Jesus came to free mankind from their masochistic desires and tendencies. Â Where the people of Nazareth sought fame and favor, the mission of Christ is to bring people to repentance and to die to themselves in order that they might live. Â Thus, the people of Nazareth turned on Jesus swiftly, having been spurned by His clarity of mission. Â
There are very few times scripturally where the devil appeared face to face with man. The Gospel of Luke is one of those times. This was the standoff between good and evil that would set the tone for the Christ’s mission in the world. Â The temptation was real in that the devil would be able to offer the things he was offering, but Jesus had no intention of caving in to the demands of the devil. Â Whatever authority the devil had to do anything, Jesus would strip is away piece by piece until there is nothing left. Â Jesus did not come in self aggrandizement or to enslave himself for the sake of becoming like mankind. Â Christ came as a servant to reign victorious and overthrow the forces of evil that have tempted you and I.
