By Father Paul Nord, O.S.B.
Sunday Scripture
First Reading: Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Response: Psalm 91:1-2, 10-15; Second Reading: Romans 10:8-13; Gospel: Luke 4:1-13
The events of Deuteronomy occur 40 years after God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. God decreed that their entry into the Promised Land would be delayed to purify the Israelites of their sins. Thus for 40 years, they wandered in the wilderness.
In Deuteronomy, the Israelites have finally arrived at the border of the Promised Land. But before they enter, Moses prepares them. Moses reminds the Israelites about God’s mighty acts of power by which he had freed them from Egypt. Today’s reading thus recounts that Israelites’ entered into Egypt “as a small household” and that they “lived there as an alien.” Moses also recounts the Egyptians’ oppression of the Israelites that the Lord God saw their affliction and redeemed them. Moses emphasizes that the Lord God freed the Israelites “with his strong hand and outstretched arm, with terrifying power, with signs and wonders.” Therefore the Israelites should be loyal to the Lord God who did these great things for them.
Secondly, Moses says that the Israelites have a responsibility to bring “the firstfruits” of the soil as an offering to the Lord God. This is a recognition that the Lord God has given the land to the Israelites as a gift. Thus the land really still belongs to God. All the produce of the land likewise belongs primarily to God. Presenting to God the firstfruits of each year’s harvest is a yearly acknowledgment that the land and the produce belong to God — although he allows the Israelites to use them.
Moses instructs the people: “The priest shall receive the basket from you and shall set it in front of the altar of the LORD, your God.” This basket contains the “firstfruits” of the harvest. When the Israelites make this offering to God, they publicly acknowledge all that God has done for them in freeing them from slavery in Egypt. In these two ways — their firstfruits offering and their praise of God’s mighty works — the Israelites repeatedly acknowledged their complete dependence on God’s providence and protection.
Next is St. Paul’s letter to the Romans. Paul cites Deuteronomy 30:14: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.” Paul applies this to “the word of faith that we preach” — the Gospel of Christ Jesus. He then extends the “mouth” and “heart” imagery of Deuteronomy 30. Paul says “you will be saved” under this condition: if “you confess with your mouth” and if you “believe in your heart.” What should we confess? “Jesus is Lord.” What should we believe? “God raised him from the dead.” Obviously, these are central elements of faith in Christ Jesus. By confessing and believing these, we will be saved.
Paul then repeats the “mouth” and “heart” imagery: “For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.” Most commentaries don’t see much distinction between being “justified” versus “saved.” These words describe redemption in Christ Jesus, and being in the right relationship with God as a result. Similarly, believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth are both expressions of full consent and recognition of Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Next Paul says, “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all.” The covenant of Moses was for the Jewish people, but the new covenant is for all people who believe in Christ Jesus. Receiving God’s promises in Christ comes from faith, not ethnic heritage. Paul cites Joel 3:5: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ temptation in the desert. Jesus is “filled with the Holy Spirit” and Jesus “was led by the Spirit into the desert.” There are clear parallels between Jesus’ 40 days in the desert and the Israelites’ 40 years in the desert after God freed them from Egypt. The Israelites are tested by hunger in the desert. Thus they learn obedience and dependence on God, who provides them with “bread from heaven.” So also Jesus demonstrates his obedience to God the Father. After Jesus eats nothing for 40 days, the devil tempts Jesus in his human hunger by saying: “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But in his Incarnation, Jesus has chosen to share our human weakness of hunger and pain, and so Jesus refuses to use his divine power to avoid human suffering.
Next, the devil promises to give Jesus the power and glory of the world’s kingdoms — “if you worship me.” But by his Incarnation, Jesus models how all humanity should worship the Lord God alone. In his response, Jesus cites Deuteronomy 6:13: “You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.” The devil tempts Jesus with the world’s kingdoms, but Jesus instead proclaims the arrival of God’s kingdom. Jesus refuses all earthly power and glory. Instead, Jesus reveals God’s glory in his crucifixion — divine love that redeems humanity.
Finally, the devil urges Jesus to throw himself down from the Jerusalem temple parapet. The devil portrays this as a test of God’s protective care for his son, but Jesus refuses: “You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test” (citing Deuteronomy 6:16). Note that Jesus’ confrontation with the devil reaches its final climax in Jerusalem. Likewise in Jerusalem, Jesus will defeat evil by his crucifixion.
Luke’s Gospel emphasizes how God has sent his spirit into the world in a new powerful way with the Incarnation of Jesus the Son of God. Thus when Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan, “heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (Luke 3:21-22). This “opening of heaven” shows that God is acting in a new powerful way — this is effected by God’s Spirit acting in our world.
Benedictine Father Paul Nord is a monk of St. Meinrad Archabbey and teaches at St. Meinrad Seminary. His Sunday Scripture columns are © Father Paul Nord, O.S.B.