The Temptation of Jesus

(June 1^st, 2008)

Matthew 3:13-4:11

Key verse: 4:4

Look at 3:13-17.  Why did Jesus come to John to be baptized?  What happened after he went up out of the water?  What does this passage tell us about who Jesus is, and why he came?  

Jesus was baptized to “… fulfill all righteousness.”  Righteousness has to do with having a right relationship with God.  Jesus had no sin to confess, or repent of—nothing to separate him from God.  Yet he considered it proper to be baptized by John.  This shows that there’s more to baptism than confessing and repenting of sins.  The main point of baptism is to turn to God.  It is to commit to a love relationship with God, and to accept his purpose and will for our lives, and it is to do so publicly.  

First, heaven opened and the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove.  Second, a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

This passage confirms that Jesus is the Son of God who came to restore man’s love relationship with God.         

Read 4:1-4.  Why did Jesus need to be tempted?  How was he tempted first?  How did he overcome this temptation?  What can we learn about the way to overcome temptation?  

Sin is what breaks man’s relationship with God.  From the first man, Adam, all men had to lose the battle against the power of sin, and the devil’s temptation.  But Jesus came to win the victory over sin and the devil’s temptation once and for all.  

The devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread.  

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8:3.  Life is more than a physical phenomenon.  Man was created as a spiritual being.  His spiritual life is his true life from God, and has eternal value.  Just as food nourishes a man’s physical life, the word of God nourishes his spiritual life.  However, it’s important to note that what is spiritual precedes and upholds that which is physical, not the other way around.  Therefore, a man must seek to nurture his spiritual life as of first priority (Genesis 2:7, John 6:63, Romans 8:11).  

We must rely on the words of God, and build up a spiritual value system based on God’s words.      

Read verses 5-7.  How did the devil tempt Jesus a second time?  How did Jesus overcome this time?  What can we learn from Jesus here?  

This time the devil tempted Jesus to test God’s love by throwing himself down from the temple building.  He even backed it up with a Bible verse.      

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:16.  We are called to trust God’s love, not to test his love.  The devil always tries to get us to doubt the love of God and commit sin.  These days, so many, even Christians have a love problem, so that they commit a lot of sins trying to test God’s love.  They need to know God’s love for them personally, and never doubt God’s love.    

Jesus trusted in God’s love based on the words of God.  The words of God affirm God’s love for us.   

Read verses 8-11.  How did the devil tempt Jesus a third time?  How did Jesus overcome this time?  What can we learn from Jesus here?  What happened after Jesus’ overcame the devil’s temptation a third time?

The devil tempted Jesus with all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor if he would bow down and worship him.  

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:13.  To worship God is the primary purpose of man’s life, and of all created things.  Even the devil is commanded to worship and serve God only.  

In order to worship God, we should start by not worshiping something or someone other than God.  Then we should find how we can serve God practically.

After Jesus overcame the devil’s temptation, the devil left him, and angels attended him.