Bible The temptation tests of Jesus

Matthew 4:1-11 describes the temptation that Jesus is being put into. Jesus is being led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Obviously, Jesus is being tested like a human and not God.

The first test is the personal desire out of need. Jesus was fasting for 40 days and 40 nights. He was hungry Matt 4:2. The tempter is trying to induce Jesus to get the easy way out by acting as God instead of suffering as a human. Jesus answer is "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that come from the mouth of God." How many of us could overcome our personal desire and not waver?

The second test is the pride in man. The test is on the attempt to show off that God is his backer. Nothing wrong? Many people pray to God for protection but they forget that they put themselves in center of focus instead of God. Moses made the mistake of striking on the stone instead of speaking to the stone as commanded by God. He forgets that he is not the one that is glorified in the act. The penalty is that he can only see the promised land but can never enter it Num 20:10-11. Job has done better Job 2:10. Jesus has the right perspective. He said "do not put God to the test" matt 4:7.

The third test is on power and greed. This test is a bit confusing but based on the standpoint that Jesus is tested as a human, it explains everything. How many can resist the kind of power and glamour of being in control. Jesus answer "Worship your God and serve him only" Matt 4:10 This is similar to what Jesus said in Matt 16:26 "What good is it for man to gain the whole world and lost his soul?"

If you looked carefully the three test are based on human self-centered behavior. 1. Provide for self. 2. Putting glory on self. 3. Get power for self. Jesus' answer put God before all. He has gone through the test and prevailed as a human.

Actually there is a ultimate test. A test which he was betrayed, abandoned by all and hanged between two convicted criminals. As a human he has to bear all the humility, being mocked and left to die forsaken even by God.  He prayed three times to be spared the agony but to no avail. 

Bible and the Origin of Scam

 Origin of Scam is usually referred to as Origin of Sin. The latter concentrates on the wrong doings and the punishment given. This post concentrates on the scam itself.

God created man and put him to work in Garden of Eden. He gave the specific command "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat it you will surely die. (Gen 2:16-17).

After giving the command, God then created animals before forming Eve out of Adam's rib. It showed that Eve did not receive direct command from God about the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

The serpent first step is create confusion. He asked "Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden." (Gen 3:1)

Eve's reply is typical of a person who received second hand information. "We may eat fruits from the trees in the garden. but God did say 'you must not eat fruit from the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" (Gen: 3:2) That is not exactly what God's command. She has totally missed the fact about tree of knowledge of good and evil instead she only knows that the tree in the middle of the garden is forbidden to eat and she even added "you must not touch it".

The serpent said "you will not certainly die." (Gen 3:4) The serpent deny the fact about dying after eating the fruit. His next phrase seduces Eve about the good effects of eating the fruit. Surely, this is one fact that neither Eve or Adam is told. It directs away the fact about dying and concentrates on the benefit. 

By first creating confusion then sideline the fact with additional facts as incentive, Eve is seduced to do the wrong thing. Although Adam did not say anything, he is with her all the while (Gen 3:6) and is probably being seduced too.

Did the serpent say anything that is false? Not at all. Even the fact about dying after eating the fruit is also muddled and diluted by his first phrase. He made use of the fact that Eve probably don't know that the "tree in the middle of the garden" is actually the tree of knowledge of good and evil that is specifically forbidden to be eaten. So eating the fruit from the middle of the garden should be allowed because they are given permission to eat from any tree in the garden. Even if that tree in the middle of the garden is forbidden to be eaten, it is God that selfishly hides the benefits of eating the fruit by saying that they will die after eating the fruit. Sadly to say Adam and Eve did not die after eating the fruit. So the serpent is right about the not dying after eating the fruit.

Modern scam basically use the same tactic of confusion, and incentive. Most people don't know the true fact about things around them. They will willingly accept any one's word as fact without checking. Furthermore greed is one incentive that few escapes from it. Who to blame when they fell for the scam?