Forty Days and Temptation

Lent is actually 46 days, but Sundays are not traditionally included in the 40 days of Lent. According to early church tradition Sundays were not days for fasting or penance, since every Sunday is a celebration of Easter. The number 40 is significant for several reasons. Many events in the Bible are associated with the number 40. For example, the Hebrews wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. The wandering in the wilderness was later understood as a time of purification. The sinful and faithless generation died in the wilderness and only the purified nation crossed over into the Promised Land. Spending time in the wilderness came to be associated with spiritual purification even for the early church. The Christian monastic tradition essentially began as early Christian teachers retreated to the desert and students followed after them.

Lent does not require us to enter into a desert, but it is a call for purification. Any move toward a deeper spiritual life will run into trouble. Temptation and spiritual warfare will accompany the pursuit of Christian spiritual disciplines. As Jesus began his earthly ministry, he was guided by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness for 40 days. Jesus did not need purification, but he did enter an intense time of prayer and fasting to prepare for his ministry. During that forty days he faced temptation and the 40 days ended with three intense temptations. The temptations recorded in Luke and Matthew are theologically rich material. The temptations tell us quite a bit about Jesus, but they also serve as a model for us. Jesus is unique and the temptations that he faced were greater than anything we will ever experience. However, Jesus is the model for our Christian life and the temptations are an important lesson. Frequently it is pointed out that Jesus defeated temptation with Scripture citation, but that is only a portion of the story. Jesus was immersed in Scripture and it was incorporated into his life. He lived the Old Testament in ways we can't comprehend. We should not only memorize Scripture, but also incorporate it into how we live. Further, Jesus was being obedient to his Father throughout the Temptations. Obedience is necessary to incorporate Scripture into our lives. Simply knowing Bible verses is not enough if they are never utilized. The most important aspect of Jesus' victory is the role of the Holy Spirit. Luke 4:1 tells us that Jesus was led in the wilderness by the Spirit and verse 14 tells us that he returned from the wilderness in the power of the Spirit. Jesus relied upon the Holy Spirit throughout the 40 days and in his confrontation with Satan. Memorization and obedience must be accompanied by the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can enable us to both recognize and overcome temptation. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God always provides an escape from temptation.

Throughout Lent we will experience temptation and it will become even more intense if we are intentionally preparing for Easter. We do not face these temptations alone, but should look to the Holy Spirit to overcome these temptations as we are obedient to the will of God.