Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
    and they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

• Matthew 4:1-11

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

• Genesis 3:1

Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”

• Luke 12:14

“What was played out between Jesus and the Pharisees is only a repetition of that first temptation of Jesus (Matt. 4:1-11), in which the devil tries to bring him a dichotomy in God’s word and which Jesus overcame through his essential unity with the word of God. This temptation of Jesus in turn has its prelude in the question with which the snake in paradise brings Adam and Eve to the fall: ‘Did God say …?’ (Gen. 3:1). It is the question that hides within it all separation, against which human beings are powerless, because it is part of their essence. It is the question that cannot be answered, but only overcome from beyond the separation. But ultimately all of these temptations are repeated in the questions in which we also confront Jesus, in which we call to him for a decision in conflict situations, and thus in which we draw Jesus into our questions, conflicts, and separations, and demand from him a solution. In the New Testament there is not a single question that people direct toward Jesus that would be answered by Jesus through getting involved in the human either-or that is intended in each question. … Jesus does not allow himself to be called as judge in life’s questions; he refuses to let himself be bound to human alternatives: ‘Friend, who sets me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ (Luke 12:14).”

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, I Want to Live These Days with You (devotion for October 14, devotions compiled from his writings)

I have had this question “Did God really say…” come up in many conversations lately.  It is the one trick that Satan uses to get through our defenses.  Why?  We do not have unity with God’s Word as Bonhoeffer says about Jesus.  In other words, we do not have a command of the Scriptures adequate to chase Satan away.  Sure, he’ll come back with the same question about something else, but we have a hard time chasing him away with a timely quote.

But then, Bonhoeffer turns the entire thing on its ear by saying that we use Satan’s trick with God.  You may not think you have, but you thought of this great idea that would be something done for God’s glory, and it flopped.  Why?  Did you try to ask that question to Jesus?  “Hey, I dreamed up this idea, Jesus, and it doesn’t violate any of the rules.  Okay, maybe not the letter of the law.”

I am not saying that I said those words, but in essence, I think I have.

We see it in the political arena all the time.  We see it in business all the time.  I have heard NASCAR owners and football general managers who have said, “If you are not cheating, you are not trying.”  And before long, everyone is cheating and they start asking the question, “That rule in the rule book…  Does it really say …”

Yes, we have met the enemy, and he is us.  Sorry, Pogo, for stealing your line.  Or did Pogo really say …

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.