Tuesday, June 23, 2015

"Into the Desert to be Tested"

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12 comments:

  1. The tour guide describes the temptations of Moses and Jesus.They both walked for 40 days inn the wilderness. He draws a historical parallel between the works of God that brought chaos and peace. He claims that Jesus knew that he was going to be tested. He describes the sequential differences between the accounts of Luke and Matthew. He said that Jesus was tempted the same way the Israelites were tested in Deuteronomy. He came to do what his ancestors failed to do. The narrator implores the viewers to include God in all we do and to love Him with all our heart, our soul, and our mind.
    -Stephanie Lopez

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  2. This video talks about the comparisons between Jesus and Moses.
    I thought it was really cool how these people get to hike the same wilderness that Jesus would have hiked. Jesus was tempted in the wilderness of Judea. He gets baptized in the river of Jordan, which involved chaos in many different forms. After the order comes out of chaos temptation comes. The parents of the Israelites testing God and because of this their children learned the lessons that they needed to go into the desert. When Jesus goes into the desert he is tested in all of the same ways. With bread, You shall not live off bread alone, you shall not test God and serve only God. Jesus was able to do what the first generation in Israel had failed. The message is to love God with all your heart and might.

    Yuliana Andrade

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  3. This video began by talking about the 40 days and 40 night spent out in the desert. He took this group of people out to the same desert to try and imagine being there 40 days just as Jesus was. It also mentions that perhaps the Bible represents Jesus as the desert. There was much chaos erupting during the time of baptism in the Jordan River. He mentions that after chaos comes temptation. The video also states that Jesus must have known he was going to be tested. If he did not know would he have continued his desert stay? I like the fact that he mentioned that Jesus and the Israelites were tempted in the same fashion. “Remember the wilderness of sin, man should not live by bread alone but by the word of God” this was one of my favorite parts of the video. He goes on to say that Jesus came to do what Israel failed to do. And he also mentioned that Jesus tested his disciples. Jesus was tested as the second Adam and is the eternal Son of God. Lesson learned, you shall not test the Lord your God, but put your life in his hands.

    Jacqueline Camargo

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  4. The video discussed the 40 days Jesus spent being tested in the wilderness of Judea. It was the story of his constant temptation and how he did what the 1st generation could not do and that was to trust in God.
    The story of Matthew and Luke was also compared. Luke begins and ends his story in Jerusalem. Matthew has a completely different order in his account.
    Moses is also discussed and how he returned to talk to the first generation and their children. He talked about the lessons from the parents experience and how their children will learn from their mistakes.
    Basically, the message of the video was to consider that Jesus was tempted by the “evil one” on the mountain, but that he was consistently challenged and tempted many times after. It was a test to see if he would continually put God first. Jesus also tested his disciples many times in which they failed many of them.
    The lessons that came from the failing of the 1st generation are the tests that Jesus brings to us, Love your neighbor as you would yourself. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul with all your might.”
    Stephanie Stewart

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  5. The video discussed the 40 days Jesus spent being tested in the wilderness of Judea. It was the story of his constant temptation and how he did what the 1st generation could not do and that was to trust in God.
    The story of Matthew and Luke was also compared. Luke begins and ends his story in Jerusalem. Matthew has a completely different order in his account.
    Moses is also discussed and how he returned to talk to the first generation and their children. He talked about the lessons from the parents experience and how their children will learn from their mistakes.
    Basically, the message of the video was to consider that Jesus was tempted by the “evil one” on the mountain, but that he was consistently challenged and tempted many times after. It was a test to see if he would continually put God first. Jesus also tested his disciples many times in which they failed many of them.
    The lessons that came from the failing of the 1st generation are the tests that Jesus brings to us, Love your neighbor as you would yourself. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul with all your might.”
    Stephanie Stewart

    ReplyDelete
  6. One thing I didn't know was that Jewish tradition believed that 40 days was the "absolute limit" one could go fasting and that Moses was willing to go right to the limit to experience the time with God and be taught and trained. Also, I didn't know that the Bible viewed the number 40 as a number representing testing and preparing. Jesus also spent 40 days in the desert being tested. I like how Ray referred to it as tested rather than tempted and that Jesus can be viewed as being our desert. Jesus' testing began at the Jordan River when he was baptized. One thing that was reoccurring in my mind is that Jesus knew the cross was his future when he came out of the water. Ray described that there were several waves of chaos and that is why God decided to try again not with his Hebrew sons, but with Jesus. Matthew frames the same 3 tests that had occurred in Deuteronomy. Ray interpreted Hebrews 5 as being Jesus learned obedience through suffering. The difference between Matthew and Luke is that they had different orders, but told the same story. Also, Luke begins and ends his stories in Jerusalem. Jesus' testing was not only showing he was the Messiah, but the call Jesus' testing brings to us is to love our neighbor as ourselves. "Be careful how you criticize Israel. Yes they failed, though I would argue that they raised a generation that was prepared." I was excited to know that I knew what Ray was referring to when he said Shema! In our CA politics class, we would recite the Shema prayer in Hebrew at the beginning of each class! "I'm going to love him with all my heart, even though my ancestors had a divided heart."

    --Miranda Mendoza

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  7. Ray Vander Laan went into the wilderness of Judea, up along a canyon, and out into the desert. He gives us an idea of where Jesus could have been. He discussed how Jesus could be considered “our desert” and explained the many similarities (Passover lamb, feast of Exodus, the Prophet, the word, etc.) He explained that He does all the things for us as the desert did for Israel. Ray then went on to discuss the story of Jesus’ temptations/tests. He explained how everything was in complete chaos. There was even still chaos after Israel came out of the Red Sea; and they came to put an end to the chaos and bring shalom. When Jesus came, chaos was finally defeated and shalom came. Jesus came knowing that his fait lied on the cross. The devil likely knew Jesus was coming which is why he was there to tempt him. Forty days without eating and drinking was the absolute limit. Ray explains how Jesus’ tempting experience could have been patterned after the story of Exodus. Matthew and Luke both tell a similar story but in a different order. It appears as though Luke wanted to end in Jerusalem and Matthew’s perspective was framed by the book of Deuteronomy (Moises’ last will and testament.) The first generation of Israel showed lack of faith and did not give themselves completely to God. Jesus came to do what Israel failed to do which was “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all you soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy Chapter 6.) Ray discusses the three temptations/tests that Jesus was faced with in the wilderness. He explained that even though the first generation didn’t follow through, they raised a second generation that did. Ray shared that Jesus was repeatedly presented with the same temptations but in different order (to choose his family, avoid Herod, be king.) He also explained how Jesus may have tested the disciples (feeding the 5000, disagreeing with His decision to suffer, die, and be raised in Jerusalem.) They failed the test but Jesus, Son of God proved to be the true Messiah. He trusted God with his life and never questioned or doubted Him. He pointed out that I need to make God priority and include Him in every aspect of my life. I need to make him #1 in my heart and soul.
    -Tiffany Laygo

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  8. In the “Into the Desert” video Ray Van Der Laan discusses Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness that culminated with Satan testing Him. Van Der Laan talks about how a simple difference in translation brings a whole new meaning to the temptation story. Most translations have Satan telling Jesus “if you are the Son of God…” which frames the testing as Satan trying to get Jesus to prove His divinity through mighty deeds. According to Van Der Laan it can also be translated as “since you are the Son of God.” Now the testing is not about proving Jesus’ divinity, of which there was no question in Satan’s mind (Satan would have been aware of God’s proclamation at Jesus’ baptism). Now the testing is more about Satan trying to show Jesus that he has the power to bypass the crucifixion.
    Van Der Laan also discusses how the order of tests in Matthew closely follows Moses’ sermon on Israel being tested during their 40 years in the wilderness – a subject Matthew’s audience would have been very familiar with. Moses reminds Israel that their trust in God was first tested by their hunger and they had to learn that man does not live on bread alone. Satan’s first tests Jesus’ hunger and Jesus reacts by citing this same scripture. Moses then talks about the Israelites demanded a sign from God because they were thirsty, but that they should not test God. Jesus resists Satan’s second test with the same argument. Lastly, Moses reminds Israel that once they enter the Promised Land and enjoy its bounty they need to remember God and worship Him and Him alone always. Jesus resists Satan’s last test with the same truth. Van Der Laan shows that Jesus is the embodiment of the lessons Israel learned in the desert.

    Chris Bishop

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  9. In the video "Into the Desert', Ray Van Der Laan explains how Jesus testing experience is patterned after the story of Exodus. Both the Israelites and Jesus are pushed into the desert. He compares the accounts of Luke and Matthew. Luke has a different sequence, the temptations begin and end in Jerusalem while Matthews audience is geared at 1st Century Jews, the following generation of the 40 year exile. This generation he says has learned their lessons. Jesus was part of the 1st century Jews hence, when he was tempted by the devil, he remembered the lessons and he refused him. He also explained how Jesus was repeatedly tempted after he came out of the desert. Once when his family came to see him, when he knew Herod wanted to kill him and when they wanted to make him King. Van Der Laan emphasizes, that Jesus believed and loved God with all his strength and was able to refuse the devil. He passed the test that his predecessors were unable to pass. He also points that Jesus tested his disciples again and again. Time after time his disciples failed, because they didn't love God with all their might. His core message was to trust God and love him with all your heart!

    Yadira Lupian

    ReplyDelete
  10. In the video "Into the Desert', Ray Van Der Laan explains how Jesus testing experience is patterned after the story of Exodus. Both the Israelites and Jesus are pushed into the desert. He compares the accounts of Luke and Matthew. Luke has a different sequence, the temptations begin and end in Jerusalem while Matthews audience is geared at 1st Century Jews, the following generation of the 40 year exile. This generation he says has learned their lessons. Jesus was part of the 1st century Jews hence, when he was tempted by the devil, he remembered the lessons and he refused him. He also explained how Jesus was repeatedly tempted after he came out of the desert. Once when his family came to see him, when he knew Herod wanted to kill him and when they wanted to make him King. Van Der Laan emphasizes, that Jesus believed and loved God with all his strength and was able to refuse the devil. He passed the test that his predecessors were unable to pass. He also points that Jesus tested his disciples again and again. Time after time his disciples failed, because they didn't love God with all their might. His core message was to trust God and love him with all your heart!

    Yadira Lupian

    ReplyDelete
  11. The film “Into the Desert” compared Jesus’ testations in the desert to Moses and the exodus as well as Noah and the great flood. Noah and Moses both lived in times of chaos and God gave them each a solution to deliver people from the chaos. Both attempts were successful for a short time, but eventually, the people fell back into their old ways. Once Jesus was “baptized” in the Jordan River and God proclaimed that this was His son, the path was being laid so that once again God’s people could be saved from chaos. Jesus went to the desert and was tested by the devil. After 40 days and nights with no food and water, Jesus must have been weak. The devil suggested to Jesus that he could turn stones into bread. Then he suggested Jesus go to the temple and throw himself off the pinnacle to prove that he was Christ and would be saved by God’s angels. The devil also offered Jesus the world, if Jesus would follow him. However, Jesus’ mission was too strong to be stopped. He must continue to teach people that they should follow him, even after he is gone, and love God with all their strength, mind, and soul. They must also love their neighbors as they do themselves. This was the ultimate message of the Kingdom of God, which was Jesus.
    Kim Jenkins

    ReplyDelete
  12. The film “Into the Desert” compared Jesus’ testations in the desert to Moses and the exodus as well as Noah and the great flood. Noah and Moses both lived in times of chaos and God gave them each a solution to deliver people from the chaos. Both attempts were successful for a short time, but eventually, the people fell back into their old ways. Once Jesus was “baptized” in the Jordan River and God proclaimed that this was His son, the path was being laid so that once again God’s people could be saved from chaos. Jesus went to the desert and was tested by the devil. After 40 days and nights with no food and water, Jesus must have been weak. The devil suggested to Jesus that he could turn stones into bread. Then he suggested Jesus go to the temple and throw himself off the pinnacle to prove that he was Christ and would be saved by God’s angels. The devil also offered Jesus the world, if Jesus would follow him. However, Jesus’ mission was too strong to be stopped. He must continue to teach people that they should follow him, even after he is gone, and love God with all their strength, mind, and soul. They must also love their neighbors as they do themselves. This was the ultimate message of the Kingdom of God, which was Jesus.
    Kim Jenkins

    ReplyDelete