Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Saturday, January 5, 2013 Read – Luke 4:1-15 Luke has one more detail to tell his readers before he begins his story of the ministry of Jesus. That story is the temptation of Jesus. The story is also told by Mark, his primary source, but in a far briefer form by Mark. Perhaps Mark was aware of the longer version and simply shortened it because the longer story was not useful for him. Or, perhaps Mark knew only that Jesus had been tempted. Luke tells us the long version – and he shares that version with Matthew so it is likely that he found it in “Q”. Readers have often noticed that Luke and Matthew tell of the same three temptations, but in a different order. Naturally, the question arises whose order is right. It probably doesn’t matter but interpreters have usually thought Matthew retains the order in “Q” and Luke is the one who makes the change. The reason for that is the Luke tells the temptation of Jesus in the Temple in Jerusalem as the pinnacle of the temptation narrative because Jerusalem and the Temple are crucial to Luke in the broader outline of his narrative. The story started in the Temple in Jerusalem with Zechariah. Jesus was brought to the Temple as an infant and again at the age of twelve. Now his is brought to the Temple as the last event before his ministry begins. It is probably more important that we notice that all three gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, understand the temptation of Jesus as the fulfilling of the wilderness wandering of God’s people. In the wilderness, following the exodus, God’s people were tempted and found wanting. Here Jesus is also tempted and where Israel failed to be faithful Jesus is faithful. That is the main point of the temptation narrative. Luke is now ready to move directly into the story of Jesus. We will pick up that story at the end of January. For now, we are invited to spend three weeks using the Stewardship Devotional materials – “Grow as a Steward through faith, love and hope”.