Advent: 3 Days to Go
In this installment of our Christmas adventure, Jesus is tempted by Satan...
1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
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.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
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.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
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.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
--Matthew 4:1-11 KJV Bible
12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
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.
--Mark 1:12-13 KJV Bible
Satan tempts Jesus in the hope of causing Him to sin. This would thwart God’s plan for man’s redemption by disqualifying Jesus as Savior. But remember that the Holy Spirit led Jesus to the test. God’s purpose was to prove His Son to be sinless and thus a worthy Savior. It is clear that Jesus was actually tempted, but it is also clear that Jesus remained sinless.
When Satan tempted Jesus to make food in order to satisfy His hunger, Jesus responded by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. By this Jesus affirmed the truth that God’s Word satisfies our most significant hunger.
When Satan tempts Jesus to make a show of power to the people, Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12. But Satan did not accurately quote the passage, omitting a phrase which was not suited to his purpose. This is a classic example of an individual quoting Scripture out of context in order to suit their own purpose. Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, warning Satan to not try the patience of God the Father or God the Son.
For his third temptation, Satan puts aside the battle of Scripture and offers Jesus a shortcut of sorts. In this temptation we are reminded that Satan is the prince of this world and may bestow earthly power on whomever he chooses. But this offer of power is hollow. It pales in comparison to all that God will give to His triumphant Son. Jesus responds to Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13, a reminder that only God it to be worshipped.
Next time, God’s witness testifies to the “Light”...
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1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
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.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
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.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
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.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
--Matthew 4:1-11 KJV Bible
12 And immediately the spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
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.
--Mark 1:12-13 KJV Bible
Satan tempts Jesus in the hope of causing Him to sin. This would thwart God’s plan for man’s redemption by disqualifying Jesus as Savior. But remember that the Holy Spirit led Jesus to the test. God’s purpose was to prove His Son to be sinless and thus a worthy Savior. It is clear that Jesus was actually tempted, but it is also clear that Jesus remained sinless.
When Satan tempted Jesus to make food in order to satisfy His hunger, Jesus responded by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. By this Jesus affirmed the truth that God’s Word satisfies our most significant hunger.
When Satan tempts Jesus to make a show of power to the people, Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12. But Satan did not accurately quote the passage, omitting a phrase which was not suited to his purpose. This is a classic example of an individual quoting Scripture out of context in order to suit their own purpose. Jesus responds by quoting Deuteronomy 6:16, warning Satan to not try the patience of God the Father or God the Son.
For his third temptation, Satan puts aside the battle of Scripture and offers Jesus a shortcut of sorts. In this temptation we are reminded that Satan is the prince of this world and may bestow earthly power on whomever he chooses. But this offer of power is hollow. It pales in comparison to all that God will give to His triumphant Son. Jesus responds to Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13, a reminder that only God it to be worshipped.
Next time, God’s witness testifies to the “Light”...
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