Temptations

The temptations of Christ is are mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark 1, and Luke 4. After Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus fasted for forty days and nights in the desert of Judea. The adversary we often call Satan tempted Jesus.

There were three basic aspects of these temptations:

1. . Turn "Stones" into bread for himself.
2. . Offer power from the Pinnacle of the "temple".
3. . Divine protection from the top of the "Mountain".

And then afterwards he was ministered to by angels.

In Matthew Jesus appears to site at least three scriptures cited by Jesus (Deuteronomy 8:3, Deuteronomy 6:13, and Deuteronomy 6:16) reference the sequence of the trials of Israel as they wandered in the desert. These of course are representing the metaphor that points to spiritual principles we may all face in our own lives.

The common modern christian view thinks in terms of particular sins like avarice, gluttony and pride and hubris The kingdom of God is a network of families coming together under the perfect law of liberty binding themselves by faith, hope, and charity, rather than social contracts with civil benefactors who exercise authority one over the other.

The early Church did not pray to the Patronus of Rome for mercy and justice nor free bread in times of need. Christian prayed to Our Father who art in Heaven for forgiveness as they showed forgiveness for others and their daily bread. Christian bread was contributed freely by the thanksgiving of Christ's faithful believers. Anyone who professed Christ was cast out of the social welfare system, Corban, of the Pharisees at Herod's golden temple that made the word of God to none effect.

Corban means sacrifice. It is also translated offering, oblation, offered, sacrifice, and treasury in the Bible. The purpose of the sacrifice was to care for the needy of society which included anyone who did not have sufficient resources within their family to provide for a crisis. Corban has been a part of all governments and societies of man.

Corban was a religious Rite for the welfare of the people. Cain, Nimrod, Pharaoh, Caesar, and Herod were benefactors in the provision of free bread by forcing the sacrifice, contributions, of the people.

The followers of Jesus the Christ also had provisions to care for the needy of their society. They accomplished this without the benefactors of the “world” which exercised authority over the contributions of the people. Pure Religion was providing for society in a way that was unspotted by the covetous authoritarianism of the “world”.

• “And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so:” Luke 22:25. Also Matthew 20:25, Mark 10:42.

Early Rome, the Republic, depended entirely on the distribution of charity through the congregation of the the family hearths. These networked families provided for the welfare needs of their society.

Public works projects, commercial ventures, and even war was financed through similar fund raising institutions or temples. This community in affluence and apathy eventually built temples to manage services on a centralized governmental scale with a broadened scope. By 70 B.C. a bread dole was decreed distributing free bread to 40,000 adult males which increased over the centuries to include over 300,000.

There was little need for individual charity with the government taking over this responsibility. Every year 500,000,000 bushels of grain were imported from Egypt alone. This grain was stockpiled and redistributed daily from warehouses along Trajan’s dock covering over 160 acres. With these massive government giveaway programs in place, the local farmers needed to be subsidized and individual charity died from neglect.

As the republic moved away from voluntarism and charity. The people were seduced by the temptation of easy entitlements offered by benefactors who exercised authority. The voluntary charitable network which had bound families together into a strong society were gradually replaced by an authoritarian systems bureaucrats who imposed a civil duty and legal obligation to contribute. A once titular leadership became law makers whose authority and power was soon centralized into the hands of one Caesar or dictator after another until Rome declined and fell.

• “Protection draws to it subjection; subjection protection”

• “The real destroyers of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.” Plutarch, 2000 years ago.

It has always been common practice to expand the power of government though the offer of social contracts and schemes to an acquiescing, if not consenting, populous by enticing people with benefits and promises provided at the expense of their neighbors.

The Bible warns us concerning such foolishness. The unrighteous path is the unrighteous mammon. Mammon is not money, although money may represent a form of mammon. Mammon is entrusted wealthlike the camp of the golden calf people deposit their wealth under the control of another. Jesus compares God and mammon as two masters, both requiring service and bestowing benefits and grace upon its faithful members. One will fail, the other is everlasting.

• “And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.... If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true [riches]?” Luke 16:9-11

Jesus also tells us to be faithful with the unrighteous mammon, while we should pursue the righteous. We should not be cheating the present master while we are in the process of seeking the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness.

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government [dominion]. Presumptuous [are they], selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.” 2 Peter 2:

And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; Luke 22:25

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