February 26, 2023: Matthew 4:1-11 The Temptation of Jesus

This week we talk about Matthew’s version of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. We see that Matthew uses this passage to make some pretty remarkable claims about Jesus; particularly that because Jesus truly “fulfilled all righteousness,” after his death and resurrection “all authority in heaven and on earth” was given to him by God. We also take a look at how Calvin tried to move away from the complete dualism surrounding the notion of a “devil” in the Medieval era, but is still influenced by it (represented by an illustration called "Satire of Indulgence" by Matthias Gerung). Finally, we discuss how to deal with this passage today without giving too much credit to a “devil,” which only creates fear.