The Temptation of Jesus
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Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat food or drink water. He wrote the Ten Commandments, the words of the covenant, on the tablets.
No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone.
Matthew is pointing his Jewish audience to see Jesus as the true Israel of God.
This is a quote from Deut 8:3.
Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple,
and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”
Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”
Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12, but in Satan fashion, he quotes it out of context.
The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say concerning the Lord, who is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust:
He himself will rescue you from the bird trap, from the destructive plague.
He will cover you with his feathers; you will take refuge under his wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.
You will not fear the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day,
the plague that stalks in darkness, or the pestilence that ravages at noon.
Though a thousand fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, the pestilence will not reach you.
You will only see it with your eyes and witness the punishment of the wicked.
Because you have made the Lord—my refuge, the Most High—your dwelling place,
no harm will come to you; no plague will come near your tent.
For he will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you in all your ways.
They will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the young lion and the serpent.
Because he has his heart set on me, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name.
When he calls out to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble. I will rescue him and give him honor.
I will satisfy him with a long life and show him my salvation.
Psalm 91 deals with the Lord’s protection of the righteous one as he fulfills his God given mission. Satan’s temptation was to force God to act.
Jesus responds by quoting Deut 6:16.
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.
And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.”
Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”
Jesus quotes Deut 6:13 here.
Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.
Our enemy has no foreknowledge.
Every defense that Jesus gave comes from Deut.
Our greatest defense against the enemies temptations is the word of God.
Therefore, he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in matters pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.
For since he himself has suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus understands our weakness and will help us endure temptation.
How does Jesus temptation help you to better identify with him?
What heart attitude or understanding is God prompting you to surrender to him?
What practical step of obedience is God calling you to this week?
The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.