Matthew 4:1-11 Part 1
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We saw in our last time together at the end of chapter 3 what would mark the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, namely his baptism at the Jordan river. If you remember Matthew introduced us to John the Baptist and it would be his calling and purpose to prepare the way for the Messiah, and so he comes as one crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of our Lord, to making his paths straight.
He emerges from the wilderness and comes baptizing those from Jerusalem and the surrounding region with a baptism of repentance. It’s at this particular time we see Jesus make his first public appearance, and he commands John to baptize him, not because of any sin he had committed but in order that all righteousness might be fulfilled. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who is without blemish, and so it’s fitting that he submits himself to the entirety of God’s law, including baptism.
Jesus the Son of God
Jesus the Son of God
Upon his baptism the heavens are opened and the Holy Spirit descends upon him from above, and behold, a voice from heaven says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” God the Father affirms and commissions his Son by speaking and sending the Spirit to rest on him. And it’s within this setting we witness the next step in Jesus’ commissioning, that is, his testing in the wilderness. Jesus will be tested by God and tempted by the devil.
Jesus the new man
Jesus the new man
Jesus is immediately “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.” () God wastes no time. As we might say, Jesus is a man on a mission, a man with a purpose. He leaves the waters of baptism and is promptly lead by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
The Garden of Eden and the fall of mankind
What this text should remind us of is mankind’s original fall recorded back in Genesis chapter 3. It should remind us of the Garden of Eden and the serpent’s temptation of Adam and Eve. As we all know the serpent deceived Eve and an in turn man rebelled against God in disobedience, which threw all of mankind into sin and suffering, leading ultimately to death.
Why the tree of knowledge of good and evil?
Many of us have likely asked question, “Why would God even put the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden in the first place?” The answer to that question is surprisingly simple, the answer is, so that God might test them. And why does God lead his son into the the wilderness to be tempted by the devil? For the same reason, to test him. While Adam failed, the glory of this text here today is that Jesus would succeed. He would endure the temptation, he would not rebel against God as Adam and Eve had, instead he would be victorious over temptation and the tempter. Where Adam had failed Jesus would be victorious.
Jesus overcomes so much more than Adam and Eve
It’s quite incredible when we consider the similarities between these two stories, but it’s even more extraordinary when we consider the differences. Here’s what I mean, 1) the environment in which Adam and Eve were tempted was perfect, there was no preexisting sin nature or corrupted creation, their circumstances were more than ideal, yet they failed when tested. Jesus on the other hand had far less than perfect circumstances, he’s without food or water for more than a month in the wilderness, and yet he remained obedient, 2) Adam and Eve had each other, there were two of them. How much easier is it for us to abstain from sin when we have someone nearby to regularly hold us accountable to God’s word, but yet again Adam and Eve fail despite the fact that they have one another. Jesus on the other hand is alone in the wilderness and likely endures temptation far longer than Adam and Eve ever did.
The obedience of the second Adam
This is why Jesus is later called the second Adam, or the new Adam, the one who will make all things new. This is incredibly good news for those of us as who are slaves to sin, born of the first Adam, because as Paul puts it, “For as by the one man’s disobedience [that is Adam] the many were made sinners, [but] by the one man’s obedience [that is Christ] the many will be made righteous.” ()
The importance of Jesus’ perfect life of obedience
We regularly speak of the importance of Jesus’ death on the cross, and while we certainly should, it’s also equally important that we recognize that he lived a life we couldn’t, he lived an unstained life, a life without sin, and it’s that righteousness that’s credited to us upon our profession of faith in Christ. At that very moment we are justified and sealed by the Holy Spirit for eternity. Jesus’ sacrifice would have been of no value had he not been perfectly obedient to his Father in heaven. He acquires for us a righteousness that is an alien righteousness, what I mean is, a righteousness that is not our own, and that’s what’s so beautiful about these verses here today. This is why the Scriptures describe us as “more than conquerors through him that loved us.” () It’s because Jesus conquered sin and death that we can overcome sin, it’s because Jesus conquered sin and death that we can have eternal life.
In the story of Exodus
It’s important that the Son of God by tested.
In fact, I think we see at least two reasons here in the text. Let’s read verses 3-4 again.
“And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ””
Notice verse three when the devil says, “If you are the Son of God...” Satan is challenging Jesus, in fact he’s tempting him with food.
We notice
Jesus the true son
Jesus the true son
Now let’s turn back to the text and read again the temptations that Jesus endures. Let’s start in verse 3,
English Standard Version Chapter 4
3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall 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 glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall 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 glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
“If you are the Son of God....”
Now what’s particularly striking throughout these passages is that two of the three OT scriptures quoted here are straight out of the book of Deuteronomy, specifically chapters 6 and 8.
When Jesus answers the devil’s temptation to turn stones into bread, he says, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” This OT text is found in .
The Pentateuch and Deuteronomy
The book of Deuteronomy is one of the five books of the Pentateuch which were written by Moses. In this last book of the Pentateuch Moses reiterates and summarizes much of what had already taken place in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. However, he takes the liberty to remind and warn the Israelites of God’s laws and judgments, and often Moses provides commentary on these events, and the book ends with the death of Moses just prior to the Israelite’s entrance into the promised land.
Careful to obey God’s commandments
The context of verse 3 in chapter 8 is that of Moses commanding the Israelites to be careful to obey God’s commandments, because in chapters 5 and 6 he had already outlined the infamous 10 commandments as well as what Jesus would call the greatest command to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
So Moses goes on to tell them in chapter 8 starting in verse 2 this,
2 And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. 4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that, as a man disciplines his son, the LORD your God disciplines you. 6 So you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God by walking in his ways and by fearing him.
The Israelites grumble against God in unbelief
The question here for the Israelites was this, “Will you trust and obey God even when your bellies aren’t full?” “Is trusting and obeying God more important than food?” Unfortunately, the perennial answer for the Israelites was ‘no’. In Exodus chapter 16 starting in verse 2 we read,
And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
Instead of trusting in God’s provision and in God’s direction they grumble and become angry. For the Israelites, God’s will and God’s ways were deficient at best, there was no trusting him, no believing him, just unbelief.
God’s will for us is altogether good but not necessarily easy
And it’s important for us today to understand that God’s will for our life isn’t necessarily for everything to go well, to go in a particular direction we might prefer, or to give us what we want or what we think is best for ourselves, but rather God’s intentions are to mold us into the image of his Son, to cause us to trust him, to rely upon him, to love him, to call upon him when in need. And we must remember that God’s intentions even in the midst of pain, confusion and frustration are altogether good. He intends good for us and even goes so far as to order every circumstance, every conversation and every instance of our lives for our good and for his glory.
Jesus was hungry like the Israelites but without sin
As we look back at the book of Matthew we see that Jesus is hungry in the wilderness just as the Israelites were hungry in the wilderness, but instead of seeking self gratification by turning the stones into bread, he refuses the temptation and instructs the devil that he’s not governed merely by his bodily cravings but instead by the heavenly instructions given to him by his Father. His trust in God is without reservation, and without rebellion - it’s perfect. He’s the son Isreal failed to be, and He’s the son we could never be.
Prayer
Prayer
Jesus is hungry like the Israelites in the wilderness
Jesus is hungry just as the Israelites were hungry in the wilderness. The Israelites grumbled against God and complained, provoking God to wrath, and even so, God’s wrath was restrained and instead be poured in its fullness upon the back of Christ.
Jesus, in the wilderness, was tested by God and tempted by Satan.
Jesus was tested
Jesus was tested
The purpose of testing
Jesus’ actions will demonstrate that he is indeed the Son of God. He’s, again, the son that Israel could never be. He’s the son that when tested in the wilderness was victorious. He never wavered in his obedience toward his Father.
Now let’s talk a little bit about the purpose of testing. The purpose of testing in the OT was to disclose the inner quality of the heart. It’s what we see God doing in the book of Genesis with Abraham and his son Isaac on the alter - God is testing Abraham’s heart. Does Abraham love God more than is only son? This testing is meant to disclose the heart of man for his benefit. It’s not so that God can come to know what’s in a person’s heart, for God already knows. You see God is the teacher and we are the students and tests are given to students not for the teacher’s sake but for ours.
Jesus was tested
Jesus was tested
Jesus was tested in the wilderness by God for 40 days and 40 nights, in like manner Israel was tested in the wilderness for 40 years. Moses also fasted for 40 days and 40 nights when receiving the covenant on Mt Horeb.
The purpose of testing
The purpose of testing in the OT was to disclose the inner quality of the heart. It’s what we see God doing in the book of Genesis with Abraham and his son Isaac on the alter - God is testing Abraham’s heart. Does Abraham love God more than is only son? This testing is meant to disclose the heart of man for his benefit. It’s not so that God can come to know what’s in a person’s heart, for God already knows. You see God is the teacher and we are the students and tests are given to students not for the teacher’s sake but for ours.
The Pharisees test Jesus
The Pharisees, for instance, test Jesus constantly in the NT by demanding a sign, but Jesus refuses to give them a sign. He tells them that an evil and adulteress generation seeks after a sign. Why? Because they weren’t genuinely interested in whether or not Jesus was the Messiah. There were countless public miracles one after the other performed at the hand of Christ, but that wasn’t enough. Jesus had to submit to them and their testing. Their wicked hearts demanded that the role of teacher and student be switched. They demanded that Jesus submit to them.
Satan tests Jesus
It’s the same thing we see here with the devil in Matthew chapter 4. “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” So what does Jesus say? “Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
We test God because of our unbelief
People test God because of their unbelief, and not just as to whether God exists or not, but unwillingness to submit to and trust him. You see James says that even the demons believe, and tremble, and Paul says in that all men know that God exists, it’s just that they suppress it by their unrighteousness; they are willfully ignorant of him and exchange the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, creatures and creeping things - things that are made. It’s a worse state than that of the demons really, for the demons believe that God exists and they tremble.
Satan want Jesus to worship him
Satan here in this passage knows full well that Jesus is the Son of God, he just wants Jesus to fall down and worship him. It’s why we read starting in verse 8 that, “Again, devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’’”
Jesus suffered when he was tempted.
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus was tempted
Jesus was tempted
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Jesus the Son of God
Jesus the Son of God
“If you are the Son of God....”
Jesus’ actions will demonstrate that he is indeed the Son of God. He’s, again, the son that Israel could never be. He’s the son that when tested in the wilderness was victorious. He never wavered in his obedience toward his Father.
Jesus was tempted
Jesus was tempted
God does not tempt and cannot be tempted
English Standard Version Chapter 1
Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Jesus was tempted in every kind of way: self-gratification (lusts of the flesh), unbelief and self-exaltation (pride),
God tests us and the devil tempts us
The hunger Jesus experiences is reminiscent of Israel’s own time in the wilderness as recorded in Exodus. They had grumbled against Moses and spitefully asked him if he had brought them into the desert to kill them by starvation. They think it would be better to return to Egypt where at least their bellies were full.
The hunger Jesus experiences parallels that of Israel’s own time in the wilderness as recorded in Exodus. They had grumbled against Moses and spitefully asked him if he had brought them into the desert to kill them by starvation. They think it would be better to return to Egypt where at least their bellies were full.
English Standard Version Chapter 16
on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. 2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, 3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ex 16:1–3). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ex 16:1–3). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
In a sense God and his provision are not enough for the people, so they grumble against him. They complain that what God has provided is not enough.
Jesus truly man and truly God
Jesus is hungry like the Israelites in the wilderness
God and his provision are not enough for the Israelites, so they grumble against him. They complain that what God has provided is not enough, that it’s not what they want.
It’s important for us today to understand that God’s will for our life isn’t necessarily for everything to go well, to go in particular direction we might prefer, or to give us what we want or what we think is best for ourselves, but rather God’s intentions are to mold us into his image, to cause us to trust him, to rely upon him, to love him, to call upon him when in need. And we must remember that Gods intentions even in the midst of pain, confusion and frustration are altogether good. He intends good for us and even goes so far as to order every circumstance, every conversation and every instance of our lives for our good and for his glory.
Garden of Eden parallels
This same sentiment is can be seen as far back as Genesis chapter 3. God has created a stunning world for Adam and Eve and has made tremendous provision for them within the Garden of Eden, yet still Adam and Eve become convinced by the devil that God’s holding out on them, that there’s still something better outside of God’s will.
English Standard Version Chapter 8
And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.
Jesus is hungry like the Israelites in the wilderness
Jesus is hungry just as the Israelites were hungry in the wilderness. The Israelites grumbled against God and complained, provoking God to wrath, and even so, God’s wrath was restrained and instead be poured in its fullness upon the back of Christ.
Jesus, in the wilderness, was tested by God and tempted by Satan.
Warning against unbelief
English Standard Version Chapter 3
7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’ ”
12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Prayer
Prayer
I pray that we would be a people that do not live by bread alone but instead by every word that comes from the mouth of the God. That we would follow in Christ’s steps by enduring temptation, that we would not complain in unbelief but rather hold fast to you by trusting you, by being grateful for whatever lot we’ve been given, and hopeful for what good things you are doing in us and through us. I pray that we would humble ourselves before you and submit ourselves to your will, trusting and knowing that your plans for us are altogether good.