“Then Jesus was 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. And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered,”
Matthew 4:1-4Matthew 4:1-4
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Jesus and the Devil 4 1 . The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert, so that the devil could test him. 2 After Jesus had gone without eating l without eating: The Jewish people sometimes went without eating to show their love for God or to show sorrow for their sins. for forty days and nights, he was very hungry. 3 Then the devil came to him and said, “If you are God's Son, tell these stones to turn into bread.” 4 . Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say: ‘No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.’ ”
WP-Bible plugin
You are probably familiar with this passage to some degree and you might know that Jesus didn’t fall to the temptations that Satan presented. Yes, this passage is the biblical stories of fulfillment of prophesy of the spotless lamb sacrificed. But the application for us in this passage comes in the first few words in Jesus’ response to Satan.
“He answered, ‘It is written,’”
Matthew 4:4Matthew 4:4
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
4 . Jesus answered, “The Scriptures say: ‘No one can live only on food. People need every word that God has spoken.’ ”
WP-Bible plugin
Jesus is the Son of God; he has existed from before time. He, in just a short while from this point, will teach authoritatively on the provision of God (Matthew 6:25-34Matthew 6:25-34
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
Worry
25 I tell you not to worry about your life. Don't worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn't life more than food or clothing?
26 Look at the birds in the sky! They don't plant or harvest. They don't even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren't you worth more than birds?
27 Can worry make you live longer? f live longer: Or “grow taller.”
28 Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes.
29 But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth g Solomon with all his wealth: The Jewish people thought that Solomon was the richest person who had ever lived. wasn't as well clothed as one of them.
30 God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?
31 Don't worry and ask yourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?”
32 Only people who don't know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father in heaven knows that you need all of these.
33 But more than anything else, put God's work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.
34 Don't worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.
WP-Bible plugin). Jesus would have no problem responding to Satan’s proposition with just his understanding of who God is and his experience with God providing for him up to this moment in time. Jesus didn’t need to argue with Satan. Both Jesus and Satan know that the scriptures are Truth and Satan was trying to distract Jesus from his fasting that was helping Jesus focus and depend on God. There was no refuting when Jesus responded with scripture. The best Satan had was to try a different temptation.
“(Satan) 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.’”
Matthew 4:6Matthew 4:6
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
6 The devil said, “If you are God's Son, jump off. The Scriptures say: ‘God will give his angels orders about you. They will catch you in their arms, and you won't hurt your feet on the stones.’ ”
WP-Bible plugin
Satan believes fully that the Word of God is Truth. Satan will quote it as he did to Jesus. It was through understanding and study of the scriptures that Jesus knew that Satan was misleading him. The bible isn’t an instruction book; it is more like a map to the heart of God. Jesus knows the heart of God and was not fooled when Satan was using as a tool to cause him to stumble. Jesus is aware that testing God isn’t to his glory, but trusting God is to God’s glory. Jesus didn’t make this argument; again he quoted God’s written scripture. Jesus quoted it because it is Truth and it is final. Again when exposed to the light of God’s written Truth Satan’s lies lose all strength.
It is also worth mentioning what is not in the passage. It does not say that Jesus unrolled the parchment and showed Satan where it was written. Jesus didn’t say “I think it says…” Jesus quoted the scripture. He has it memorized.
Just like Jesus we are tempted, and usually in our weakness. I am usually tempted when I’m not sitting with my bible open in front of me. It is with the Word of God dripping off our tongue that we are able to use it as a sword to fend off temptations. Our swords are useless on our bookshelves at home or in the trunk of our car when we are being tempted to gossip around the water cooler at work or respond in anger to the driver who just cut us off. Resisting Satan’s lies when God’s Truth is in our mouth and in our heart becomes significantly easier and ultimately is glorifying to God.
0 Comments.