THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST

MATTHEW 4:1–11

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil

(Matthew 4:1).

Immediately after His baptism and the assumption of His messianic office, Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. As we read of the temptations of our Lord, we notice immediately the similarities and the differences that exist between the first Adam in the book of Genesis and the new Adam, Jesus. Both were tested, not only for their own benefit, but for the benefit of others. Adam underwent a test on behalf of the whole human race. Now the new humanity was being put to the test in the Judean wilderness in the person of Jesus.

Contrasts and Comparisons

When Adam was tested, it was not in a desolate, isolated wilderness, but in a flourishing garden. Jesus was alone, but Adam had the companionship of his wife. Jesus had been fasting for 40 days, while Adam had been feasting in the Garden.

Both Adam and Jesus were tempted on the same point. The critical issue for both was: Would they trust God? The question was not whether or not they would believe that there is a God, but whether or not they would trust Him. Their answer to that question would be seen in whether or not they would trust enough to obey.

The Word of God

Adam did not trust God’s word. God had told him that he would die if he disobeyed, but obviously Adam did not believe Him. Jesus, though, answered each of Satan’s temptations with a quotation from Scripture. He reposed total confidence in the Word of God.

At one point, Satan quoted Scripture back at Jesus (Matthew 4:6), but Jesus replied, in essence, that Satan was guilty of misappropriation. Satan was pitting one Scripture against another, and the Scripture cannot be broken. Thus, Jesus held firm to the Word and also to the proper use of it.

CORAM DEO

Prior to entering His public ministry Jesus had been fully prepared by laying up the Scriptures as treasures in His heart. When tempted, Jesus relied upon the authority of God’s Word to ward off Satan’s attacks. Your ability to withstand trials and temptations also depends upon how well you appropriate the Scriptures into your life. Have you, like Jesus, “girded your minds for action” (1 Peter 1:13)?

For further study: James 1:12–27; Colossians 3:16–17

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