Why did we say this video is parable?--
The three testations of Jesus (and us): different takes on defining them
The last two are a bit more ancient..
Note also that
- Nouwen: relevant (contemplative prayer), spectacular (confession and forgiveness), and ruler (theological reflection);
- The monastic vows money (poverty), sex (chastity), and power (obedience)
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If that was helpful, see my previous post which includes the two crazy charts below
2 Google +0 1 288
Friday, October 11, 2013
temptations: leaping their scattergories and not to be listened to...and feeling hunger/beauty as pain
.. I stopped short at the edge of the parapet of the Temple, the Temple in Jerusalem, under the huge sky, and above the enormous crowds of those who wandered in and out of it. I was standing on the pinnacle. I was looking down into the vast lower courts.
The sounds and scents of the crowd rose up in my nostrils. I felt the hunger so deeply it was a pain. And out on all sides lay the rooftops of Jerusalem while the people swarmed below in its tangle of narrow streets.
"Look on all this," he said beside me.
(read the whole chapter here....even though it claims a copyright, not sure it's a legal site, if Rice wants me to remove the link, I will) .
For fun...and to learn something, the other night I had students fill in some blanks in a non-graded "pop quiz". I knew the results would be intriguing...and you can see which answer caused me to literally LOL..when I included this "fill in the blank":
Every temptation, at heart, is about __________.
Would anyone put "power?" (yes!)
If i had clarified "Every temptation of Jesus," would anyone have put "to operate out of his divine nature and not his human nature?
a few answers:
- forgiveness
- power
- selfishness
- choice
- desire
- "I don't listen to The Temptations"
- "It's important to stress here that my earliest experiences involved beauty...things which evoked such profound feeling in me that I often felt pain. (6)
- "I remember thinking, tiny child that i was, that this was so incredibly beautiful that it hurt me"(16)
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Timelines and Testations: Jesus, Sexonomics and Facebook
 |
| (found this online) |
revelatory,
and (even) fun to, as part of a class that several others and I teach, have students plot out (on the whiteboard) their timeline.
As Pastor/Trucker Franks suggests below, sometimes it's "more about the journey than the destination." (See also "What if Torah/ מלכות השמים, is more 'journey than 'doctrine'?")
We then take time to interweave/intertext our personal timelines with the timeline/trajectory of Jesus' life in Matthew's gospel (the thrust of the class).
Kraybill provocatively proffers the following taxonomy of the temptations; suggesting that any later temptation Jesus faced (or we face) is at heart in one of these three spheres:
1= Bread into stones: Economic
2=Jump from temple and test God:Religious
3=Own all kingdoms: Political;
Henri Nouwen ("in the Name of Jesus") breaks it down this way:
1= Bread into stones: temptation to be relevant
2=Jump from temple and test God: temptation to be spectacular
3=Own all kingdoms: Political; temptation to be rule over
So, it may be useful to plot out various temptations along your life timeline, and ask which of Jesus' temptation are each is tied to.
Nouwen himself, one of the most profound writers on the temptations of Jesus, was both Catholic (gasp!) and struggled with homosexual temptation (!!!)..
And....Uh, on that last temptation, the sexual one, he was in good company, according to a good Book I read:
"Jesus was tempted in every single way humans are..."(click here for the shocking source...but warning, it's a dangerous book for religious folk!)
SO..if every temptation can be filed under one of the three categories:
Economic Religious Political..
or
Relevant Spectacular Rule over
..under which does sexual temptation occur?
Note Rob Bell's definition of "sexuality,"
biblically defined:
"For many, sexuality is simply what happens between two people involving physical pleasure. But that's only a small percentage of what sexuality is. Our sexuality is all the ways we strive to reconnect with our world, with each other, and with God." (Rob Bell, "Sex God," p. 42)...
HINT: Note that he term economics comes from the Ancient Greekοἰκονομία (oikonomia, "management of a household, administration") from οἶκος (oikos, "house") + νόμος (nomos, "custom" or "law"), hence "rules of the house(hold)".[1]
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Note that the baptism of Jesus (chapter 3) and the temptations (chapter 4) should be read together as one literary unit or paragraph ( a "coupling" or "particularization") as two items connected.
Remember how important repeated words are..in this case, "SON":
-The segue is direct..."Then after his baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert for temptation by the devil." (Matt. 4:1)
(see this amazing assortment of Scriptures, maybe he is "God's devil" after all..)
-In light of that, ask In what other ways do the baptism and temptation connect?
How does baptism prepare for temptation?
See the sermon by Nadia Bolz-Weber, "How To Say Defiantly, ‘I am Baptized!’"for a contemporary world application.
NOTE: a drop-down box in the temptation scene:
The devil's text ,
"IF
you are the son of God.."
might better be translated
(according to the Greek word used) as:
"SINCE
you are the son of God.."
What difference might it make? Is the devil wondering/questioning asking Jesus if he is son of God? Or is he assuming it; he and Jesus both know that he is...and thus "Since you are the Son of God, what kind of ways can I tempt you to use/abuse that Sonship?"
--
Van Der Laann, in "Jesus Our Desert – The Three Temptations") proposes that the three "temptations" Jesus met in Matthew 4 were the same three that show up (repackaged, revisited) throughout Jesus' timeline on earth...right up to, and especially including the cross (as in, not avoiding it) .Several examples:
- Jesus put God ahead of family ("Who are my brothers and sisters?" "Whoveer loves father and mother more than me cannot be my disciple."-Matthew 12:46-48...in fact, how many ways can you find in that whole chapter where Jesus re-encounters versions of one of the testations?
- When people reported Herod wanted to kill him, he was not concerned (Luke 13)
- When people wanted to make him king by force, he walked away (John 6:15)
- When the crowds were hungry, the disciples wanted Jesus to feed them. He refused (Feeding of the Multitude)
- The "get behind me, Satan" comment to Peter when Peter suggested Jesus should bypass the cross (Matthew 18)
- "go ahead and use Your power; the cross is going to hurt"
The video offered lots of help on how the Testations of Jesus are related to/equated to/hyperlinked to the Testations of Israel in Exodus, Numbers. Deuteronomy. It is no accident that all three testations of Jesus were found in different form in the OT, as well as the Scriptures Jesus used to counter the testations.
Though it is obvious who "The Son (of God)" is in Matthew (Jesus), unless we know the literary/historical background, we miss that in the Old Testament, that phrase is used for Israel/God's people. (see Exodus 4:22-23 and especially the way Matt 2:15 quotes Hosea 11:1) Thus...remember this chart :
Now we realize that God tested/the devil tempted the first "SON" in a similar way.
Jesus the Son succeeds (in 40 days) in "reversing the curse" that Israel the Son inherited by not passing it (in 40 years).
Jesus is not only (in a sense) the
New Moses,
but (in a sense) the New Israel
(for help on that important point, see this article,
and this).
VanDer Laan suggested that the heart of Jesus' "success" was consistently and persistently keeping the "Shema," and not caving into a (mis)use of power. This is the "binder" of the testations: Love God and neighbor.Thus
Q).Who is Jesus in Matthew?
A.) The One who, unlike Israel, passed the wilderness testations by loving God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength....and refusing to give into using "right-handed" (a la Capon) power.
VanderLaan prefers to translate "tests" instead of "temptations."
You have seen that I have coined the word "testations" It would seen that in Scripture that God tests, and the devil tempts...and sometimes both are going on simultaneously.
HERE are some helpful questions you might think about if you want to pursue this topic::
- 1)What were the three temptations of Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11, Compare any ways Mark's account, Mark 1:12-13 and Luke's account, Luke 4:1-13 differ, and suggest any reasons why.
- 2)How does Nouewen summarize the three temptations(1=to be relevant 2=to be spectacular 3=to rule over). H? How do you (use your own words)?
- 3)How do the three temptations connect to the historical and literary world of the Hebrew ("Old')Testament?
- 4)How do the three temptations connect to the contemporary world of Jesus and the disciples?
- 5)List and discuss several possible ways that versions of the three temptations reoccur and are revisited throughout Jesus' life in Matthew's gospel? (How is Jesus tested/tempted elswhere in Matthew, and how are the temptations versions of a similar one (two, or three) that he faced in the original temptation passage?
- 6)What are the three core temptations you face, and how have they revisited you throughout your timeline? How would you categorize them using Nouwen's categories? Using the three categories of the "Shema" (heart/mind/might) a la Vander Laan'? Using Kraybill's three categories (1=Economic 2=Religious 3=Political; see chapters 1-4 of "Upside Down Kingdom")
- 7)What have you learned about passing these tests/resiisting these temptations?
- 8)What does all of this (the Matt 4 Scripture, and testing/tempting) have to do with the Kingdom?
- 9)Discuss how the passages that deal with Jesus not being immune to temptation( Hebrews 2:17-18, Hebrews 4:14-16, and Hebrews 5:7-9) affect your views of "Who is Jesus?" and of Jesus' divinity and humanity.
Finally..
Facebook!
I started teaching all this before Facebook announced it was changing its entire format/interface to "Timeline." As you probably know by now ( If note read all about it here), your Facebook page and wall (oops, the wall is renamed "timeline") is now regeared to feature and celebrate key points (and photos) of your life.
Ostensibly, the (eventually mandatory) switch was about the fun of highlighting historical markers of your life. As we all (should) know, it's all about Facebook catching even more personal data about us, so they can better target their ads towards us..
...in an attempt to tempt us.
So, whatever their motive, I also see the switch as a significant (sign-ificant) sign of the times;
there is a hunger in the culture for narrative/story/journey. Such is integral to the postmodern shift of our EPIC times.
So, plot your life and testations...if not on Facebook, on paper or in your mind.
Who knows what you'll learn.
Maybe how to me more like Jesus...who faced equivalent temptations to all of us..and passed the test.
..But you know, he never was on Facebook ..
--
In any case, the clincher for the argument that the devil's ideas {in the wilderness temptations}aren't all bad comes from Jesus himself. At other times, in other places, and for his own reasons, Jesus does all of the things the devil suggests. Instead of making lunch out of rocks, he feeds the five thousand miraculously--basically the same trick, on a grander scale. Instead of jumping off the temple and not dying, he dies and refuses to stay dead--by any standards, an even better trick. And finally, instead of getting himself bogged down in a two-man presidency with an opposite number he doesn't really understand, he aces out the devil on the cross and ends up risen, ascended at the right hand of the Father as King of Kings and Lord of Lords--which is the best trick of all, taken with the last trump.
No, the difference between Jesus and the devil does not lie in what the devil suggested, but in the methods he proposed--or more precisely, in the philosophy of power on which his methods were based...If you are really God, the devil says, do something. Jesus answers, I am really God, therefore I do nothing...The devil wants power to be used to do good; Jesus insists that power corrupts and defeats the very good it tries to achieve.
..the devil in the wilderness overs Jesus a short cut, Jesus calls it a dead end and turns a deaf ear.-Robert Farrar Capon "The Third Peacock," 43-45.
"Contracted":
understudied and reckless fool
spliced heart laments
staccato bravado
Eucharisting torments
still small in grief
Mourning has broken my record of wrongs
tidal wave offering
strange land , banned songs
immersed by the mystic,
simplexity of trust
Sinai volcano
Seeking one justice; not one is just
testation of forty
daze of wilderness retreats
It is written largely
Adonai slyly defeats
power overpowered,
i found faith
Signature Paper:
=
"In the Shadow of Herod" video
- TO ILLUSTRATE SET THEORY, WE DID AN IN-CLASS EXERCISE. STUDENTS HAD TO DECIDE WHICH SIDE OF THE "ROOM" TO STAND ON. BASED ON WHICH OF EACH PAIR THEY PREFERRED.PICK A SIDE OF THE ROOM TO STAND ON FOR EACH PAIR:
- ========================
- TO ILLUSTRATE SET THEORY, WE DID AN IN-CLASS EXERCISE. STUDENTS HAD TO DECIDE WHICH SIDE OF THE "ROOM" TO STAND ON. BASED ON WHICH OF EACH PAIR THEY PREFERRED.PICK A SIDE OF THE ROOM TO STAND ON FOR EACH PAIR:
- ========================
This week's theme: healing and miracles
Matthew 8:1 -4: When Jesus[ had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him, and there was a man with leprosy who came to him and knelt before him,
saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be made clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 Then Jesus said to him,
“See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
That story acted out:
- TARGET OR WAL-MART
- APPLE OR ORANGE
- BASEBALL OR VOLLEYBALL
- TRUMP OR BIDEN
- JOURNEY OR DESTINATION
- KIKKI OR BOUBA
- JEW OR GENTILE
- FOX OR CNN
- LENNON OR MCCARTNEY
- ROCK OR COUNTRY
MAC OR WINDOWS - U2 or GAITHERS
- GINGER OR MARYANN
- EVANGELISM OR SOCIAL ACTION
- TARGET OR WAL-MART
- APPLE OR ORANGE
- BASEBALL OR VOLLEYBALL
- TRUMP OR BIDEN
- JOURNEY OR DESTINATION
- KIKKI OR BOUBA
- JEW OR GENTILE
- FOX OR CNN
- LENNON OR MCCARTNEY
- ROCK OR COUNTRY
MAC OR WINDOWS - U2 or GAITHERS
- GINGER OR MARYANN
- EVANGELISM OR SOCIAL ACTION
Matthew 8:1 -4: When Jesus[ had come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him, and there was a man with leprosy who came to him and knelt before him,
saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
3 He stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be made clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4 Then Jesus said to him,
“See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
That story acted out:
A good video from Ray Van Der Laan on Jesus vs. Herod below.
I often show this in Bible classes to show how much can be loaded into one verse that we gloss over, as it looks like just a boring historical marker.
But Matt. 2:1, "In the days of Herod, Jesus was born" is quite loaded, once we get the historical context.
Nobody has that verse on a bumper sticker or T-shirt, but it is full of meaning.
On our last trip to Israel, right outside our hotel window, we could see not only Bethlehem, but the Herodian,,,as you can see in this clip, every morning when we opened the blinds, we inevitably saw (as he would have wanted it) Herod's Herodian.
Once you
have seen the Van Der Laan video below, you'll get how powerful and prophetic object lesson that was.
Ray Van Der Laan Video, "In the Shadow of Herod,
view in two parts here:
--
Alternate version, more Christmas-themed. We did not watch this in class, but you might enjoy it more:
"The True Christmas Story:"
A good video from Ray Van Der Laan on Jesus vs. Herod below.
I often show this in Bible classes to show how much can be loaded into one verse that we gloss over, as it looks like just a boring historical marker.
But Matt. 2:1, "In the days of Herod, Jesus was born" is quite loaded, once we get the historical context.
Nobody has that verse on a bumper sticker or T-shirt, but it is full of meaning.
On our last trip to Israel, right outside our hotel window, we could see not only Bethlehem, but the Herodian,,,as you can see in this clip, every morning when we opened the blinds, we inevitably saw (as he would have wanted it) Herod's Herodian.
Once you
have seen the Van Der Laan video below, you'll get how powerful and prophetic object lesson that was.Ray Van Der Laan Video, "In the Shadow of Herod,
view in two parts here:
--
Alternate version, more Christmas-themed. We did not watch this in class, but you might enjoy it more:
"The True Christmas Story:"
| Discussion |
|---|
Be familiar with the three "sets" for the rest of the course, as we will be utilizing them frequently. For each of the three sets of "set theory" ,post below one example of each of the three sets and an example that you yourself create for each of the three sets.Then tell which of the three sets is your favorite and why.
.2 The Temptations ("Testations") of Jesus,...and us! (by Sun pm
This teaching includes a video presentation by Dave and one by Ray Van Der Laan.
Post by Sun pm
(Call COL right away if video doesn't play for you).
Videos are found below. Here are the questions ,which involve the videos, and other assignments on the temptations/"testations"
Respond to the following with 200-250 Words by Sun pm
Based (mostly) on this teachings on temptations/testations ,
Demonstrate a knowledge of how Matthew summarizes the three temptations, how Kraybill categorizes them, and the "historical world" significance of this. Talk about one way Jesus was "re-tested" after his original testing in the desert/wilderness. How do you relate--or maybe others you know of relate-- to the whole idea of being tested/tempted in different ways?
Include at some point a response/review to Dave's "confessions" article in the Fresno Bee (see his testations video ( or find it here).
Include at some point, a one-sentence answer to "Who is Jesus ( in Matthew 4)?" that has something to do with his temptation/testation. Use this format, fill in the blank. ."Jesus is the One who........".
Dave's videos
Watch this 2-part teaching by Dave on the temptation/"testation" of Jesus.
=Pay special attention to the any old or new signs he talks about (or actual signs he holds up, Hint, hint).
part 1
part 2:
Ray's video
Watch the video "Into the Desert to Be Tested"
For some, this is a life-changing video. If the history seems too much, don't worry. But do look for the big picture message.Your only assignment on this is mentioning something from it in this forum. something that convinces the teacher you watched it all.
Call COL right away if video doesn't play for you.
Consult your course syllabus to see values and grading criteria for this assignment.
''
- Nowhere says there were three
- Nowhere says they were wise
- Nowhere says they were men (:
As you read the two CHRIST-mas birth narratives in Matthew 1:18-2:12 and Luke 2:8-20 ,compare 
the two narratives and make note of some of the differences you observe. Are there differences in setting? Characters? Chronology? People or events emphasized?
What was one of the differences you found and offer your initial thoughts on why there might be differences in the two accounts. Does the fact that there are differences pose a problem for you?
Mention whether your initial answers ("What is included in nativity set?" and "What are significant numbers?") were the same as those discussed in the video. How did this make you think/feel?
We have fun in the physical classroom as student assemble a manger scene..
But then we notice ..
But most importantly, we know from Luke, they didn't come to the manger when Jesus was a baby, but to the house when he was a child..
We'll continue examining our Christmas folklore next time (:
Example: the five teaching blocks of Matthew.
- 7:28
- 11:1
- 13:53
- 19:1
- 26:1
----------------------------------
WE WATCHED THIS
watch for extra credit opp at the end:
- Nowhere says there were three
- Nowhere says they were wise
- Nowhere says they were men (:
As you read the two CHRIST-mas birth narratives in Matthew 1:18-2:12 and Luke 2:8-20 ,compare the two narratives and make note of some of the differences you observe. Are there differences in setting? Characters? Chronology? People or events emphasized?
What was one of the differences you found and offer your initial thoughts on why there might be differences in the two accounts. Does the fact that there are differences pose a problem for you?
Mention whether your initial answers ("What is included in nativity set?" and "What are significant numbers?") were the same as those discussed in the video. How did this make you think/feel?
But then we notice ..
But most importantly, we know from Luke, they didn't come to the manger when Jesus was a baby, but to the house when he was a child..
We'll continue examining our Christmas folklore next time (:
Example: the five teaching blocks of Matthew.
- 7:28
- 11:1
- 13:53
- 19:1
- 26:1
----------------------------------
WE WATCHED THIS
watch for extra credit opp at the end:
What is the very thesis of the Upside Down book?
Hint; see the preface HERE
--
Take it from a previous student that the Three Worlds Approach to interpreting Scripture can be "life changing" (in more ways than one)! Allow me to introduce you to one of our previous students. Meet St. Amber, who graduated 2011, and who took this class. She was blessed (and so were we!) to have her at FPU and in this class. As it turns out, this class not only led to her deep appreciation for the Three Worlds Approach to interpreting Scripture, but she was even married by her professor, Dave Wainscott! Watch her interview with Dave, and answer the questions. The expression on her face (in the left picture) will make sense after you watch the videos.
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|---|
Here are the questions to pay attention to as you listen and take notes from her videos:
- Why did I call her St. Amber? (Serious question. Give your best guess, and we will talk about it next week)
- Are you a saint? Why or why not? (Serious question. Give your best answer and we will talk about it next week).
- This will become important as we talk about Philemon (note the tern appears in verse 5 of Philemon).
- Would you have recognized the source of the text message quote she sent me the first night of class?
- Respond to her way of describing the Three Worlds: Helpful? Inspiring? Why?
- Then come up with your own alternative way (different explanation or metaphor etc) of seeing The Three Worlds..
- Maybe draw or create (or upload a video of( your own grid (word picture/image) for picturing the Three Worlds and the best way to interpret a text in context.
Take some notes on Amber's explanation of the Three Worlds Approach to interpreting a text and explaining how this paradigm has "everyday relevance" to our lives.
Listen as Amber explains how important it is to "personalize" a paradigm like the Three Worlds Approach to interpreting scripture to better learn it. What metaphor did she employ to personalize the Three Worlds Approach? How did she visualize it? How can you personalize the paradigm to better remember and internalize it for you? Respond to the questions below once you've had a chance to watch the video: Questions
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--------------------------
Inclusio: a literary world technique.
Something is repeated at beginning and end of a text or book to give you a clue as to main theme.
a literary device in which a word, phrase, or idea is included at the beginning and ened of a text (and sometimes in the middle).
NOW: WHAT INCLUSIO about the Kingdom DID WE FIND IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT?
see 1:-07 through 6:40 in this video by Dave for the INCLUSIO idea:
--------------------
THE OTHER SIDE: HELPFUL FOR SIGNATURE.
This forum involves about 35 minutes total of video Watch all three videos (one by Dave, two by our Israel tour guide, Ray Van Der Laan), carefully, enjoy, and be prepared to talk in the forum. Remember Dave said this lesson on "the other side" is often the one students find most helpful to use in their case study/signature paper.
- 1. FIRST: Watch this 5 minute intro video by Dave to the theme "The Other Side."
2. SECOND: Watch this 12 minute video from Ray Van Der Laan, filmed on the Sea of Galilee, "When Storms Come" This will include the theme of " the other side", and let you see what the "historical world" of water symbolized.
3. THIRD: click this to watch 15 minute Ray Van Der Laan video filmed on the "other side" of the sea: "Piercing the Darkness" It might help a lot to re-read a related short Kraybill "Upside Down Kingdom" section: bottom of p 208-210 here OR from middle of p. 198-202 in the 2018 edition.
a) post a review and summary of the two Van Der Laan videos in which you convince the teacher you watched them. Length of post is up to you.
b)post a few sentences in which you apply the theme of "the other side" to an episode or event in your life, or of someone you know.
c) EXTRA EXTRA CRED> Close the deal.. watch seven minutes of extra video from Dave ( part 1 and part 2 . Ignore any references to a previous class) in which he applies this theme to the phrase "the other side of the tracks." Respond with a 1-2 sentence (longer OK) comment on the video, and 1-2 sentences (longer OK) on which you talk about a city/town you live in (or know of), and identify where the "other side" might be in that city/town.
------------------------------------------------------
Here's the "sign" for "the other side"
- Q>Who is Jesus in Matthew?
A>The one who is not afraid to go to "THE OTHER SIDE"
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