Mark 1:12-13

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In Mark we don't hear about the contents of the temptations. In some of the references I'm reading the authors/preachers go right to the 'three temptations' of the other gospels. But I wondered, if we didn't know that story, what might the temptation have sounded like.

There are lots of demon exorcisms in Mark. And the demons know who Jesus is - the Son of God. I figure the demons are all on the family cell phone plan. And daddy is Satan, who meets Jesus in these two short verses. (see also Mark 3:21-27 - and I did read 'Binding the Strong Man' years ago)

Did the dialogue go like this:
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Satan to Jesus: What are you doing here?

Jesus: I was baptized by John
I’m not even sure why I went there
then the heavens erupted
and the spirit – white – blinding – like a dove
and a voice said: you are my beloved son
I delight in you.

Satan: so, what are you doing here? In the wilderness?

Jesus: I’m not sure.
that same dove would not let me rest until I was here. Flying, diving, in my face, at my head, until I ran, headlong, to this barren rock.

Satan: hmm- want to play cards?

Jesus: the people wandered in the wilderness for 40 years

Satan: you want to stay that long?

Jesus: I don’t think I’m supposed to. No. I don’t want to play cards.

Satan: it’s good to see you. It’s time we got some things clear. Nothing changes, okay. My domain remains the same; my ‘people’ do what they do.

Jesus: Jacob wrestled an angel that night beside the Jabbok. Shall we wrestle?

Satan: you are not going to do this the easy way, are you?

Jesus: no. Not at all. Your 'people' will know I am here, and I will not let one of them continue to torture my children.

Satan: 4 days, 40 days, 4 years. It does not matter. I will win in the end. Come, let us reason together. Let us find a way for you and me to co-exist. You be the king, I’ll be the power behind the throne. You be the popular, loved healer – I’ll come along for the ride.

Jesus: your time is over. Your power shall end. The answer is clear – it is written in the book – only one shall rule. And it won’t be you.

Satan: bah – the book. I’ve lived with that book for a thousand years and it hasn’t stopped me yet. In fact, it’s been rather helpful these past few years.

Jesus: and the heart – it will be written anew on their hearts. That they are loved, that they are precious, that they have a future beyond this life, and that it does not include you.

Satan: will they listen to you – a peasant preacher, an unauthorized rabbi from nowhere, a poor man with poorer friends? How will they find any comfort in your words – all air and nothing concrete? They want to hear the way that leads to power, that leads to riches, that leads to respect, that leads to comfort and pleasure.

Jesus: they will hear of love, of mercy, of justice. Those who have none of those things will hear that God desires that for them.

Satan: so those will be your words and the reality is . . . ?

Jesus: the reality will be what we make it to be. The reality will be love and mercy and justice. The healed, the fed, the reconciled will know love, mercy and justice. They will create these things for others as they have known them.

Satan: That’s a pretty squishy agenda. There will still be lots of room to work for me and my ‘people.’

Jesus: Less and less room. The battle starts here. Now. All the powers will be watching.

Satan: You call it a battle, then. To the death?

Jesus: To the death? Yes, yes, if necessary. Yes, even to death.

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I understand some of those temptations. To comfort before justice, to security before mission, to prosperity before sacrifice. I see them in myself. I see them in the church. I see doubt in who we are, in what we do, in what we have to offer.

And though I am not a big fan of spiritual warfare language, I see that Satan still has lots of room to wiggle in and close off our ears to the dramatic power of the gospel.

For all that is the reason we need confession and forgiveness. We hear and do not hear, we see and do not see, we know and do not know.

These are first thoughts on the lesson for Sunday. I don't think I'll use the dialogue, but it's food for thought.