Temptations of Power


In the Wilderness forty days

Mark 1:12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.


Matt 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Matt 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

Matt 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.


Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.


Man shall not live by bread alone

Matt 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Matt 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.


Luke 4:3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

Luke 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.


Thou Shalt Not Tempt the Lord Thy God

Matt 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Matt 4:6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Matt 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.


Luke 4:9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

Luke 4:10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

Luke 4:11 And in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Luke 4:12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.


Get Thee Hence Satan

Matt 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Matt 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Matt 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.


Luke 4:5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

Luke 4:6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

Luke 4:7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

Luke 4:8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.


Parallels


Powers in the Worldly State

Patanjali III:4 When these three--concentration, meditation, and absorption--are brought to bear upon one subject, they are called samyama.

Patanjali III:43 By making samyama on the relation between the body and the ether, or by acquiring through meditation the lightness of cotton fiber, the yogi can fly through the air.

Patanjali III:50 By making samyama on the discrimination between the sattwa guna and the Atman, one gains omnipotence and omniscience.

Patanjali III:34 All these powers of knowledge may also come to one whose mind is spontaneously enlightened through purity.

Patanjali III:37 Hence, once gains the knowledge due to spontaneous enlightenment, and obtains supernatural powers of hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell.

Patanjali III:38 They are powers in the worldly state, but they are obstacles to samadhi.

Patanjali III:51 By giving up even these powers, the seed of evil is destroyed and liberation follows.

Patanjali III:52 When tempted by the invisible beings in high places, let the yogi feel neither allured nor flatted; for he is in danger of being caught once more by ignorance.


These Powers Have Been Called Obstacles

Uddhava X:32-33
No power is beyond the reach of the sage who has controlled his mind, senses, nerve currents, and disposition and concentrates on Me.
For one who practises the best kind of Yoga and seeks union with Me, these powers have been called obstacles and things that cause waste of time.

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© Copyright 1996 by Joseph Morales