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From: root@topaz.ARPA (Root)
Newsgroups: net.religion
Subject: Re: the Temptations (not a singing group)
Message-ID: <1191@topaz.ARPA>
Date: Fri, 12-Apr-85 01:40:04 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.1191
Posted: Fri Apr 12 01:40:04 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 14-Apr-85 02:10:09 EST
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Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
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I'm getting tired of this discussion.  Before anyone else accuses Jesus of
using excuses to cover up not being able to do miracles, please read the
Biblical texts you are commenting on.  The version of the temptation story
which is presumably the earliest is the following "At once the Spirit made
him go into the desert, where he stayed forty days, being tempted by Satan.
Wild animals were there also, but angels came and helped him."  (Mark
1:12-13)  Note: no comment about miracles.  The versions in Matthew and Luke
give three actual temptations.  They are:

  - turn this stone into bread
  - worship me (Satan) and I will give you power
  - throw yourself off the temple, and God will rescue you.  (No
	motivation for this is stated.  Presumably the idea is that
	this will prove that he is the Messiah.)

Note that the earliest version doesn't mention miracles at all.  Also note
that in the ones that give the actual temptations, only one of the
temptations would be a miracle that Jesus would work, and one of them
wouldn't be a miracle at all.  I think this shows that the story did not
arise as an explanation as to why Jesus didn't always work miracles.

Now, as for the times when Jesus actually did refuse to work miracles.
Typically when Jesus didn't work miracles (e.g. Mk. 8:11-13, Mt. 16:1-4) )
he didn't give any excuse at all.  I recall one place where the narrator
says that Jesus didn't work any miracles in a particular place because they
didn't have faith there.  But if Jesus himself said something like that, I
don't recall it.  Indeed Jesus was very wary of claiming anything about
himself.  This is what has led many non-Christians to say that the whole
business about being the Son of God was just a misinterpretation by his
followers.  There is better evidence for this than for the (apparently
contradictory) criticism that Jesus was a charlatan.

I have no objection to the original offhand remark that the temptations
sounds like typical excuses of a charlatan.  People are welcome to try to
shed new and amusing light on old passages.  However before having a long
discussion on such an observation, I would appreciate it if contributors
would look a bit more carefully.