AN ARCHETYPAL STORY OF CONFLICTING VALUES
This is an archetypal story of an encounter between Jesus and the devil. It goes like this.
Jesus had spent 40 days in the desert on something like a vision quest. He was
exhausted and hungry, and the devil seized this opportunity to tempt Jesus with
three challenges. The first challenge was to suggest that Jesus turn a stone into
bread. Jesus refused. Next, the devil tempted Jesus to fall from the highest
tower of the temple so that God would have to catch him. Jesus refused.
Finally, the devil took Jesus to the highest mountain so that Jesus can see all
the kingdoms of the world and possess them. The only catch was that Jesus
would have to worship the devil in return.
This archetypal story is adapted form the Gospels of Matthew (4:3-11) and Luke (4:1-12). These are the only accounts in the gospels where the devil and Jesus meet face to face. Allow your imagination to take you deeply into this encounter.
Consider the devil:
How does the devil look?
How do you think he smells?
What kind of teeth does he have?
A mustache?... with handlebars?
How does his voice sound?
How close does he get to Jesus?
Is there a sneer? A look of confidence?
Do you observe how he seems to be sizing-up Jesus?
What are his values?
How does he walk away from Jesus?
Does he look back over his shoulder?
Could he be leaving with a contemptuous glance?
What values does he display in his temptations?
And then there is Jesus. He has just returned from forty days and nights in the desert. Use your imagination:
What does his robe look like after forty days with no change?
What shape is his hair in?
Look at his sandals; how are they holding up?
Look at his fingernails, his toenails.
No contact with running water since his baptism by John, how parched are his lips?
Where are his eyes, drooping or fully open?
How emaciated does he appear to be?
Is he walking fast or slow?
How startled might he look when the devil appears?
Now, give attention to the devil's agenda and challenge to Jesus.
Number One:
Turn the stones into bread.
The result would be wealth.
Number Two:
Jump from the highest point in the temple so that God will have to save you.
The result would be revenge. This is because the devil is angry with God who
elevated human beings as being more important than the devil, a dark angel
who rebelled against God and wants revenge. (See Milton's Paradise Lost.)
Number Three:
All I am asking from you is worship, and in return you may rule over all the
kingdoms on earth.
These three values--wealth, revenue, and worship—appear to be the devil's highest
yearnings. Sound familiar? But how does Jesus respond? What values does he reveal?
You and I have the advantage of time, theological study, psychological reflection, and the portrayal of Jesus as a prophet, healer, a mystic of sorts who goes off to himself often where he is thought to have entered into deep meditative states with God. In addition, Jesus is a teacher. We have some record of his teaching, and, as written in Matthew 5:1-12, this is what he taught.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down,
his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of
evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is
great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.
Consider then the values Jesus lived and taught in response to the devil's temptations. Placing them side by side, they look like this:
Devil Jesus
wealth poor in spirit
revenge peacemaking
worship love
You will note that this archetypal story is a reflection not on religious dogma but the role values play in forming one's moral compass. Of course, religion is not irrelevant when we seek an understanding of our moral compass. But religion is more then dogma and ecclesiastical creeds, is it not? Most simply put, religion serves as host for our primal values. It is no wonder that all the religions of the world claim some variation of the "golden rule."
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
And do not do to others what you would not have them do unto you.
This is the citadel of compassion. And what is compassion if it is not the foremost value that can hold humanity together. Of this we dream.
This is an archetypal story of an encounter between Jesus and the devil. It goes like this.
Jesus had spent 40 days in the desert on something like a vision quest. He was
exhausted and hungry, and the devil seized this opportunity to tempt Jesus with
three challenges. The first challenge was to suggest that Jesus turn a stone into
bread. Jesus refused. Next, the devil tempted Jesus to fall from the highest
tower of the temple so that God would have to catch him. Jesus refused.
Finally, the devil took Jesus to the highest mountain so that Jesus can see all
the kingdoms of the world and possess them. The only catch was that Jesus
would have to worship the devil in return.
This archetypal story is adapted form the Gospels of Matthew (4:3-11) and Luke (4:1-12). These are the only accounts in the gospels where the devil and Jesus meet face to face. Allow your imagination to take you deeply into this encounter.
Consider the devil:
How does the devil look?
How do you think he smells?
What kind of teeth does he have?
A mustache?... with handlebars?
How does his voice sound?
How close does he get to Jesus?
Is there a sneer? A look of confidence?
Do you observe how he seems to be sizing-up Jesus?
What are his values?
How does he walk away from Jesus?
Does he look back over his shoulder?
Could he be leaving with a contemptuous glance?
What values does he display in his temptations?
And then there is Jesus. He has just returned from forty days and nights in the desert. Use your imagination:
What does his robe look like after forty days with no change?
What shape is his hair in?
Look at his sandals; how are they holding up?
Look at his fingernails, his toenails.
No contact with running water since his baptism by John, how parched are his lips?
Where are his eyes, drooping or fully open?
How emaciated does he appear to be?
Is he walking fast or slow?
How startled might he look when the devil appears?
Now, give attention to the devil's agenda and challenge to Jesus.
Number One:
Turn the stones into bread.
The result would be wealth.
Number Two:
Jump from the highest point in the temple so that God will have to save you.
The result would be revenge. This is because the devil is angry with God who
elevated human beings as being more important than the devil, a dark angel
who rebelled against God and wants revenge. (See Milton's Paradise Lost.)
Number Three:
All I am asking from you is worship, and in return you may rule over all the
kingdoms on earth.
These three values--wealth, revenue, and worship—appear to be the devil's highest
yearnings. Sound familiar? But how does Jesus respond? What values does he reveal?
You and I have the advantage of time, theological study, psychological reflection, and the portrayal of Jesus as a prophet, healer, a mystic of sorts who goes off to himself often where he is thought to have entered into deep meditative states with God. In addition, Jesus is a teacher. We have some record of his teaching, and, as written in Matthew 5:1-12, this is what he taught.
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down,
his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of
evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is
great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were
before you.
Consider then the values Jesus lived and taught in response to the devil's temptations. Placing them side by side, they look like this:
Devil Jesus
wealth poor in spirit
revenge peacemaking
worship love
You will note that this archetypal story is a reflection not on religious dogma but the role values play in forming one's moral compass. Of course, religion is not irrelevant when we seek an understanding of our moral compass. But religion is more then dogma and ecclesiastical creeds, is it not? Most simply put, religion serves as host for our primal values. It is no wonder that all the religions of the world claim some variation of the "golden rule."
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
And do not do to others what you would not have them do unto you.
This is the citadel of compassion. And what is compassion if it is not the foremost value that can hold humanity together. Of this we dream.
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