Matthew 4:1-11
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Just thinking of the Lord's prayer, the one Jesus gave to His disciples, when they asked Him how to pray: "Lead us not into temptation" - yet we read of Jesus, that the first thing the Holy Spirit led Him to was the wilderness in order to be tempted.
I looked at the above passage afresh today in that the temptations were specific to that time in the wilderness, but later Jesus would fulfill the actions on offer by the evil one.
Turning stones to bread - later Jesus would multiply the bread to feed 5,000. Jesus knew that He was well able to do what Satan asked of Him. Yet He was so grounded in His identity as the Eternal Son of God, He had no need to prove it. Does that mean that Jesus wasn't terribly hungry? Of course He was, but He knew that the timing wasn't right, God was His Provider.
Laying down His Life - later Jesus would willing lay down His Life for the sins of the world at the very place that Satan took Him to, but His time had not yet come. He waited until His ministry had been fulfilled, no shortcuts for Jesus. No vain show-off type suicide attempt for Him, but He was to complete the prophecies to the letter. Again He was so grounded in the word of God the Father, He was able to overcome, even in His physical weakness.
Kingdoms of the world - Jesus is indeed going to be crowned King of kings and rule the world, but His hour of demonstration is still at hand. It is to be at the timing of the Father. Not for Jesus the greasy pole of corruption and sacrifice of morals. His sole aim is to glorify the Father, no detour for Him.
The temptations that Satan dangled in front of Jesus were real and appealing at a time of physical frailty. He overcame by knowing His identity, being grounded in the word of God and faith in its fulfilment.
We can learn a huge lesson from Jesus. Satan knows our weak points and the temptations we face are tailored made to divert worship from God to the things of this world. Only by knowing that we our children of God and believing the Bible can we overcome.
How familiar am I with the word of God and do I believe in its absolute authenticity?
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