v16 υπαγε (υπαγω) pres. imp. "go" imperative – a command

v17 ανδρα (ηρ ος) "man"  Jesus gently exposes the woman's secret, namely her numerous sexual relationships. Her answer is technically correct; she has no husband, she has a lover.

v18 εσχες (εχω) aor. "you have had" - you had.

ανδρας (ηρ δρος) "[five] men" husbands is a polite stretch of this word. The word is emphatic by position but the intent of Jesus' words is unclear. It is often taken that the woman has been married five times, ending in death or divorce, and the present relationship is at best a “common law” marriage. The Torah only allowed 3 marriages (assuming against our values 3 was enough to figure out if you were marrying material or not). The “divine ideal” was a one-flesh union allowing for one sexual union, which of itself in OT thinking constituted a marriage. The second clause more naturally implies that, other than the first relationship, all the others are on the same as the current one, i.e. she has had five "lovers" and this one is number six. The stress on the word "man" and the number "five", may indicate John intends a symbolic interpretation, cf. 2 Kings 17:24, but it seems more likely the purpose of the revelation serves to confirm Jesus' Messianic credentials and thee woman's response in v 19 underlines this. Given her obvious non-standing in polite society, little more needs to be said. She, like many in our world, is getting on with life as best she can. 

v20 An excurses on worship. It is often argued the woman is, at this point, changing the subject out of embarrassment. Not necessarily, rather she realizes she is speaking to a prophet or equivalent and as such can resolve a burning issue for her, and Samaritans as a whole. How can a person properly meet with God? Is it only at Mount Gerizim or in Jerusalem? Jesus' answer is that it was Jerusalem, but now it is neither. 

prosekunhsan (proskunew) aor. "worshiped" – a word often confused with latreuw  (ligurgy), or doing service to God. This word is rightlyunderstood as "doing obeisance."

τω ορει τουτω "this mountain" – i.e. Mount Gerizim/Ebal - the site the Samaritans claim was chosen by God as the authorized site for liturgical worship detailed by Moses.

υμεις "you [Jews]" – an emphatic plural.

ο τοπος (ος) "the one and only place" - "the holy place" is implied.

v21 γυναι (η αικος) voc. "woman" - technical address, not derogatory, "ma’am. believe me”.

ωρα "the hour [is coming]" - the eschatological "hour", day of judgment.

ουτε .... ουτε "neither ... nor" – a negated comparative construction; "neither/nor." The Samaritans will no longer be faced with a choice between two places of worship!

  
v22 υμεις "you [Samaritans]" – an emphatic.

v23 αληθινοι adj. "[the] true [worshipers]" – genuine/ authentic" is preferred.

πνευματι και αληθεια "spirit and truth" - Most commentators don't think that the phrase is a hendiadys (two ideas expressed as one) but since both nouns are without definite articles and governed by the same preposition  then the two words, "spirit/spiritual" and "truth/word" encompass the same idea. Some scholars see this expression as demanding worship that is conformable to the divine nature (spirit) and determined by the truth God has revealed concerning himself. 

ζητει (ζητεω) pres. "seeks" – enquires- the sense here is "demands" or "requires" given the verb dei, "it is necessary" (divine imperative).

v24 πνευμα ο Θεος "God is spirit" – so also God is light/ love, this statement describes God's means of action and work. God is "spirit" in the sense of being divine as opposed to human, life-giving and unknowable to human unless he chooses to reveal himself.

v25 οιδα (γινωσκω) perf. "I know" (some manuscripts have oidamen "we know").

Μεσσιας "Messiah" - She likely use the word for the Jewish messiah, but then one can certainly imagine her saying "I know the Taheb is coming, whom you call the Messiah". The Samaritan Taheb ("the Restorer", Deut.18:18) is equivalent to the Jewish messiah.

ο λεγομενος (ος) "the one called [Christ]" - participle serves as a substantive, standing in apposition to "Messiah". 

εκεινος dem. pro. "he [comes]" – the resumptive is emphatic.

αναγγελει (αναγγελλω) fut. "he will announce/tell/explain/ disclose/interprer - the Johannine use "interpret" is most likely.

παντα adj. "everything" - emphatic by position. A slight overstatement, regardless this is someone greater than Jacob (a la Moses) - a prophet knows everything but not necessarily one who will tell everything. 

v26 εγω ειμι "I [who speak to you] am he / I [the one speaking to you] am he" - This is the first of the great "I am" statements in John.

ο λαλων (λαλεω) pres. part. "who speaks " - it seems likely that the clause is parenthetical, forming an enclosure of revelation between this verse and verse 10. Some read it thus: "I (who am speaking to you) am the Christ you speak of." It is interesting how Jesus has no reluctance revealing his messianic credentials to a Samaritan.

The Readings for the 2nd Sunday in Lent 2017, March 12

First Reading: Genesis 12:1-4a

1The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

  4aSo Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him.

Psalm: Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills; 

    from where is my help to come?

2 My help comes from the LORD, 

    the maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved 

    and he who watches over you will not fall asleep.

4 Behold, he who keeps watch over Israel 

    shall neither slumber nor sleep;

5 The LORD himself watches over you; 

    the LORD is your shade at your right hand,

6 So that the sun shall not strike you by day, 

    nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; 

    it is he who shall keep you safe.

8 The LORD shall watch over your going out and

                             your coming in, 

    from this time forth for evermore.

Second Reading: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17

1What then are we to say was gained by Abraham, our ancestor according to the flesh? 2For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3For what does the scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.” 4Now to one who works, wages are not reckoned as a gift but as something due. 5But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness.

  13For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. 15For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.

  16For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, 17as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

Gospel: John 3:1-17

1Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

  11“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

  16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

  17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Greek Text of John 3:1-17

Greek Study John 3:1-17

3:1 ανθρωπος εκ των Φαριαιων "a man of the Pharisees" - An unusual designation, possibly prompted by the point made in v25.

αρχων των Ιουδαιων "a member of the Jewish ruling council" - a ruler/ member of the Sanhedrin."

  
v2 νυκτος (νυξ τος) "at night" – night - John liked the symbolism of darkness and light, night and day, the realm of evil and the realm of light..... Judas leaves the light and goes out the night/dark, Nicodemus comes out of the night/dark and  into the light. 

οιδαμεν (οιδα) perf. "we know" - the Pharisees often spoke as one, an ancient example of ‘group think’.

τα σημεια (οϖ) "the miraculous signs" -  the proof that convinces/creates the knowing

v3 γεννηθη/ (γενναω) pas. "is born" in the passive also "begotten" identifying the function of the male in conception rather than the female in birth.

ιδειν (οραω) aor. inf. "see" - to behold; here in the sense of "experience", "encounter",  or "participate in", to whit “Unless a person is born from above they cannot participate in the kingdom of God."  

v4 γεννηθηναι (γενναω) aor. pas. inf. "be born" - Nicodemus has misunderstood Jesus to mean "born again" when he is saying "born from above." It John has employed this play on the meaning of the word to underline the truth that regeneration is a spiritual renewal from God  not something achieved by human effort. 

v5 εξ υδατος και πνευματος "born of water and the Spirit" - explanations for this phrase are endless, all seem unconvincing and move beyond the text. A meaning something like "washing of the Spirit" although grammatically tenuous, is more likely the intended meaning. There is some textual support ( Brown) that "water and" was addition. 

v6 της σαρκος "of the flesh” for John it is not "sinful flesh" as often with Paul, but rather just "fleshly existence."

το γεγεννημενον (γενναω) perf. pas. part. "[flesh] gives birth to [flesh]" - This phrase is often aligned with "born of water", but it more likely addresses Nicodemus' confusion of "born again" with "born from above." 

v7 υη θαυμασης (θαυμαζω) aor. subj. "you should not wonder/ marvel at/over” – an unusual grammatical formation; a subjunctive of prohibition. Bultman said this term was a typical Rabbinic statement. "Do not be surprised when I say…"

v8 το πνευμα (α ατος) "the wind/breath/spirit “ equivalent of the Hebrew word  'ruach', the wind/breath /spirit of God. Either the word here means "wind" and is used to describe the experience of a person who is born from above by the Spirit of God (spiritual birth, birth from above, is mysterious and invisible as is the wind), or the word means Spirit. The vulgate (Latin Bible) translates the word here as "Spirit" and therefore, the verse directly describes spiritual birth. Brown argues that the blowing of the wind is used as a simile for born of the Spirit.

πνει (πνεω) pres. "blows" 

v9 πως δυναται ταυτα γενεσθαι "how can this come to be"

v10 ταυτα ου γινωσκεις (γινωσκω) "do you not know these things" - Bultmann argues that Jesus is not critical of Nicodemus' failure to understand but rather is critical of the inability of Rabbinic scholarship to understand what he is talking about – except in v12 he says "'Are you the famous teacher of the famous Israel?'

v11 λαλουμεν (λαλεω) "we speak" – is the “we” the royal we/  Or is it the collection (Rabbinic) ‘we” 9I,.e. Jesus identifies himself as part of the club) or this the Evangelist using the NT phrase someetiems used of communicating the gospel; "we proclaim."

ο εωρακαμεν (οραω) perf. "what we have seen" – the word for “see”, “know” “light and dark” and “become/born” are as common to John as the word ιυθυσ (immediately) is to Mark – they are literary/theological flourishes.  

v12 τα επιγεια pl. adj. " the things belonging to or on the earth” does this refer to Jesus' teachings about the birth from above which he has tried to explain to Nicodemus in earthly terms, if so then but what are the "heavenly things"?  At least we can say that the 

τα επουρανια (ος) " things that belong to heaven" are things yet to be revealed.  

v13 αναβεβηκεν (αναβαινω) perf. "has ascended” implies that Jesus has already ascended to heaven, hence some argue that this reflects a ‘post ascension’ preaching. 

καταβας (καταβαινω) aor. part. "having descended” Scriptural references to the Son of Man are always to his his ascending, rather than his descending; he comes/ascends to reign. Yet, the point being made here is of Jesus' origin, namely, heaven, 

v14 υψωσεν (υψοω) aor. "lifted up" - The lifting up of the serpent on a pole by Moses serves as a sign to the people of salvation, not as some future reality but as a p[resent one.  This seems to point once again to the sacramental nature off John’s story.  Jesus’ power and presence  is for this world, now.

υψωθηναι (υψοω) pas. inf. "be lifted up" The infinitive serves as the subject of the verb δει, "is necessary."

v15 ο πιστευων (πιστευω) pres. part. "[everyone] who has faith" - the faithful ones 

εν αυτω/ .... εις αυτω/ "in him" the idea here may simply be of relying on Jesus for salvation, but may also convey the meaning of some kind of mystical union with Christ (once again a sacramental imagery). 

ινα + subj. "so that" forming a purpose clause; i.e. the purpose of the lifting up of Christ on the cross is that the believer may have. 

ζωην αιωνιον "eternal life" 

v16 ηγαπησεν (αγαπαω) aor. God "loved" - John is focused on this word, using this verb 36 times in the gospel. He notes the Father's love for the Son and the Son's love for the Father, the Son for disciples and disciples for the Son. The particular meaning is dictated by the context, the common thread involving a relational process rather than just expressing feelings. 

τον κοσμον (ος) "the world" - Not creation as such, but rather the world of humanity and human activity.

εδωκεν (διδωμι) aor. ind. act. "he gave" - in the sense of "sent”. 

τον μονογενη adj. "the one and only Son" - only begotten, unique. John is stressing Christ's unique relationship with the Father. John only uses the word "son" of Jesus - never of his disciples. 

ινα + subj. "that" – another purpose clause. 

ο πιστευων (πιστευω) pres. part. "[all the ones] who believe/ believing ones”. 

αποληται (απολλυμι) "destroy/perish”  the natural state of humanity is death. Only God possesses life, and by extension, those who believe in Christ.

v17 γαρ "for" - Expressing cause/reason. 

ου απεστειλεν (αποστελλω) aor. "did not send" (from whence the word “apostle” derives). -. Used of an authoritative sending and therefore constantly used of Christian mission. So God's mission, in the sending of Christ, is not the condemnation of mankind, but its salvation.

κρινη (κρινω) aor. subj. "decision/judgment/condemnation" either sense is possible. Technically the word is used to offset salvation which is the purpose of Christ's coming. God sent Christ in order to save, not to condemn, although a consequence of Christ's coming is the reiteration of the condemnation already hanging over humanity. Note, the agent of judgment remains God, not Christ.

  

Will You Worship Him?

[He] came by night, because he feared to do so by day. Yet not for this did the merciful God reject or rebuke him, or deprive him of His instruction, but even with much kindness conversed with him and disclosed to him very exalted doctrines, enigmatically indeed, but nevertheless He disclosed them. — Chrysostom

John 3:2 — He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”

John 9:4 — We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.

John 11:10 — But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.

John 13:30 — So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

John 19:39 — Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.

John 21:3 — Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

 John 1:5 — The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

John 3:19 — And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.

John 6:17 —  [They] got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

John 8:12 — Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

John 12:35 — Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going.

John 12:46 - I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.

John 20:1 — Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb

It may be a bit of a crude exegetical tack but it occurs to me that perhaps the whole matter of “night” and “darkness” play a significant part in John, John chapter 3, and in life during Lent. 

Nicodemus seems to have a habit to show up after dark. He does so here and will do so again at the burial of Jesus. Whatever connection or love for the Lord Nicodemus had can be up to debate. He was a sympathizer as his defense of Jesus in 7:51 attests. But does that matter?

Is this not the Lenten question? Are you a sympathizer of Jesus or are you committed to stand out? Yes, this is a subtle treatment of the subject of “darkness” that runs through the Gospel of John. Maybe, here, this is not so much a matter of loving the dark because of evil intent. Maybe it is a way of saying: I fear the evil and the light of the day exposes both evil and good and I am not ready for the fight that must follow the revelation that the light will bring. Nicodemus was not ready for the fight and it remains open if that ever changed. 

All Nicodemus can do during the day is to uphold the best standards of the world: “Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him?” (7:50) All Nicodemus can do in the end of his time in the Gospel of John is to bring spices at dusk to bury Jesus. Really, prior to the Holy Spirit being given (20:22) everyone else is in this situation, even Mary who shows up in the dark to mourn death’s victory, even the disciples who hide in the upper room at night, in fear.

In the end of the Gospel the disciples go out to fish at night but catch nothing. At dawn, when the light arose and, more importantly, when the Light that came into the world stood at their side, the fishing expedition takes a very fortunate — and symbolic —  turn for the better. This episode, read through the lens of night vs. day, might say to us: “Unless evil and you are both exposed, no good will come.” You will not make disciples in the dark. Change will only come when the light shines. Life is found at dawn, not in the night. 

News has come in my part of the world that a prominent Christian Bookstore chain has gone belly up and all the stores, including my wife’s favorite source of cards and Christian kitsch over by the mall. I commented to my daughter that we now had but one little independent Christian bookstore left in the area. She reminded me that her favorite place to get a Buckeye Latte’ is a Christian bookstore. It occurred to me that I had always thought of the place as a purely a coffee shop and never really as a Christian bookstore. The baristas are always busy and they are not overtly religious about their sandwiches or the cappuccino they brew. The tables are busy, the aisles and display racks are not. 

It is, in short, a good place to be interested in  Jesus, to be fascinated with Jesus, to be a sympathizer of Jesus — and to have a nice cup of Chai. 

Is this your kind of place? Don’t get me wrong, espresso is a good thing. But it doesn't impress evil and neither does it defeat it. 

Last week we observed an episode in the wilderness. Jesus was being tempted by the devil. Jesus, being the Son of God was well known to the tempter. The sun was shining that day, so to speak. Jesus knew who he was doing battle with. The tempter knew who he was hoping to conquer. 

“Those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” (11:10) Maybe the text today can be an encouragement to us to dare the light: Be known and be set against the cunning assaults of the tempter, knowing that such disclosure comes at a price but that remaining safely in the night exacts its own price. Nicodemus found that standing against the world on its own standards and laws was ineffective. (7:51) It mattered not one bit that he asked the world to live by its own standards. The world is happy to rewrite those when it feels like it. (7:52) 

Be known by stepping into the light as one of the Lord’s own even if that means that you now live purely by the standards of Heaven, where thieves and moths, the world, and the tempter have no power and where their schemes have no influence. No, they don’t like your new independence or your new sight. The man born blind knows this well. (Jn 9) He is also the only one who ever worships Jesus in the Gospel of John. Please, join him.

The Texts for the First Sunday in Lent, March 5th, 2017

First Reading: Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7

15The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

  3:1Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; 3but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’ ” 4But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die; 5for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate. 7Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

Psalm: Psalm 32

 1Happy are they whose transgressions | are forgiven,

and whose sin is put away!

2Happy are they to whom the Lord imputes no guilt,

and in whose spirit there | is no guile!

3While I held my tongue, my bones withered away,

because of my groaning all day long.

4For your hand was heavy upon me day and night;

my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.

5Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

and did not conceal my guilt.

6I said, “I will confess my transgressions  to the Lord.”

Then you forgave me the guilt  of my sin.

7Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in  time of trouble;

when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.

8You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble;

you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

9“I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go;

I will guide you with my eye.

10Do not be like horse or mule, which have no | understanding;

who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you.”

11Great are the tribulations of the wicked;

but mercy embraces those who trust in the Lord.

12Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the Lord;

shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

Second Reading: Romans 5:12-19

12Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned—13sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come.

  15But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. 16And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. 17If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

  18Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. 19For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Gospel: Matthew 4:1-11

1Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4But he answered, “It is written, 

 ‘One does not live by bread alone,

  but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

  5Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 

 ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

  and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,

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

7Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

  8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; 9and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, 

 ‘Worship the Lord your God,

  and serve only him.’ ”

11Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

You are God? Well , let me tell you . .

The Reflection from 3 years ago was called Standards and you can access it by clicking its title. 
The following is my contemporary reflection:

At the heart of all temptations, as we see here, is the act of pushing God aside because we perceive him as secondary, if not actually superfluous and annoying, in comparison with all the apparently far more urgent matters that fill our lives. — Ratzinger, Joseph (2007-05-15). Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration (p. 28). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. 

“Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Let us pause there for a moment. Jesus was not a stranger on the bus trying to find his way home (Joan Osborn) and wandering aimlessly into the wild. He was sent there by the force behind everything that is good. The good, the Holy Spirt led him there in order to meet the worst spirit of all. In a way, we see here a summary of all the Gospel. Jesus entered the world to do battle with sin, satan, and death and he emerged victorious. God sent him on purpose to save and redeem. It was God’s will that Jesus be in the world and it is God’s will that Jesus is in the desert. In the desert and in the entirety of the Gospel story that purpose and will is being challenged. Are you here to serve the interests of the flesh, the world and the evil one or the will of God. That will not end until the taunt of the pharisees and the thief on the cross. (Mt 27:40) 

“Make this stone bread.” He will in good time feed the multitudes by miracle. There will be the miracle of the feeding of 5,000. There will be the Holy Eucharist. Yet, they have a different “order” to them. Alfred Delp, martyr, is reported as having written: “Bread is important, freedom is more important, but most important of all is unbroken fidelity and faithful adoration.” (quoted from Ratzinger) To use this insight: Things flow from the will of God down. Do we not pray: “Thy will  be done?” It is the will of God to feed those who have drawn close to Jesus in the desolate place and in baptism. Yet, when they seek Jesus just for bread, they are rebuked. (Jn 6) 

The temptation itself is introduced by an ominous phrase: “Since you are the Son of God,” and it is answered that we live “by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” In other words, the action of supplying  bread in the desert needs to flow from the need of the word of God, not from the ability to do so. The bread on the altar is there not as a miracle of a weird capacity to be in many places at once in the form of bread and wine, but as a healing power to those who have come to find forgiveness of their sins according to the word of God. We might note that in both these cases, fidelity, faith in God, the purpose and will of God, and the application of that will to the people, leads the action. Manna is given in the desert because God means to keep Israel alive, not to do a cool trick with the morning dew. 

The second temptation begins with the same address as the first: “Since you are the Son of God.” In a strange way, both of these temptations are introduced with a phrase and thought all of us are really familiar with. Theodicy. If Jesus is God then shouldn’t he be able to do cool stuff? If God is all so powerful, why don’t God feed everyone? Huh? If God is all powerful and mighty, why is there still war and suffering? If God is always present, why don't he show himself? 

As in the first temptation, Jesus does “jump into the unknown,” so to speak. Is not the cross an act of embracing death in trust that God might indeed save? Yes, the cross seems to have been the test of ultimate test of faith. The cry of desolation suggests so. 

Gregory of Nicaea mused that the devil overlooked the next line in Psalm 91: “You shall trample the serpent.” The jump might make good theodicy, but the Cross is salvation for sinners and the end of the power of hell. Perhaps the entire exercise of Theodicy is a lost cause. Those outside of Faith will not ever be satisfied as the pharisees certainly aren’t and those in the grasp of Faith do not ask the question — only they do because they are “little-faiths” as Jesus sometimes, maybe jokingly, calls his own disciples. (Powell)

We might note that the introduction “since you are the Son of God,” is missing in the final temptation.The first two temptations are akin to a child saying to her father: “If you love me . . “ This temptation really is more of a choice: power or God’s way. Which messiah will you be? It is no accident that Pilate offers the crowd the same choice: Do you want “a Messiah who leads an armed struggle, promises freedom and a kingdom of [your] own, or this mysterious Jesus who proclaims that losing oneself is the way to life?” (Ratzinger) The end of the Gospel has a reply to the spirit behind this question. All power in heaven and on earth is given to the risen Jesus. (28:18) It is like the bread: If you come for the bread you miss the point. (Jn 6:27) It is like the jump: If you come to see a great and magic feat, you will go away and die disillusioned. (Mt 27:5) The real miracle, maybe the only miracle worth talking about, the Resurrection, is pretty much unobserved. The guards at the tomb come close, maybe. But by the time the angel strikes them near dead with fear, Jesus is already risen according to the angel’s announcement. (28:4-7)

“What have you done for me lately,” asked an 1980s pop song. The temptations put before us the choice about who gets to ask this question. Do we get to ask it of God or is it God’s prerogative to ask it of us? The temptations in the wilderness asks this question of us. Do we set God’s agenda or does God have our ear in all things? When you pray “your will be done,” do you mean it? Whatever befall you, do you believe yet that God is for you and not against you? What do you blame God for? What will you not accept from the hand of God? What do you have to see to believe and have Faith? Will any of that be enough and can there ever be enough for you to believe? 

A last thought. The tempter showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in their splendor. Ask yourself today: “Are any of those kingdoms still around?”