The Devil Tempts Jesus

Topic: Scripture
Passage: Matthew 4:1–11

June 15, 2019

Commentary

Following His public baptism, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness where He fasted for forty days (v. 1). The wilderness of Judea is a hot, barren and desolate area that lays between the Dead Sea and Jerusalem and is approximately thirty-five miles long and fifteen miles wide. Following this period Satan put Him through three major tests.

  1. A Personal Test (vv. 2-4). Jesus was hungry after his long fast (v. 2). Satan tried to get Jesus to act against God’s plan and to command the stones to become bread (vv. 3-4). A complaining, demanding attitude will never please God. We cannot ignore God’s will and expect to get what we want.
  2. A National Test (vv. 5-7). Satan took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem, 500 feet above the Kidron Valley. He tried to get Jesus to do something sensational to prove to the world that He really was the Son of God. No doubt Jesus would have gained a large following after such a stunt, but Jesus wasn’t looking for “sensation seekers” to be his followers.
  3. A Universal Test (vv. 8-10). The final temptation took place on an exceedingly high mountain where Satan offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the earth (vv. 8-10). He was suggesting to Jesus that He shouldn’t have to wait for that which was already rightfully His. Satan often ap­peals to our selfish ambitions and tries to get us to use our schemes to fulfill the promise God has made to us.

Finally, Satan left Jesus, and angels came to help Him (v. 11).

Application

How can I compare my own temptation with the temptation that Jesus faced? What is the main thing I have found to be most helpful in resisting temptation? (vv. 4, 7, 10).

Matthew 4:1– 11 (NET)

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man does 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, had him stand on the highest point 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 ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to 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 grandeur. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began ministering to his needs.