The Temptation of Jesus
4:1 Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness
2 for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry.
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.” [Deuteronomy 8:3]
5 So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want.
7 If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours.”
8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” [Deuteronomy 6:13]
9 So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.
10 For it is written:
He will give his angels orders concerning you,
to protect you,
11 and they will support you with their hands,
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.” [Psalm 91:11-12]
12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.” [Deuteronomy 6:16]
13 After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.
Commentary
(the following is from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary, 1706 -- www.christianity.com)
"The word of God is our sword, and faith in that word is our shield. God has many ways of providing for his people, and therefore is at all times to be depended upon in the way of duty.
All Satan's promises are deceitful; and if he is permitted to have any influence in disposing of the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, he uses them as baits to ensnare men to destruction. We should reject at once and with abhorrence, every opportunity of sinful gain or advancement, as a price offered for our souls; we should seek riches, honors, and happiness in the worship and service of God only.
Christ will not worship Satan; nor, when he has the kingdoms of the world delivered to him by his Father, will he suffer any remains of the worship of the devil to continue in them.
Satan also tempted Jesus to be his own murderer, by unfitting confidence in his Father's protection, such as he had no warrant for. Let not any abuse of Scripture by Satan or by men abate our esteem, or cause us to abandon its use; but let us study it still, seek to know it, and seek our defense from it in all kinds of assaults. Let this word dwell richly in us, for it is our life.
Our victorious Redeemer conquered, not for himself only, but for us also. The devil ended all the temptation. Christ let him try all his force, and defeated him. Satan saw it was to no purpose to attack Christ, who had nothing in him for his fiery darts to fasten upon. And if we resist the devil, he will flee from us. Yet he departed but till the season when he was again to be let loose upon Jesus, not as a tempter, to draw him to sin, and so to strike at his head, at which he now aimed and was wholly defeated in; but as a persecutor, to bring Christ to suffer, and so to bruise his heel, which it was told him, he should have to do, and would do, though it would be the breaking of his own head, Genesis 3:15.
Though Satan depart for a season, we shall never be out of his reach till removed from this present evil world."
No comments:
Post a Comment