southwestern baptist theological seminary school of theology ... - Lorin

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INTRODUCTION
All the Synoptics record the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness following his baptism
as a prelude to his public ministry. Mark’s account is brief and omits the dialogue between Jesus
and the devil and other details. Matthew and Luke, while containing some differences, are for
the most part parallel.
A detailed analysis of the synoptic accounts raises numerous exegetical and theological
issues. The initial question concerns genre. What form classification best describes the
temptation pericope? Another important issue is historicity. Is the temptation narrative a real
event in the life of Jesus? If real, did the event occur in the literal manner stated in the text, or is
this a real experience expressed in symbolic terms? Other questions reflect source, redaction,
literary, sociological, and theological concerns. Is Mark a summary of Matthew and Luke or did
Matthew and Luke expand upon Mark with a common source (Q)? How does one account for
the significant differences between Matthew and Luke, especially with regard to the order of the
temptations? Does the difference in order reflect theological or literary motivations? Does the
preservation of this story reflect a Sitz im Leben Jesu or a Sitz im Leben Kirche?
The difficulty of interpretation is compounded when one attempts to discern the main
thrust of the temptation narrative. 1 Is Jesus tempted as Son of God, Messiah, or both? What is
the exact nature of the temptation? In light of the quotations from Deuteronomy is Jesus tempted
as the new Israel, or is there also a new Adam motif present, especially in light of Luke’s
1John Nolland, Luke 1:1-9:20. Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 35a (Dallas, TX:
Word, 1989), 178.