It's in the Bible -- but not Scriptural

While studying and preaching Luke 4 this weekend for Lent 1, I was confronted with something that happens during the exchange between our Lord and the Adversary. It has caused me some serious reflection. Here is some of it...

Satan tempts Jesus for 40 days while Jesus is in the wilderness. Then there are three specific temptations recorded. Stone to bread exchange, worship for power exchange and then jumping into God's promise. It is in the last event that I was confronted with today's issue.

In all the specific, recorded temptations Jesus responds with Scripture. When challenged to make stones into bread, Jesus quotes the OT that we do not live "by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Then when invited to worship Satan in exchange for the glory of the kingdoms of this world, Jesus again quotes the OT that we are to "worship God and serve him only."

So we see lived out the principle of meeting temptation with the Word of God. The sword of the Spirit can be used to fend off attacks from Satan. We overcome by way of the Word. Christ-followers then should read much, memorize much and interact much with the Bible. Jesus did.

Then Satan predicates the temptation to jump off the high place of the temple with a quote of Scripture. He quotes correctly a powerful promise most specifically directed toward the Messiah. He justifies his request with a proof-text for temple diving.

This points to the challenge for the church in every generation. Not only do we need to be able to proof-text our beliefs and behavior norms, we need an overall rule or rules to guide us in those issues whose opposite sides find Biblical support. Issues such as the Trinity, the Dual Nature of Christ, ending Slavery, and the role of women in ministry/the church all called for more than a list of proof-texts.

Back to our Lord. Why did Jesus reject the verse as advocating or at least allowing temple diving?

More to come...