In the Wilderness, Tempted, Hungry...

Is this a Survivor episode? 40 days without food. Sometimes it's hard to last 40 minutes without thinking about a snack or something to satisfy our hunger or physical desires. But the key, I believe, is found in v.1: Jesus, "full of the Holy Spirit", prior to the temptations by Satan; and in v.14: Jesus returned to Galilee in the "power of the Spirit", after the temptations.
-So, how are we to fight off temptations? With God's Word and by the power of the Spirit.

Jesus, like John in Chapter 3, was in the wilderness. But whereas John was already preaching the gospel to the people, Jesus was alone with the devil. Also note that both of them quoted or read from the book of Isaiah.
John spoke of the coming of the Lord; Jesus spoke of the fulfillment of the Scripture (v.21).
John spoke of how the crooked will be made straight, the rough roads smooth; Jesus specifically told of what his ministry would be:
1) to preach the gospel to the poor
2) to proclaim release to the captives
3) to give sight to the blind
4) to set free those who are downtrodden
5) to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord

- Here I believe that Jesus came to minister to:
1) those who are lacking (materially, spiritually)
2) those who are in bondage (physically, emotionally, spiritually)
3) those who cannot see (physically, spiritually)
4) those who are without hope or have lost hope (emotionally, spiritually)
5) those who are looking for a Savior

Then I wonder why those he was speaking to in the synagogue were filled with rage (v.28) after Jesus spoke about the prophets Elijah and Elisha (Elijah was sent to a widow in Sidon, Elisha was cleansed a leper from Syria.)
- If I was to guess, though, I would say that Jesus mentioned that there were many widows in Israel at the time of Elijah and during the famine. And there were many lepers in Israel at the time of Elisha. But the two prophets ministered to and healed non-Jews (a widow in Sidon and a leper from Syria).
-Jesus may have been saying that God cares for, provides, and is able to heal all people (though He may not always choose to) and that salvation is indeed for both Jews and gentiles. This is just my thoughts, so feel free to comment on this.

Jesus spoke and taught with power and authority, and the people were amazed. Unclean spirits and demons were cast out by Jesus, but Jesus would rebuke them and not allow them to say who Jesus was: "the Holy One of God" (v.34), the "Son of God" (v.41).
- I wonder why Jesus did not want his identity to be revealed at this time. But Jesus was focused and knew his purpose and why he was sent (v.43): "to preach the kingdom of God to the other cities".
- Do we tend to hide our true identity? Clark Kent in glasses, Peter Parker with great power comes great responsibility, Bruce Wayne under the mask. I know I do at times. Why? Fear, shame, embarrassment, judgment, ridicule. We need be ashamed of our identity in Christ.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the POWER of God for SALVATION to EVERYONE who BELIEVES, to the Jew first and also the Greek (gentile)." - Romans 1:16

Have a blessed the weekend!

-Ying