This paper is to suggest Tong-Chun Theology on the basis of the interdisciplinary study through the mission of life, the missiological principles, and its hermeneuical application in the temptation story of Jesus. There is the three-fold temptation st...
This paper is to suggest Tong-Chun Theology on the basis of the interdisciplinary study through the mission of life, the missiological principles, and its hermeneuical application in the temptation story of Jesus. There is the three-fold temptation story of Jesus in Matt 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. It is widely acknowledged that the temptation story in Matthew and Luke presents considerable problems in relation to its contents it is to be regarded as part of the Sayings Gospel Q. The first challenge by the devil to Jesus to change stone(s) into bread has perhaps the closest links with other Q material. There is widespread agreement that Q`s version of Jesus` reply here should be seen in the shorter, Lukan version of Luke 4:4; the longer Matthean version is due to Matthean redaction. This first temptation states at the outset of Q waht is to be important feature of the Q teaching to come: concern for food and material goods, while recognized as real and genuine, is not to become the overriding concern in the Christian life. “Man does not love by bread alone.” In the second temptation, the view that the dialogue depends on Jesus` unique status as the Son of God is even harder to defend. The devil`s challenge to Jesus is to test God. What significance could such a temptation have within the context of Q? This second temptation may imply a rejection not of any specifically messianic miracle (and certainly not of all miracles), but simply of any particularly miraculous miracle performed for its own sake or to prove other claims. The second temptation thus coheres with this very closely. Any demand for such a sign is shown here to be demoniac and opposed to the testimony of scripture itself. Scripture says, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” The third temptation, like the other two, has very close links with the Q teaching, which follows. This temptation is perhaps slightly different in that the ‘test’ put to Jesus implies a response, which is so obvious. However, the fact that it is so ‘obvious’ when put in the form of such a ‘mythical’ form as this is perhaps part of the intention of the story. By placing such a story at the start of the document, the Q redactor provides the reader with an important hermeneutical key for what is to follow. God is the God who demands exclusive worship Hence neutrality is impossible. But part of the claim of God is via claims associated with his Kingdom; and any rival “kingdom’ is here claimed to be demoniac in origin. The temptation story is interwoven into the Q text to retrospect the life Jesus on the basis of the biographical cat which can be regarded as tong chun theology for the God`s mission of life.