Resisting temptation

The author writes during the reign of Solomon, the high point of Jewish history, 10,000 years before Jesus. Everything seems to be gong well -- at least on the surface. Even Jesus would later refer to "Solomon and all his glory." These truly were Israel's "happy days."

Yet in the middle of this prosperity, the author notices something most people overlook. "If things are so perfect," she asks, "why are we wearing clothes?" She knows we don't put on clothes every morning just to keep our bodies warm (Gen 2: 7-9; 3: 1-7).

Hidden

The author couldn't have employed a better symbol of disorder in our daily lives. She initially informs us at the end of chapter 2 (cut from Sunday's liturgical passage) that the man and woman were naked immediately after their creation, but they felt no shame. Then, after each eats from the forbidden tree, she mentions, "The eyes of both were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves."

Finally, Yahweh discovers them hiding in the garden, hears their excuse and asks, "Who told you that you were naked?" The author insightfully connects sin with clothes.

This means that if Jesus, as Paul writes to the Romans, came to reverse the disobedience of our first parents, His reversal has something to do with the concealing of our true selves (Rom 5: 12-19). One dimension of Jesus' grace and justification must revolve around revealing ourselves to others; not holding back, but letting others know who we really are. We're to return symbolically to our created state of nakedness.

Tempted

Each Gospel temptation springs from a surface way of living one's faith:

* Striving only to care for people's physical needs -- "One does not live on bread alone";

* Concentrating on whatever will get us the headlines -- landing unharmed after jumping from the temple parapet; and

* Lusting after power -- "All these I will give you, if you will prostate yourself and worship me."

In every one of these cases, we're tempted to cover up our real selves -- the selves which God created -- and to concentrate on the things which make us look good to others.

(02-14-02) [[In-content Ad]]