Tempted by Bread (Matthew 4:2-4)

Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to face temptation...

Matthew 4:2-4 ² He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished. ³ The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." ⁴ But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Luke 4:2-4 ...for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. ³ The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." ⁴ Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"

During WWII thousands of children were orphaned and basically left alone to starve.  Even after they were rescued and placed in orphan camps where they were cared for, they often could not sleep at night because they feared what would happen to them the next day.  Some feared that there would not be enough food and they would go hungry again.  So it was decided that each child would be tucked in at night with some bread to hold onto throughout the night.  This way they could rest knowing that in the morning they would have food.  They took comfort holding onto what would nourish them and give them life the next day.  This was a brilliant step in helping these children heal.  But you and I know that unless the bread keeps coming day after day, the hunger will return.  You and I also know that the children need more than bread to be healthy and whole. Not only must their physical needs be met, but their spiritual needs must be met too.  And eventually to be completely whole, they must grow beyond concern for their own needs toward taking care of other's needs.

Here Jesus is given a choice.  He hasn't had food in 40 days.  Like the children, he is hungry.  But unlike the children, he realizes that he needs more than a piece of bread to have life.  A piece of bread will nourish the body for a few hours, but Jesus is concerned with life everlasting.  And one piece of bread won't cut it.

Jesus knows that life everlasting requires "what comes out of the mouth of God."  In other words, he knows that real life comes from hearing God's truth and doing it.  John records Jesus as saying, "My food is to do the will of the Father" (John 4:34).  So... when evil suggests he turns the stone into bread to satisfy his hunger - although there is nothing inherently wrong with the act itself - Jesus won't do what the Father hasn't instructed him to do. Instead he waits for God's life giving direction and timing.

How easy it is for us to substitute a piece of bread (a temporary solution to our hunger) for living bread that will satisfy us forever.  How easy it is for us to think we can solve our own problems with our own power.  How comfortable we can be tucked into bed safely with our 401Ks and health insurance plans.  Never realizing that the bread we are eating will only nourish us a short while.  We delude ourselves into thinking we have found security.  But its only partially and temporarily fulfilling.  All the while, the living bread is waiting for us.  Bread that will satisfy forever.

Now to add a twist to this story that will require some pondering. Further on in the gospels we will find out that Jesus is this word of God - he is the will of God - he is this living bread for us.  Our bread - the kind that will fill us forever - is Jesus.  Jesus is the bread that nourishes us forever - following him is to do to the will of God.

Choose the bread you sleep with carefully.  Some bread will nourish for a day.  But there is bread that will nourish for eternity.