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Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Cole - The Temptation of Jesus) Comment - Tote is a favorite word of Matthew and he uses it 90x (out of a total 154 NT uses) Matt. 2:7; Matt. 2:16; Matt. 2:17; Matt. 3:5; Matt. 3:13; Matt. 3:15; Matt. 4:1; Matt. 4:5; Matt. 4:10; Matt. 4:11; Matt. 4:17; Matt. 5:24; Matt. 7:5; Matt. 7:23; Matt. 8:26; Matt. 9:6; Matt. 9:14; Matt. 9:15; Matt. 9:29; Matt. 9:37; Matt. 11:20; Matt. 12:13; Matt. 12:22; Matt. 12:29; Matt. 12:38; Matt. 12:44; Matt. 12:45; Matt. 13:26; Matt. 13:36; Matt. 13:43; Matt. 15:1; Matt. 15:12; Matt. 15:28; Matt. 16:12; Matt. 16:20; Matt. 16:21; Matt. 16:24; Matt. 16:27; Matt. 17:13; Matt. 17:19; Matt. 18:21; Matt. 18:32; Matt. 19:13; Matt. 19:27; Matt. 20:20; Matt. 21:1; Matt. 22:8; Matt. 22:13; Matt. 22:15; Matt. 22:21; Matt. 23:1; Matt. 24:9; Matt. 24:10; Matt. 24:14; Matt. 24:16; Matt. 24:21; Matt. 24:23; Matt. 24:30; Matt. 24:40; Matt. 25:1; Matt. 25:7; Matt. 25:31; Matt. 25:34; Matt. 25:37; Matt. 25:41; Matt. 25:44; Matt. 25:45; Matt. 26:3; Matt. 26:14; Matt. 26:16; Matt. 26:31; Matt. 26:36; Matt. 26:38; Matt. 26:45; Matt. 26:50; Matt. 26:52; Matt. 26:56; Matt. 26:65; Matt. 26:67; Matt. 26:74; Matt. 27:3; Matt. 27:9; Matt. 27:13; Matt. 27:16; Matt. 27:26; Matt. 27:27; Matt. 27:38; Matt. 27:58; Matt. 28:10; As
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Cole reminds us "It is clear that Jesus believed in and the Bible teaches the reality of a personal evil spirit called Satan (“adversary”) or the devil (“slanderer” or “accuser”). Evil is not just an impersonal force. The devil and the demons are angelic beings who rebelled against God and now are behind the evil in this world. While the devil is a powerful and intelligent being, he is not omnipotent, omniscient, nor omnipresent. While his final doom is secure, for the present he is a powerful and cunning adversary of the saints. We must not be ignorant of his schemes (2 Cor. 2:11). (The Temptation of Jesus) Kevin Zuber summarizes Jesus' temptations as "(1) Serve Yourself (Lk 4:3-4+); (2) Honor Yourself (Lk 4:5-8+); (3) Be spectacular (be presumptuous and prove Your self-importance; Lk 4:9-12+). Jesus countered each temptation with an appeal to Scripture (cf. Dt 8:3; 6:13; 6:16). These events proved Jesus was the right man, with the appropriate background, with the proper credentials, and with the desirable experience for the ministry He was about to begin." (The Moody Bible Commentary) As Brian Bell says "God permits such situations to prove and improve our faith. The evil is not in the situations God permits, but in responding sinfully to them. God even provides a back door to every temptation so we might overcome it! 1 Cor 10:13+ "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." Why did temptations/testing's come Jesus' way? Not to determine His character or ability. Not to give Satan a chance to defeat Him. But so He could personally experience what we go through and so be prepared to assist us (cf Heb 2:18, Heb 4:15). So we could know how to overcome the evil one by means of the Spirit of God and the Word of God (Ed: And ultimately at the Cross - Heb 2:14-15, cp Gal 6:14, Jn 16:33, 1 Jn 5:4-5). The first Adam was tested in a beautiful garden and failed, but the last Adam was victorious in a terrible wilderness/desert (cp 1 Cor 15:22, 45). Before offering a new life to others, He proved in a personal demonstration that a new life was possible! He showed His own freedom from the inadequacies and the sin which trap you and me. Jesus shows freedom is possible and gives each of us hope!" (Luke:4:1 -13 Triple Assault) John MacArthur introduces the Temptation of Jesus writing "Since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, temptation has been a constant, unrelenting part of human life. Men have tried to avoid and resist it with self-inflicted pain to make themselves uncomfortable and presumably humble, or by isolating themselves from other people and from physical comforts. But no person has ever found a place or a circumstance that can make him safe from temptation. Throughout the history of the church much has been written and spoken about overcoming temptation. A fifth-century Christian wrote, Fly from all occasions of temptation, and if still tempted, fly further still. If there is no escape possible, then have done with running away and show a bold face and take the two-edged sword of the Spirit. Some temptations must be taken by the throat as David killed the lion; others must be stifled as David hugged the bear to death. Some you had better keep to yourselves and not give air. Shut them up as a scorpion in a bottle. Scorpions in such confinement die soon, but if allowed out for a crawl and then put back into the bottle and corked down, they will live a long while and give you trouble. Keep the cork on your temptations, and they will die of themselves." Benedict of Nursia (c. 480–543) sought an increase of grace and exemption from temptation by wearing a rough hair shirt and living for three years in a desolate cave, where his scant food was lowered to him on a cord. Once he threw himself into a clump of thorns and briars until his body was covered with bleeding wounds. But he found no escape from temptation. It followed him wherever he went and in whatever he did. Others have tried to overcome temptation by, in effect, denying it. Jovinian, a heretical fifth-century monk, taught that after a person was baptized he was forever free of the devil’s power and from temptation (Ed: cf 1 Jn 1:8). Jerome, his most outstanding opponent, wisely commented that baptism does not drown the devil." (Matthew Commentary) Matthew and Luke record the same temptations but in different order - both of them put the first temptation (turning stones into bread) first, but Matthew has the devil leading Jesus’ to the pinnacle of the Temple second and to a high mountain third, while Luke reverses the order. Reasons are proposed as to why the difference but they are at best conjecture. Both records are the inspired word of God and that is what matters. All three versions of the temptation of Jesus (including Mk 1:12-13+) are strategically placed after His baptism by John and before He began His 3 year mission culminating in to the Cross. Luke of course does insert His genealogy on Mary's side (Lk. 3:23–38+) before the temptation narrative. But even this genealogy appears strategically placed because it follows His lineage back to the first Adam ("the son of Adam, the son of God" Lk 3:38+), who failed when tempted by the serpent! And so it is fitting that then God gives us the perfect pattern of Jesus showing us how we can respond victoriously to temptation. 🙏 THOUGHT - In Luke 4:1-13+, Matthew 4:1-11 and the summary in Mark 1:12-13+, the Holy Spirit gives us the pattern for victory over temptation. So as we ponder these passages, may God's Spirit enable us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. Amen (Heb 12:2+). Given the fact that Jesus was alone in the wilderness with His adversary the Devil, it is clear that this revelation to the Gospel writers is in a sense Jesus' personal testimony in which He reveals the "secret" of how saints can experience victory over temptation whether it comes at us from the world, the flesh (the usual source according to James 1:14+) or the devil. While Jesus was alone in the temptation (of course He had the Spirit's presence and power), believers should seek out another believer with whom they can be accountable, sharing their ongoing fight against temptation (and occasionally giving in to the temptation and committing sin) and with whom they can confess their sin (cf James 5:16+). Do you have an accountability partner (of the same gender!)? One could outline Jesus' wilderness experience into the preparation (Lk 4:1-2), the temptation (Lk 4:3-12) and the triumph (Lk 4:13). 🙏 THOUGHT - This outline naturally leads to three points of application: Am I prepared? I will be tempted! Will I emerge triumphant? The truths in Jesus' temptation clearly provide the template for victory in our times of temptation/testing! The short answer to the keys for victory is by daily intake of the Word (Col 3:16ff+) and by daily dependence on the Spirit (Eph 5:18+). It behooves all God's children to meditate often (and memorizing) Jesus' response to temptation, so that we might be equipped and enabled by the Spirit Who will use the sword, the Word of God which we have memorized and meditated upon (Eph 6:17+) to experience victory WHEN (NOT IF) we are tempted in the "wilderness" of this world!
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Cole - The fish sees the bait and it lures him toward it, thinking that he will get a meal. Instead, he gets hooked and carried away, where he becomes the meal. The temptation to sin is like that. We think that sin will satisfy us and get us something good that we’re missing. But instead, it hooks us and drags us to destruction. There is always that deceptive element to temptation. It is strengthened by the powerful emotions involved. As believers, we are not to live by our feelings, but by faith and obedience (Ed: see the good old hymn -Trust & Obey), based on the knowledge of God’s word of truth. We need to follow it, no matter how strongly our feelings pull us in a different direction. One time Marla and I were hiking off trail up on Mount Agassiz. It’s an area where we’ve hiked often, but we’ve often gotten turned around. On this occasion, we came out under some power lines, and I sensed that we needed to go uphill to get back to where we started. But when we had crossed the lines the first time, I had looked at my altimeter. When we crossed the lines again, my altimeter said that we were 500 feet higher. So, I trusted the altimeter, not my feelings, and we went downhill. Sure enough, we came to where we needed to be. God’s Word is like that altimeter. Temptation makes us feel like heading toward sin, but we need to follow God’s Word, no matter what we feel....James pictures lust and sin as having the ability to conceive and give birth. While the Bible is strongly against aborting babies, when lust conceives, we need to abort as soon as we can! We’ve all seen a tree growing out of a concrete sidewalk, where it has split the concrete. It began as a tiny seed, falling into a crack. But that seed had life in it, and the power of that life produced a tree that broke up the sidewalk. Temptation has that kind of destructive life in it. Don’t let it take root in your life!...At the outset, temptation always promises excitement and fulfillment. It never comes along with the pitch, “Would you like to destroy yourself and your family? Would you like to disgrace the name of your God?” Rather, it comes on with the enticement, “This will be fun! This will meet your needs. This will get you what you have been looking for. What can it hurt to try it?” If you take that bait, you’re on the course that leads to death. If you do not repent and get back on the path of righteousness, it may indicate that you never were truly saved (as with the seed on the rocky or thorny ground). Someone has said, “Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch your words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become habits. Watch your habits, they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny. (James 1:13-15 The Source, Force, and Course of Temptation) Kent
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Cole - To live in this world means that you will encounter temptation. Some, like playwright Oscar Wilde, don’t even try to fight it. He said, “I can resist anything except temptation.” Others want to be delivered from temptation, but they would like it to keep in touch from time to time. But if we want to be godly people, we must learn to resist the temptations that come at us from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Jesus Christ is our great example and teacher when it comes to resisting temptation. He was “tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). If we want to be like Jesus, we will be eager to learn from Him how He resisted the devil. This account of Jesus’ temptation must have come down to the disciples and to us from Jesus Himself, since it was a private encounter. Steven Cole on our FALLEN FLESH - This is not an outside enemy, but one that lives within us. Indwelling sin lurks there until the day we die and go to be with Jesus. I read of a pastor who was chatting with a godly, 78-year-old friend. The older gentleman recounted a recent trip to the city, where he realized that he was going to have to park and walk through a red-light district. So he pulled the car to a stop and prayed that God would protect him from temptation as he walked past all of the pornography stores and massage parlors. The pastor interrupted, “Wait a minute! I don’t mean to offend you, but you’re 78 years old. Are you telling me that you’re worried about sexual temptation at your age and after all these years of walking with the Lord?” The older man replied, “Son, just because I’m old doesn’t mean the blood doesn’t flow through my veins. The difference between we old men and you young men is this: we know we’re sinners. We’ve had plenty of experience. You kids haven’t figured that out yet” He knew that this powerful enemy still lived within, even after years of fighting against it.(Sermon) ILLUSTRATION OF TEMPTATION - Do you know how an Eskimo kills a wolf? He repeatedly coats the blade of knife with blood, allowing it to freeze, until the blade is completely covered. Then he places the knife in the snow and as the wolf licks the blood, his tongue is numbed, and his hunger is fueled. The wolf will lick the knife, cut his own tongue and eventually bleed to death attempting to fulfill of his own desires. Satan uses the same tactic to defeat God’s children. He knows that he can never have your soul, but he also knows if he can cause us to succumb to temptation, then we will become powerless and useless as Christians. Ice-Cream Man - Little Jeff was trying his best to save money to buy his mother a present. It was a terrible struggle because he gave in so easily to the temptation to buy goodies from the ice-cream man whenever the brightly colored van came through the neighborhood. One night after his mother had tucked him in bed, she overheard him pray, "Please, God, help me run away when the ice-cream man comes tomorrow." Even at his young age he had learned that one of the best ways to overcome temptation is to avoid what appeals to our weaknesses. All believers are tempted to sin. Yet they need not give in. The Lord provides the way to be victorious over evil enticements (1 Cor 10:13+). But we must do our part. Sometimes that involves avoiding situations that would contribute to our spiritual defeat. The apostle Paul admonished Timothy to run away from the evil desires of youth (2Ti 2:22+). He was to keep his distance from the temptations that might cause him to yield because of their strong appeal. That's good advice. If possible, we should never let ourselves be in the wrong places or with people who will tempt us to do the things we should be avoiding. It's wise to flee when tempted— A fool is one who'd stay; For those who toy with evil Soon learn it doesn't pay. —D. De Haan We fall into temptation when we don't flee from it. Yield Not- Imagine a song with a message so powerful it could stop a prison riot. According to one account, the song "Yield Not To Temptation" served that purpose. As the story goes, a group of women prisoners had been allowed out of their cells to listen to a visiting speaker. During the meeting, the supervisor gave an order that some of the prisoners didn't like, so they began to scream and hurl threats at her. The confrontation was escalating. The supervisor sent for help, and it came in an unusual way. A voice was heard singing over the tumult of the upset prisoners: "Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin; each victory will help you some other to win." Amazingly, the rebellion quieted, and the women joined in singing as they filed back to their cells. We save ourselves a lot of trouble by not yielding to the temptation to let anger control us. Likewise, we protect ourselves when we "yield not." Yielding not to the temptation to lie protects us from a loss of respect and further misrepresentations. Yielding not to the temptation of greed helps us avoid a gnawing dissatisfaction. But most important, when we "yield not" to temptation, we please God. Ask the Savior to help you, Comfort, strengthen, and keep you; He is willing to aid you— He will carry you through. —Palmer To escape temptation, flee to God. Tested And True - A young nurse was assisting a surgeon for the first time. As he was completing the operation, she told him he had used 12 sponges, but she could account for only 11. The doctor curtly replied that he had removed them all from inside the patient. The nurse insisted that one was missing, but the doctor declared he would proceed with sewing up the incision. The nurse, her eyes blazing, said, "You can't do that! Think of the patient!" The doctor smiled and, lifting his foot, showed the nurse the twelfth sponge, which he had deliberately dropped on the floor. "You'll do fine!" he said. He had been testing her. Daniel's three friends faced a different kind of test (Daniel 3:15-30+), but they too would not budge. They knew their refusal to worship the image might result in their death, yet they never wavered. They proved they were true to God by standing firm. The Lord still permits trials and temptations to enter the lives of His children. The challenge may come as an opportunity to gratify the lusts of the flesh, or as a series of disheartening circumstances. Whatever form it takes, we must not yield. Rather, we must stand for what is right and trust God to supply the grace we need (1 Corinthians 10:13+). A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor can we be perfected without trial. God is faithful, who … with the temptation will also make the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13+). In 1346, during the Hundred Years' War, the English army of King Edward III met a French battalion at Crecy, France. The King's son, Prince Edward, led one vital division of the British force while Edward III stood nearby with a strong band of soldiers, ready to send relief if needed. Soon after the battle started, the prince thought he was in danger, so he sent for help. But the king didn't come. Young Edward sent another message, pleading for immediate assistance. His father responded by telling the courier, "Go tell my son that I am not so inexperienced a commander as not to know when help is needed, nor so careless a father as not to send it." This story illustrates the heavenly Father's relationship with believers as we battle temptation and sin. Often we cry out for help, but it seems that God sends no relief. Yet at no time does He withdraw His eye from our precarious position. He never allows us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, and when He sees that we are about to be overcome He rushes to our aid or provides a way to escape. So we need not get frantic—our Father is aware of our situation. In 1 Corinthians 1:9 the apostle Paul said, "God is faithful." Commenting on this, Ambrose Serle noted, "He is wise to foresee and provide for all my dangers. He is faithful to perfect and perform all His promises." When God sends us, He also goes with us. Concerned about his personal life, Ed went to his pastor for help. After listening to the young man's mild list of supposed sins, the wise preacher felt that he had not been completely honest. "Are you sure that's all?" the preacher asked. "Yes, pastor," Ed said. "Are you positive you haven't been entertaining any impure thoughts lately?" the pastor continued. "Oh, no," Ed replied, "but they've sure been entertaining me." Temptation may be defined as a desire for sinful pleasure. If it didn't offer pleasure, it would be easy to resist. Perhaps that's why we under-stand the truth behind the cartoon in which a man says, "I don't mind fleeing temptation—as long as I can leave a forwarding address." And, if we're honest, we admit that sin often takes place first in our mind. For many people, illicit sexual thoughts provide pleasure. Temptation is not sin. For it to develop into sin, we have to welcome it, dwell on it, and enjoy it. For example, the temptation to get back at someone who has hurt us is wrong only when we begin to think about ways to harm that person and get revenge. Paul said that every thought must be brought "into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2Co 10:5). Character is shaped by what the mind takes in. Be Careful! - Several years ago my wife Carolyn and I were hiking on Mount Rainier in Washington when we came to a swollen, glacial stream. Someone had flattened one side of a log and dropped it across the river to form a crude bridge, but there was no handrail and the log was slippery. The prospect of walking on the wet log was frightening, and Carolyn didn't want to cross. But she found the courage, and slowly, carefully she inched her way to the other side. On the way back we had to walk on the same log, and she did so with the same care. "Are you afraid?" I asked. "Of course," she replied, "that's what keeps me safe." Again, fully aware of the danger, she made her way to safety. Much of life poses moral danger for us. We should never assume in any situation that we're incapable of falling. "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1Corinthians 10:12). Given the opportunity and circumstances, any of us are capable of falling into any sin. To believe otherwise is sheer folly. The hand of God protects our way When we would do His will; And if through danger we must go, We know He's with us still. —D. De Haan God provides the armor, but we must put it on ILLUSTRATION - Load Limits - Joe Stowell “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” 1 Corinthians 10:13+ Daddy, can I help you?” It was my four-year-old son, Matt, who was watching me carry cartons of empty pop bottles to the car. Back then you could return them for a dime apiece, so after months of stacking them up in the garage, I was off to collect the cash bonanza. I said, “Sure, Matt,” and he picked up a carton of bottles and put them in the car. When we got to the store, he grabbed his carton of bottles and shuffled along next to me across the big parking lot. About half way to the store, obviously exhausted, he looked up and said, “Dad, I can’t carry this anymore.” Count on it, I didn’t say, “Listen, Kid, you started this, so pick up that carton right now and finish what you started!” Of course not! I took the carton out of his hands, because I knew it was too heavy for him to handle. As his earthly father, I understood what his limits were and helped him carry the load. Thankfully, our heavenly Father understands our load limit and comes alongside to help. It’s hard to stick it out during difficult times when the trouble in our lives seems far too heavy and there is no end in sight. It’s in times like these that we feel like giving up—like we can’t go on. But God’s Word reminds us that “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13+). It’s important to note that this verse is talking about more than just bearing up under temptation. In the original Greek, the word temptation actually means “all kinds of trials.” Ever feel like you’re in the middle of all kinds of trials? The problem with problems is that they have a tendency to drain us of our strength—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And that’s when our adversary likes to launch his attack. When we’re weak, he haunts us with thoughts like: How could a loving God allow this to happen? God has brought you to this place and has just left you here. Or, You’re beyond help—God can’t help you now. But when you start thinking these thoughts (ED: AND REMEMBER THE BATTLE IS NOT A "POWER STRUGGLE" WITH THE ENEMY [YOUR FLESH OR THE DEVIL] BUT IS IN OUR MIND [WE BEGIN "THINKING THESE THOUGHTS"] AND THE STRUGGLE IS OVER TRUTH AND WHAT GOD SAYS IS TRUE ABOUT US!), you need to know that they are flat out lies from the pit. You can be sure that they don’t reflect God’s heart for you during difficult times. In the Old Testament, one of God’s names is Jehovah Jireh: The LORD Will Provide—our Provider—and He always lives up to His name. He stands ready to provide abundant grace so that we can bear up until He has finished His work in the trial (2 Corinthians 12:7-10+). He gives us a peace that passes understanding as we trust and rely on Him with a grateful heart (Philippians 4:6-7+). He gives wisdom to see our tough times from His point of view (James 1:5+). He gives us the assurance that He will stick it out with us and not leave or forsake us, so that we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What man can do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6+). So, chin up! Our troubles and trials have not escaped the notice of the One who comes alongside to help when it seems like the load is too much to bear. The One who knows your load limit promises to limit your load! YOUR JOURNEY… Think back to a time when God helped you “bear up” under the pressure of difficult circumstances. Write a paragraph in your journal about how God’s power helped you through. What promises of God can you claim to find strength in your time of trouble? Pray them back to God with a thankful heart until you sense His peace and presence in the midst of your pain. Write a prayer of thanksgiving for a specific event that God helped you through. Read the following Scriptures for examples of Moses and Hannah who did this: Exodus 15:1-18; 1 Samuel 2:1-10. Find someone who needs help “bearing up.” Use Scripture to encourage that person through a written note or a phone call. (Strength for the Journey) See related illustration of Plimsoll marks Load Limit - We've all seen load-limit signs on highways, bridges, and elevators. Knowing that too much strain can cause severe damage or complete collapse, engineers determine the exact amount of stress that various materials can safely endure. Posted warnings tell us not to exceed the maximum load. Human beings also have their load limits, which vary from person to person. Some people, for example, can bear the pressure of trial and temptation better than others; yet everyone has a breaking point and can take only so much. At times, circumstances and people seem to be pushing us beyond what we can bear. But the Lord knows our limitations and never allows any difficulties to enter our lives that exceed our strength and ability to endure. This is especially true when we're enticed by sin. According to 1Corinthians 10:13+, "God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able." When sorrows assail us or terrors draw nigh, His love will not fail us, He'll guide with His eye; And when we are fainting and ready to fail, He'll give what is lacking and make us prevail. —Anon. If you yield to God, you won't give in to sin EDITORIAL NOTE: The preceding summary statement is the same principle taught in one of the most important passages in Scripture regarding how to fight temptation, Galatians 5:16+ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Notice the order which is absolutely critical - (1) yield, surrender, submit to the leading of the Holy Spirit and (2) He will enable you to resist the and thus to effectively "neutralize" the temptation's power over your fallen flesh. Paul does not say the desire will be gone, but that the Spirit will enable a God directed desire in your heart and will give you the divine power to not act on the temptation and commit sin. Romans 8:13+ amplifies this truth for there Paul says "if by the Spirit (HIS SUPERNATURAL POWER) you are putting to death (THIS IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY) the deeds of the body, you will live (THIS IS THE WONDERFUL "FRUIT")." See related discussion Expulsive Power of a New Affection On the day before my mother died in 1976, my brother and I were called to her bedside. Though too weak for extended conversation, she quoted two verses—Isaiah 41:10 and John 10:29—not simply to con-sole us, but to reinforce her own faith. She held fast to what God had said; and what God said held her fast. The Word of God has tremendous holding power. When tempted in the wilderness, our Lord overcame the enemy's suggestions by quoting Scripture. He did this to strengthen Himself, not to intimidate Satan. Though sinless, Jesus was truly human, and the temptation was real. Sometimes we allow His deity to overshadow this event and assume that the Savior casually brushed Satan aside with a few Scripture verses. But the Bible leaves no doubt that He was "tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). Therefore, the Word held Him steady. Jesus did not quote verses to Satan because they contained some magical power. Rather, He called them to mind to guide and reinforce Himself so that He would remain true to God's will. Because He kept His life under the control of the Word, Satan could not deter Him from doing His Father's will. The strongest weapon in Satan's arsenal is no match for the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. (Eph 6:17+) TEMPTATION QUOTES Every temptation is an opportunity of our getting nearer to God. - John Quincy Adams Temptations discover what we are. - Thomas à Kempis Temptations are a file which rub off much of the rust of our self-confidence. - François Fenelon My temptations have been my masters in divinity. - Martin Luther Playwright Oscar Wilde once jokingly remarked, “I can resist everything except temptation.” We smile when we read those words because they speak an important truth about the human condition. Temptation pays a visit to each of us every day and most of us struggle to say no. - Ray Pritchard - From Temptation to Triumph (EXCELLENT) The main reason God allows trials in the lives of Christians is to test the strength of their faith. - John MacArthur Perhaps you’ve heard about the little boy who was lying under an apple tree. The farmer asked, ‘What are you trying to do? Steal an apple? “No, sir, I’m trying not to,” he replied. Many of are trying not to, but we fail because we lie down under the apple tree. - Ray Pritchard We are reminded that to be tempted is not sin; but to entertain temptation, or surrender to temptation is sin. - David Guzik Learn to say no; it will be of more use to you than being able to read Latin! - C H Spurgeon (One of my mentors Dr Wayne Barber turned it around encouraging us first to say "Yes" to Jesus and then we will be able (enabled) to say "No" to the temptation. The principle is akin to the Expulsive Power of a New Affection). Most people want to be delivered from temptation but would like it to keep in touch. - Robert Orben Does God lead into temptation? God tempts no man to sin. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither does He tempt any man." James 1:13. He permits sin—but does not promote it. He who is an encourager of holiness cannot be a pattern of sin. God does not tempt to that to which he has an antipathy. What king will tempt his subjects to break laws which he himself has established? - Thomas Watson (The Lord's Prayer) Here are a few "proverbial like" thoughts on temptation all from anonymous sources… The worst thing about resisting temptation is that we may not get another chance to do it! Following the lines of least resistance makes men and rivers crooked. He who avoids the temptation avoids the sin. It takes two to make a successful temptation, and you are one of the two. Most people who fly from temptation usually leave a forwarding address. Never invite temptation—it always accepts. No one can be caught in a place he does not visit. There is no merit in abstaining from what one is not tempted to do. We are never strong enough to risk walking into temptation. Temptations, like foul weather, come before we send for them. Temptations are everywhere, but so is the grace of God. If you would master temptation, you must first let Christ master you. Every temptation is an opportunity to get nearer to God. Matthew 4:2 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry." fasted: Ex 24:18 34:28 De 9:9,18,25 18:18 1Ki 19:8 Lu 4:2 He then became hungry: Mt 21:18 Mk 11:12 Joh 4:6 Heb 2:14-17 Matthew 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Mark 1:13+ And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him. Luke 4:2+ for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. And after He had fasted (nesteuo) forty days and forty nights - Only Matthew says he fasted. In regard what Jesus fasted from, Luke says He ate (esthio) nothing during those days. (Lk 4:2+), where ate nothing is a double negative which suggests that Jesus ate ABSOLUTELY nothing during those forty days! Notice that none of the synoptic accounts say anything about Jesus not drinking water or that He was thirsty. And given that esthio which means to eat is often used in parallel with the verb pino which means to drink (Mt 6:25,31; Mt 11:18,19, Lk 5:30,33 Lk 7:33,34), the fact that Luke makes no mention of Jesus not drinking would strongly support that Jesus did in fact drink water during the 40 days. Human beings are not camels and can go without water for only about 3 days, and certainly not 40 days! In Ex 34:28 which is often compared to Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness Moses "he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water." For Moses to go without water for this long had to be only by divine intervention. The synoptic accounts do not state Jesus went without water. Notice also that Satan does not tempt Jesus with water but with food, which also supports the premise that Jesus drank water during those 40 days. Chamblin adds "For Moses’ absolute fasts, see Dt 9:9, 18; Ex 34:28; cf. Esther 4:16; Jonah 3:7. The verb peinao (‘hunger’)—sometimes joined to dipsao (‘thirst’), as, e.g., in Matthew 5:6 and Mt 25:35—stands alone in Mt 4:2. (Matthew: A Mentor Commentary) The NET Note says "The reference to Jesus eating nothing could well be an idiom meaning that he ate only what the desert provided. A desert fast simply meant eating only what one could obtain in the desert." Lenski on the other hand writes "An idea of partial fasting, living without ordinary food due to wandering in the desert, is wholly shut out by Luke 4:2: “he did eat nothing in those days.” In Scripture fasting is normally forgoing a physical need to give attention to a spiritual need. The question arises as to whether the fasting of Jesus was for spiritual preparation. Hendriksen thinks it was asking "Is it not reasonable to believe that the Lord used these forty days to prepare himself, by means of prayer and meditation, for the work which the Father had given him to do, and which he, Jesus himself, had voluntarily taken upon himself? Says Calvin, commenting on Mt 4:1, 2, “There were two reasons why Christ withdrew into the wilderness. First, that, after a fast of forty days he might come forth as a new man, or rather a heavenly man, to the discharge of his office. Secondly, that he might be tried by temptation and undergo an apprenticeship before he undertook an office so arduous and so exalted.” (Ibid) Lenski differs commenting that "This long fast should not be regarded as a preparation for the coming temptation. We nowhere read that Jesus fasted and prayed. This is not a retirement of Jesus such as he at other times sought for communion with God. Jesus did not spend these forty days in the happy enjoyment of the good pleasure of his Father and thus forgot all about food. He was led up into the mountainous wilderness for quite a different purpose, namely, “to be tempted by the devil.” Mark uses ἐκβάλλει, “he is thrown out into the desert,” and then adds that he was there πειραζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Σατανᾶ, “being tempted by Satan,” namely during the entire time which he spent in the desert. This durative participle after ἦν does not indicate purpose: “in order to be tempted,” and thus the temptation should not be restricted to the three attacks at the end of the forty days. Luke also has this present participle: πειραζόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου. Since Luke has it after ἤγετο, if he had purpose in mind and thus only the three fully recorded temptations, he would have employed the infinitive or a purpose clause...It is not necessary to assume that Jesus did not sleep during these forty nights; that would surely have been mentioned if it had been a fact. We have no revelation regarding the continuous temptation." (The Interpretation of St Matthew's Gospel) Forty days and forty nights - The testing lasted forty days, but some commentators like William
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Cole reminds us "Satan hit Jesus with this temptation at the precise moment that Jesus was hungry. He always works like that—he hits you when you’re down. He bides his time until you are vulnerable, and then he moves in with his subtle suggestion of evil. I once heard a godly man tell of how he had been ministering in India for a month. On his return flight over the Atlantic, an attractive stewardess was especially kind to him, giving him a lot of attention. Being weary from traveling, he appreciated it. He had to spend the night in Washington, D.C. before catching his final flight home the next morning. As he went to get off the plane, he thanked the stewardess for her service. She responded by inviting him to come to her apartment for the night rather than going to his hotel. He was tired, he had been away from his wife for a month, and here was a very attractive young woman offering herself to him in a situation where no one would know. This was the opportune moment for Satan to hit! By God’s grace, the man declined the offer, but he said that there was a brief moment in which it sounded very inviting. So be alert as to when you are vulnerable. That’s when the enemy will hit!...Satan tries to get us to meet legitimate needs or goals in illegitimate ways. Hunger is a legitimate need, but for Jesus to use His power independently of the Father to meet His need would have been wrong. (The Temptation of Jesus) The tempter came and said to Him - Tempter is a "verbal noun" in this case, as it is the same verb peirazo used in Mt 4:1. What a dramatic contrast - The Holy Son of God confronted by the unholy serpent of old! In the only other use of the name tempter for the devil Paul writes the saints at Thessalonica "For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain." (1 Th 3:5+). Brian Bell makes the interesting observation on the devil's triple temptation, reminding us that "Most assaults come from more than 1 direction...(Lk 4:1-13 is) A triple attack on the Son of God!" If You are the Son of God - If introduces a first class conditional clause which assumes the condition to be a reality and the conclusion follows logically and naturally from that assumption. Son is emphatic by position. The first two temptations begin with the same phrase If you are...(Mt 4:6). Are (eimi) is present tense so devil assumes the deity of the Son. He may be alluding to the words of the Father in Mt 3:17+ "And behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased.” As
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Cole says "Matthew has stones (plural), while Luke has stone, but there need not be any contradiction. The devil easily could have said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread. In fact, there is a stone right at your feet. Why not command that stone to become a loaf of bread?” We do not know nor can we speculate on whether the devil took on human form, whether he spoke audibly or whether he suggested the thought to Jesus without an audible voice. (The Temptation of Jesus) The first was for Jesus to distrust the providential care of His Father and to use His own divine powers to serve Himself. The second was to presume on the Father’s care by putting Him to the test. The third was for Him to renounce the way of His Father and to substitute the way of Satan. Satan: Appeals to physical appetite To personal gain Power or glory COMPARISON OF SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS OF EVE AND JESUS TEMPTATION GENESIS 3 LUKE 4 Appeal to physical appetite You may eat of any tree (Ge 3:1+) You may eat by changing stones to bread (Mt 4:3-4+, Lk 4:3-4+) Appeal to personal gain You surely will not die (Ge 3:4+) You will not strike Your foot (Mt 4:6+, Lk 4:9-12+) Appeal to power or glory You will be like God (Ge 3:5+) You will have all the world's kingdoms (Mt 4:8-9+, Lk 4:5-8+) Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" It is written: Mt 4:7,10 Lu 4:4,8,12 Ro 15:4 Eph 6:17 Man: De 8:3 Lu 4:4 but: Mt 14:16-21 Ex 16:8,15,35 23:15 1Ki 17:12-16 2Ki 4:42-44 7:1,2 Hag 2:16-19 Mal 3:9-11 Mk 6:38-44 8:4-9 Joh 6:5-15 31-59,63 Matthew 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passage: Luke 4:4+ And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE.’” John 6:35+ Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. Deuteronomy 8:3+ He humbled you (IS HE HUMBLING YOU TODAY? THEN THIS VERSE IS FOR YOU AND YOUR GOOD! EAT!) and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD. GOD SAID SO! But He answered and said, "It is written - Do not miss that the first words out of Jesus' mouth after His anointing for ministry are the Words of God! There is a lesson there for all of us beloved (cf Ps 19:14+) It is written ("It stands written") occurs 76 times in the Bible and four uses are in the temptation of Christ, 3x by Jesus and once by the Tempter (Matt. 4:4; 4:6; 4:7; 4:10). When we were children and our parents told us to do something and we questioned "Why?", the answer was usually "Because I said so!". Why are we commanded to be holy? Because God said so! A popular saying is "God said it, I believe it, that settles it." This sounds good but isn't accurate because God's Word is true, irregardless of whether we believe it or not. A more accurate "saying" would be God said it, that settles it! It is written should put a stop to every complaint or excuse. In essence, Jesus sets Satan's suggestion next to Scripture's statement. There is an important principle here - we should always lay God's Word besides Satan's subtle seductions - The best way to show a stick is crooked is not to argue about it or spend time denouncing it, but to lay a straight stick alongside it. “It is written” should be in the heart and on the lips of every Christian." (F. Whitfield ) “It is written” should decide every controversy, settle every doubt, and overcome every difficulty. (Amen!) Written (1125) (grapho) from root graph- = primarily means to scratch on or engrave as on an ornament, reports, letters, etc; English = graph, graphic, etc) means to engrave or inscribe with a pen or stylus characters or letters on a surface which can be wood, wax, metal, leather, stone, parchment, dirt (John ), paper, etc. The phrase it is written in the Gospels - Matt. 4:4; Matt. 4:6; Matt. 4:7; Matt. 4:10; Matt. 11:10; Matt. 21:13; Matt. 26:24; Matt. 26:31; Mk. 1:2; Mk. 7:6; Mk. 9:13; Mk. 14:21; Mk. 14:27; Lk. 2:23; Lk. 3:4; Lk. 4:4; Lk. 4:8; Lk. 4:10; Lk. 7:27; Lk. 19:46; Lk. 24:46; Jn. 6:31; Jn. 6:45; Jn. 12:14 🙏 THOUGHT - Grapho is in the perfect tense which indicates that God's Word was written down at a point in time and still stands written—its truth and authority remain unchanged and unchanging!! It is still active, still relevant, and still binding on our lives! Jesus in fact said “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." (Mt 24:35+) This begs the question - why don't we memorize His Word? All of the shiny trinkets and baubles we spend time collecting will vanish (cf 1 Jn 2:17+), but God's Word will endure. The toys of earth will seem like such poor things when we exchange them for a crown. So, beloved, feed on the Word (1 Pe 2:2+, Heb 5:14+), so that may be enabled by the Spirit to meditate on the Word anywhere, anytime—and in doing so, experience the the rich blessings promised to those who mediate on His Word (Ps 1:1+, Ps 1:2+, Ps 1:3+, Joshua 1:8+) 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE - Notice the word man. The point is that Jesus faced the Tempter as a Man, a human being, not in His power as the Son of God. While He had laid aside His divine prerogatives (Php 2:6), He was not defenseless. To the contrary, He showed us how we too can deflect and defeat temptation whether from an internal source (our fallen flesh) or external sources (the world, the devil). And what is the "Jesus Way" we should imitate (1 Jn 2:6+, 1 Cor 11:1+; see Walking Like Jesus Walked!)? We must (EMPHASIZE MUST) be continually (EMPHASIZE CONTINUALLY) filled with/controlled by the Spirit (Eph 5:18+) and filled with the Word (Col 3:16+)! Then we are armed and ready to battle the incessant temptations that come against us each day (cf 1 Pe 2:11+ where "wage war" is in the present tense = lusts of the flesh are continually assaulting our heart and mind)! See chart comparing the value/impact on a life Filled with God's Spirit and Richly Indwelt with God's Word. Feeding the inner spiritual person is far more important than feeding the physical. -- Warren Wiersbe Jesus emphasizes this eternal efficacy (cf 1 Pe 1:23+ = "the living and enduring word of God" 1 Pe 1:25+ = "THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.") of the living Word of God (Heb 4:12+) by appealing to its inherent efficacy, its inherent power to give and sustain life! Thus all three of Jesus’ responses to the devil were begun with verbatim quotations from the Septuagint (Lxx) of Deuteronomy. 🙏 THOUGHT - What if my spiritual well-being depended on my knowledge of Deuteronomy? Even as the Psalmist had written, Jesus too could say, “Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11). Let us follow Jesus in His suffering (including His temptations) by walking in His steps (1 Pe 2:21+) and let us imbibe the pure milk of God's undiluted, unadulterated Holy Word as if our very life depended on it (because it does beloved...for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God/Christ Ro 10:17+). BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD - But highlights the contrast between physical bread to meet our physical needs and spiritual bread to meet our spiritual needs. The point Jesus makes is that man is to accept in trust everything that God ordains and not try to take things into his own hands and act apart from His will. 🙏 THOUGHT - I am a physician and have seen tragic cases of starvation because of failure or inability to take in adequate nutrition. It is easy to diagnose one who is physically malnourished, but not so easy to diagnose one who is spiritually starving because they may look fine physically. One has to wonder how many true believers look fine in their Sunday clothes but are starving in their souls because their only exposure to Word of God is the Sunday sermon (which in America seems to be less and less expository). That is not enough intake. We do best with physical food taken in each day, and we do best spiritually by taking in God's pure milk daily. Peter is very clear in one of the more important passages in the New Testament for Christians to grasp writing "like newborn babies, long for (epipotheo) the pure milk of the word, so that (WHAT IS PURPOSE?) by it you may grow in respect to salvation." (1 Pe 2:2+) Did you catch that last phrase (A PURPOSE CLAUSE) "that by it you may grow in respect to salvation." Peter's point is NO INTAKE, NO GROWTH! It is really that simple, but it is simply profound! If your spiritual life is anemic, the first question I as a believing physician would ask you "How is your intake of "milk" and "bread"? Jesus teaches His disciples who bring Him physical food about what is true "food" (real "soul food" so to speak) But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?” 34 Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work". (Jn 4:32-34+). Every Word means just that - the Old Testament and the New Testament (contrary to some who say the Old is no longer useful and relevant! WRONG! How can Andy Stanley sleep at night teaching such "satanic" gibberish? See Why We Can't Unhitch from the Old Testament and 3 Nagging Problems with Andy Stanley's Approach to the Bible) To get a properly balanced diet, we must feed on the whole Bible. Certain chapters and verses in the Bible are like pie and cake to our souls, and the temptation is to read them often and to try to live by them alone, neglecting the rest of the Scripture. Jesus said, “EVERY word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). Every Christian should read and ponder and meditate IN (Ps 1:2+) the Bible chapter after chapter, book after book, until finished and then go back and start over again. Only in this way can we get the benefit of “every word” that God has spoken. Let us not skip the “dry” chapters for in them will be found many of the brightest gems of spiritual truths. Let us read the OT as much as the NT for it is the foundation upon which the NT is built. As alluded to, the modern evangelical movement is in grave danger here as there is a strong tendency in even sound, conservative, Bible believing churches to emphasize the NT sometimes to the virtual exclusion of the OT. When was the last time you heard a sermon Ezekiel or Leviticus? This will lead to spiritual "tunnel vision" and the sheep will not be as fully nourished as God intended them to be on a complete healthy diet that takes in both OT and NT! As Henry
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Cole comments on the parallel passage in Luke of Satan's words to Jesus I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish: Satan’s offer, like all his offers, was a mixed bag of truth and error. Jesus later calls Satan “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). Paul calls him “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4). But the Bible is also clear, and Satan cleverly alludes to it even here, that God alone sets up kings and grants authority to whomever He wills (Da 4:17, 25). Satan’s authority is at best delegated and temporary. The Bible is clear, as Jesus answers, that God alone is to be worshiped and served. But Satan mixes up the truth of his powerful authority with the error of worshiping him. This is why you always have to be on guard against false teachers. Invariably they present something that is true, but they mix it up with that which is false and unbiblical. One current popular example is a man who does a great job of setting forth who we are in Christ, how we are saints. But then he states that we are not to see ourselves as sinners, but only as saints who occasionally sin. That’s dangerous error, mixed up with truth! Satan baits his hook with truth so that we swallow the whole thing. (cf the word "secretly introduce" in 2 Pe 2:1+) Like a clever salesman, Satan sets out his wares without mentioning the price tag. He always shows the pleasures of sin (which are real)(ED: SEE "passing pleasures of sin' in- Heb 11:25+), but he doesn’t mention the stiff consequences that inevitably follow....Satan still works that way: “Give in and enjoy the pleasures of sex like all your friends are doing! Why deprive yourself? Life is short, this may be your only opportunity.” He doesn’t mention the risk of venereal disease (including AIDS), or pregnancy, or the spiritual and emotional consequences of giving yourself to someone outside of God’s design of lifelong marriage. He dangles before you the good feelings of taking drugs or getting drunk, but he hides the ruined lives of the drug addict or drunkard on the streets. And, of course, he never sets before you the eternal wrath of God!(The Temptation of Jesus) And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You - All these things refers to the glorious kingdoms of the world. Luke tells us that the kingdoms of the world are Satan's domain and God has handed them over to him to do with as he wishes. John substantiates this writing "that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (SATAN)." (1 Jn 5:19+) John
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Cole comments that "Like a clever salesman, Satan sets out his wares without mentioning the price tag. He always shows the pleasures of sin (which are real), but he doesn’t mention the stiff consequences that inevitably follow. “Worship me and I’ll give you dominion over all the kingdoms of the earth.” Sounds good! But he fails to mention that Jesus will then be the servant of Satan, not of the Father, that the holy union between Father and Son will be forever broken and that Jesus’ mission as Savior will be ruined. Satan still works that way: “Give in and enjoy the pleasures of sex like all your friends are doing! Why deprive yourself? Life is short, this may be your only opportunity.” He doesn’t mention the risk of venereal disease (including AIDS), or pregnancy, or the spiritual and emotional consequences of giving yourself to someone outside of God’s design of lifelong marriage. He dangles before you the good feelings of taking drugs or getting drunk, but he hides the ruined lives of the drug addict or drunkard on the streets. And, of course, he never sets before you the eternal wrath of God! (Sermon) COMPARISON OF SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS OF EVE AND JESUS TEMPTATION GENESIS 3 LUKE 4 Appeal to physical appetite You may eat of any tree (Ge 3:1+) You may eat by changing stones to bread (Lk 4:3-4+, Mt 4:2-4) Appeal to personal gain You surely will not die (Ge 3:4+) You will not strike Your foot (Lk 4:9-12+, Mt 4:5-7) Appeal to power or glory You will be like God (Ge 3:5+) You will have all the world's kingdoms (Lk 4:5-8+, Mt 4:8-10) TODAY IN THE WORD A recent article in the Wall Street Journal told of a man living in Taiwan who claims the title of governor of Fukien Province. The problem is that Fukien, which is on the Chinese mainland, already has a governor who rules the affairs of its 27 million citizens. The other man's claim goes back to 1949, when the Nationalists fled China for Taiwan (then known as Formosa) after their defeat by the Chinese Communists. The bottom line is that this Taiwanese man's claim to rule Fukien Province is essentially worthless. He has an office and a staff and carries on as if he were governor. But he has no real authority to rule at all. Satan has also been carrying on as if he were a legitimate ruler. But at the temptation of Christ Satan's claims were proven to be false, and he was exposed as a temporary usurper. The analogy doesn't hold at every point, of course. Unlike the ""governor"" in today's illustration, Satan does have real power. And at least for now, the kingdoms of the unbelieving world do lie in the devil's lap. But one day Jesus Christ will return as Ruler of all. The temptation of Christ is an example of spiritual warfare without parallel. We can only read the text and watch awestruck as Jesus engages Satan in face-to-face battle. We do not believe that it was even possible for the sinless Son of God to yield to Satan's offers. For that we can be eternally grateful! Whereas Adam and Eve had fallen to the serpent's temptation, there in the desert Jesus refused the temptation to bypass the cross. He also refused to go outside of the Father's will for His physical needs of food and protection. We will never be tested to the same degree or with the same effects as Jesus was tested. But because He experienced temptation, He is sympathetic to us in our need (Heb. 4:14-16). And we can imitate Jesus' example by drawing on God's Word to refute and defeat Satan. TODAY ALONG THE WAY If you want to turn today into an extraordinary Monday, consider the benefits available to you because Jesus endured and triumphed over temptation. A Tempting Opportunity Read: Luke 4:1-13 If You will worship before me, all will be Yours. —Luke 4:7 The biggest theft in Philadelphia’s history was carried out by a couple of men who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. According to witnesses, a yellow container fell out of an armored truck. Two motorists following the truck jumped out, grabbed the object, and sped off laughing. The driver discovered later that the rear door had not been secured properly, allowing it to swing open and the money to fall out. The container had in it 12,000 one-hundred-dollar bills, which is 1.2 million dollars! A criminal mind would interpret such a stroke of fortune as a gift from God. But in more subtle ways, all of us are tempted to assume that an unusual opportunity carries with it divine approval. Yet we see how wrong such thinking is when we consider the experience of Jesus in the wilderness. We need a strength to keep us true And straight in everything we do; We need God's power to keep us strong When we are tempted to do wrong. —Anon. Satan tempts us to get the worst out of us; God tests us to get the best out of us. Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" Go: Mt 16:23 Jas 4:7 1Pe 5:9 Satan: 1 Chr 21:1 Job 1:6,12 2:1 Ps 109:6 Zec 3:1,2 YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD: Dt 6:13,14 10:20 Jos 24:14 1 Sa 7:3 Lk 4:8 Matthew 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passage - Luke 4:8+ Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" Then (5119)(tote) is an expression of time which means "At that time." 🙏 THOUGHT - When used as an adverb THEN is always worth pausing to ponder and query asking questions like "What time is it? What happens next? Why does this happen now?, etc". When then is used (as determined by the context) to be an expression of time or "time phrase", it usually indicates sequence and thus marks that which is next in order of time, soon after that, following next after in order of position, narration or enumeration, being next in a series (See English definitions or here). Observing then can be very useful in following the course of events in a chapter or paragraph, especially in eschatological (prophetic) passages - e.g., in Nebuchadnezzar's dream there are several occurrences of "then" (in the NAS) - Da 2:35, Da 2:39, Da 2:40, Da 2:46, Da 2:48-commentary. Compare the uses of then in the Olivet Discourse - Mt 24:9, Mt 24:14, 16, 21, 23, 30 (2 uses!), etc-see commentary. Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY - Jesus is quoting Deut 6:13 "You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name." (cf Dt 10:20) But He adds a phrase from the Septuagint (Lxx) translation of Deut 6:13 which says the "Him (the LORD) you shall serve" (kai auto latreuseis). So while Satan’s temptations failed, but God’s testings succeeded. Jesus’ responses to the tempter were, in essence, “I will trust the Father; I will not presume on His Word; and I will not circumvent His will. I will take the Father’s good gifts from the Father’s own hand, in the Father’s own way, and in the Father’s own time.” Thus the King was accredited by the severest test. Why did Jesus add this phrase from the Septuagint (Lxx)? Worship is intimately linked to service. If we worship God on Sunday, but are not willing to serve Him enabled by His Spirit Monday through Saturday, then our worship is at best "defective" and at worst hypocritical! Warren Wiersbe "Satan had said nothing about service, but Jesus knew that whatever we worship, we will serve. Service to the Lord is true freedom, but service to Satan is terrible bondage. God's pattern is to start with suffering and end with glory (1 Peter 5:10-note), while Satan's pattern is to start with glory and end with suffering. Satan wants us to sacrifice the eternal for the temporary and take the "easy way." (Ed: Beloved don't be enticed by the passing pleasures of sin - Heb 11:25+) (Bible Exposition Commentary) You shall worship (bow down) (4352) see above for proskuneo Shall...serve (3000) (latreuo from latris = one hired or latron = reward, wages) means to work for reward, for hire or for pay, to be in servitude, render cultic service. Latreuo was used literally for bodily service (e.g., workers on the land, or slaves), and figuratively for “to cherish.” In the NT the idea is to render service to God, to worship, to perform sacred services or to minister to God in a spirit of worship (in fact in the NT uses below, note several passages clearly associate worship with serving.). J
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Cole - Satan’s goal in all three temptations was to get Jesus to act independently of the Father rather than to submit to the will of God, which included the cross. It would have been a tempting shortcut to gain the glory of ruling all the kingdoms of this world without the agony of the cross. But the Bible is clear that anything we do apart from faith and obedience is sin (Ro 14:23). This means that we have to be careful not only to pursue godly goals, but also to use biblical means of attaining those goals. For example, church growth is a good goal, but if the church adopts worldly marketing and sales techniques or waters down the message to bring people into the church, we’ve fallen into the devil’s trap. We need to be careful to follow biblical methods as well as goals. We should learn from our Lord Jesus how to be wise to Satan’s schemes. (The Temptation of Jesus) It is written - This was the typical way to identify a specific quote from an Old Testament prophecy or an allusion to a prophecy (cf allusion in Mk 14:21 alluding to Ps 22:1-31 and Isaiah 53:1-12+). As it is written in the NT - Matt. 26:24; Mk. 1:2; Mk. 7:6; Mk. 9:13; Mk. 14:21; Lk. 2:23; Lk. 3:4; Jn. 6:31; Jn. 12:14; Acts 7:42; Acts 15:15; Rom. 1:17; Rom. 2:24; Rom. 3:4; Rom. 3:10; Rom. 4:17; Rom. 8:36; Rom. 9:13; Rom. 9:33; Rom. 10:15; Rom. 11:8; Rom. 11:26; Rom. 15:3; Rom. 15:9; Rom. 15:21; 1 Co. 1:31; 1 Co. 2:9; 1 Co. 10:7; 2 Co. 8:15; 2 Co. 9:9 Written (1125)(grapho from root graph- = primarily means to scratch on or engrave as on an ornament, reports, letters, etc; English = graph, graphic, etc) means to engrave or inscribe with a pen or stylus characters or letters on a surface which can be wood, wax, metal, leather, stone, parchment, dirt (John 8:6+), paper, etc. The perfect tense indicates it was written down in the Old Testament and it stands written. This speaks of the permanence of the Scriptures even as Jesus declared in Mt 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away." When we were children and our parents told us to do something and we questioned "Why?", the answer was usually "Because I said so!". Why are we commanded to be holy? Because God said so! A popular saying is "God said it, I believe it, that settles it." This sounds good but isn't accurate because God's Word is true, irregardless of whether we believe it or not. A more accurate "saying" would be "God said it, that settles it!" In fact It is written should put a stop to every complaint or excuse. 🙏 THOUGHT - May the absolute certainty of this truth uttered by He Who is Himself Truth (Mt 24:35) stir your hearts and motivate you to desire to treasure God's precious, permanent Word of Life in your hearts during your short sojourn on earth (Ps 119:9,11)? What a blessed but passing privilege we now have to memorize His Word. Don't miss this golden opportunity, the opportunity of a lifetime! You will not regret it throughout eternity! To help start you on this journey see Memory Verses by Topic. As they say when they serve your filet mignon in the restaurant "Enjoy!" A Review of the ways Satan tempts us - they are the same basic ways he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. First, he will try to get us to distrust God’s providential care and to try to solve our problems, win our struggles, and meet our needs by our own plans and in our own power. Second, he will try to get us to presume on God’s care and forgiveness by willingly putting ourselves in the way of danger-whether physical, economic, moral, spiritual, or any other. Third, he will appeal to selfish ambitions and try to get us to use our own schemes to fulfill the promises God has made to us-which amounts to trying to fulfill God’s plan in Satan’s way. 🙏 THOUGHT - The story is told of a man who was trying to teach his dog obedience. He would take a large piece of meat and put it in the middle of the floor. Each time the dog attempted to take the meat the man would swat the dog and say, “No.” Soon the dog began to associate the swatting with the word "no" and learned to stop simply when the word was said. When meat was placed on the floor the dog would not look at it but rather at his master, waiting for his word of approval or denial. That is essentially the message God teaches in this passage: “When temptation comes, don’t look at the temptation but at Jesus Christ. Keep your eyes on His example and do what he did. Look at the ways He was tempted and at the way He resisted, and learn from Him.” The writer of Hebrews, perhaps with Jesus’ wilderness temptations particularly in mind, tells us, “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15+) Even more encouraging is the declaration: “For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Heb 2:18+). Jesus has been there before us; He has met the worst Satan can give and has been victorious. More than that, He is eager to share that victory with His own people when they are tempted. We can have victory over temptation only by resisting in the way that Jesus resisted-by holding with complete obedience to God and His Word. Jesus endured temptation to the very limit of Satan’s power, and He resisted to that very limit. He did not in the least degree allow temptation to develop into desire, much less into sin (cf. Jas 1:13-15+). He did not think the matter over or give it any consideration. He simply stood firmly in His Father’s will and said no! We find help against temptation, just as we find help for everything else in the Christian life, by “Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of faith” (Heb 12:2+). A hurdler soon learns that if he looks at the hurdles as he runs, he will trip and fall. From start to finish he looks only at the goal, and when he does that the hurdles are cleared in stride as each one is encountered. Keeping our eyes on our Lord Jesus Christ is our only hope of conquering temptation and faithfully running “with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb 12:1+). The same principle of looking to Jesus before looking to the temptation is found in the wonderful truth of the Expulsive Power of a New Affection (check it out!) Deuteronomy 6:1-15 - Who Is On The Throne? According to English poet Oliver Reynolds, an old man had a family altar where he burned incense to an engraving of Napoleon. When asked why he worshiped the picture as a god, the man replied that he would worship anything. Imagine venerating a picture of that French general! Imagine burning incense to the portrait of a human being who has no meaningful relationship to his worshipers! That’s idolatry at its worst! We don’t think of ourselves as idolaters, of course, but are we in subtle ways disobeying God’s commandment: “You shall have no other gods before Me”? (Exodus 20:3). We would never dream of bowing down to the picture of any mortal, however famous or powerful. But who is on the throne of our hearts? Are we giving a loved one first place in our lives? Is that person number one in our affections? Maybe we’re worshiping money. Or perhaps our job is our top priority. Jesus said, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve” (Luke 4:8). Are we worshiping and serving only Him? Unless we worship only God Our lives cannot be truly free; For we were made for Him alone— All else is but idolatry. —D. De Haan An idol is anything that takes the place of God. Matthew 4:11 Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. NET Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering to his needs. GNT Τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτὸν ὁ διάβολος, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελοι προσῆλθον καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ. NLT Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus. KJV Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. ESV Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. NIV Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. Then the devil left Him: Lu 4:13 Lk 22:53 Joh 14:30 behold, angels came and began to minister to Him: Mt 4:6 26:53 28:2-5 Mk 1:13 Lu 22:43 1Ti 3:16 Heb 1:6,14 Rev 5:11,12 Matthew 4 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JESUS WON THE BATTLE Jesus won the battle over three fierce temptations from the devil who believers will surely never face, although they will be continually assaulted by his demonic hordes who are also crafty. Note that Jesus was victorious because He depended on the empowering of the Spirit of God and the powerful Word of God. These are the same "weapons" God has given every believer that we too might experience victory over the manifold and incessant temptations from the the world, the flesh and the devil It therefore behoves us to do two things each morning before we go out into the battle, for Peter says "fleshly lusts...wage war against the soul." (1 Pe 2:11+) - (1) Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18+) and (2) Let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Colossians 3:16+). If you falter on either of these points, then rest assured you are at the very least vulnerable and at the worst will surely experience defeat that day. As a commercial used to say "Don't leave home without it" (referring to a credit card)! Don't leave home without the Spirit and Word empowering your walk! Then (see note on tote above) When? When Jesus said Be gone! (Mt 4:10) The devil (see above for diabolos) left Him - Luke says "When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time (kairos)." (Luke 4:13+) We need to always be on the lookout for temptation, for the devil (and our flesh) is always looking for an "opportunity" to pounce (cf Ge 4:7). The word left is also translated "forgive" 47x in the NT which of course shows the importance of the context when one does word studies, lest he arrives at an inappropriate definition. The devil hardly "forgave" Jesus for not falling for his temptations! And as Luke adds, he would return when he thought would be the "right time." Of course, he would never find a "right time" for Jesus was "tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4:15+). Devil (Latin diabolus) (1228) (diabolos from diá = through, between + ballo = to cast, throw) means a false accuser, slanderer (one who utters false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation), backbiting (malicious comment about one not present), one given to malicious gossip or a calumniator (one who utters maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about, this term imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions). See also study on Satan (4567) satanas 🙏 THOUGHT - Notice the derivation of devil is dia meaning between and ballo meaning throw giving us a word picture of one of his primary tactics/goals to come between. He constantly throws between seeking to divide whether it be between a husband and wife, a child and parent, a church, etc. Resist his divisive, condemnatory accusations firm in your faith. He did this successfully with Adam and Eve in a perfect setting (Ge 3:12, 16+ where "desire" in the Lxx = apostrophe - basic meaning = turning away from) and dear believing husband or wife, his minions seek to accomplish the same evil goal in your marriage! Look out! As Paul warns: BE ANGRY (present imperative) AND yet DO NOT SIN (present imperative with a negative); do not let (present imperative with a negative) the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give (present imperative with a negative the devil an opportunity (kairos - SAME WORD IN Luke 4:13+! DID YOU GO TO BED ANGRY AT YOUR SPOUSE LAST NIGHT? THEN LOOK OUT, YOU CAN BE SURE YOU ARE THE DEVIL'S RADAR! CONFESS, REPENT, BE RECONCILED QUICKLY!). 28 He who steals must steal no (present imperative with a negative) longer; but rather he must labor (present imperative), performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29 (HERE IS WHAT THE DEVIL WILL TEMPT YOU TO DO) Let no unwholesome (ROTTEN) word proceed from your mouth (present imperative with a negative = stop doing this or don't begin and necessitates daily dependence on the Holy Spirit to obey), but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30+ (NASB IS NOT CORRECT HERE -- THERE SHOULD BE THE WORD "AND" FOR GREEK "KAI" WHICH DIRECTLY LINKS GRIEVING OF THE SPIRIT WITH GRIEVOUS SPEECH! LOOK OUT WHAT YOU SAY DEAR SPOUSE LEST YOU BLUNT THE SPIRIT'S WORK IN YOUR LIFE AND SET YOURSELF UP FOR Eph 4:31+!) Do not grieve (present imperative with a negative) the Holy Spirit of God (A GRIEVED SPIRIT WILL BLUNT HIS POWER IN YOUR LIFE!), by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.(Eph 4:26-30+) Left (863)(aphiemi from apo = prefix speaks of separation, putting some distance between + hiemi = put in motion, send) conveys the basic idea of an action which causes separation. Literally aphiemi means to send from one's self, and refers to total detachment, total separation, from a previous location or condition. In secular Greek literature, aphiemi was a fundamental word used to indicate the sending away of an object or a person. In the present context it refers to Jesus commanding the devil to "Go" in Mt 4:10. The devil obeyed giving us clear evidence of Jesus' authority over the Creation, specifically the supernatural world. Behold, angels came and began to minister to Him - Mark has "And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him." (Mk 1:13+). Notice the fascinating juxtaposition of wild beasts on one hand and ministering angels on the other. Have you ever heard wild animals in a deserted place at night? Wolves and coyotes howling? The sound of those wild animals piercing the darkness of the night is enough to stop the heart. In this sense Jesus would have experienced the test of fear. But perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18+). There was no fear in Jesus because in Him was perfect love of His Father (cf Mt 3:17+). Ministering is in the imperfect tense picturing the angels ministering to Jesus over and over. He was fully Man and as such He was in a sense demonstrating for us the truth in Hebrews where the writer asks "Are they (ANGELS) not all ministering (leitourgikos) spirits, sent out to render service (diakonia) for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14+) Luke 4:13+ omits the angels and simply says "When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time." 🙏 THOUGHT - Because of his sin, the first Adam lost the dominion over nature which God had given to him (Genesis 1:28). Contrast this with the Last Adam, Jesus Christ, to whom dominion is returned as evidenced by the wild beasts that surrounded Him in the wilderness—a sneak preview of the coming kingdom wherein the wolf shall lie down by the lamb (Isaiah 11:6). Where Adam failed in the garden, Jesus came through in the desert. Behold(2400)(idou) is the second person singular aorist middle imperative of eidon which means to see, perceive, look at. In the NT idou is used as a demonstrative particle that draws attention to what follows. Idou in the middle voice means "you yourself look, see, perceive!" The aorist imperative is a command emphasizing "Do it now! Don't delay!" In 2Cor 5:17 Paul uses idou, to get his reader's attention as he introduces the truth that the one who in now in Christ is a qualitatively new person. (see also notes above on "behold")