Why does Luke emphasis that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit’s power? Surely as the Son of God that’s obvious. Yet,
Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power.
Luke 4:14
After being in the wilderness fasting forty days and been tempted by the devil Jesus should be weary. So, anything he did demonstrated the power of the Spirit.
Jesus said, blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The temptations demonstrated Jesus’ attitude. Consider his response to each,
“No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’”
Luke 4:4
The passage Jesus quotes continues,
“But on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Deuteronomy 8:2
The source of his life is God and his word.
When offered the world if he worships the devil, Jesus responds,
“The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’”
Luke 4:8
Jesus affirms the Father is the only one to be worshipped.
When encouraged to manipulate the Father into saving him and so gain honour for himself, Jesus responds,
“The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
At each temptation, Jesus affirms he is not sufficient in himself, he needs the Father and so the whole Kingdom of Heaven is available to him.
For the year ahead when we are weary of the issolation where is our hope and strength?
Photo by Dollar Gill on Unsplash