Joe Neil Clayton

The Impressive Jesus Joe Neil Clayton

Mystics of many persuasions enter into a period of spiritual ordeal before embarking on their vocation. Sometimes the ordeal comes by submission to others who minister it, and sometimes by self infliction. In a similar way, Jesus, now "full of the Holy Spirit," left the scene of His baptism to go into the wilderness for a forty day fast, after which His chief opponent, the Devil, came to tempt Him in three ways. Seeing his extreme hunger, the Devil said, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." There is no doubt that Jesus had the power to do that very thing. During His ministry, He once multiplied five loaves and two fish to feed five thousand of His followers. There was also no question that it was wrong to yield to the Devil, so Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' " He was quoting a precept from God in the Old Testament that dealt specifically with the Israelites who had suffered hunger during their journey to the "Promised Land."