THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS

Matthew 4:1-17

Key Verse 4:10

"Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." ' "

The events of Jesus' temptation took place right as Jesus was going to begin his public ministry, for he had just been announced publicly to Israel by John the Baptist and then by God the Father, as the Son of God and Savior of the world.

From this passage we can see how Jesus practically suffered to save us. Through his victory he gave great light and hope to all fallen men who are in darkness. We can also learn from his victory over the devil's temptations how we too can serve the Lord's ministry through Jesus Christ as well.

1. Read verses 1-2. Where did the Spirit lead Jesus after his baptism? Why do you think God did this? (1 John 3:8) What did Jesus do during this time?

*Verse 1: "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil."

*Chapter 1 tells us clearly that God sent Jesus into the world to save his people from their sins. Saving man from his sins began with battling the devil, who had led the first man into sin in the Garden of Eden (cf. Gen 3:1-8). Since Adam's time, no one has ever been able to defeat the devil and his temptations. Jesus came to save us from ours sins. In so doing, he also came to destroy the devil's work and restore fallen man (1 John 3:8).

The devil is a real enemy who is working. He is a "liar and murderer" (John 8:44) who distorts the truth of God and God's word. In and through Jesus we can stand up to him. 

*During this time Jesus fasted and prayed for forty days and forty nights to fight the spiritual battle. He relied on God to serve his mission. We can learn from Jesus the value of fasting and praying in our own struggle to serve the Lord and submit ourselves to him.

2. Read verses 3-4. How was Jesus first tempted? What was his answer? What can we learn from Jesus here?

* Verse 3: The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Basically, the devil tempted him to use his authority as the Son of God to make bread for himself for his survival. This was a very real temptation for Jesus who was hungry after fasting for forty days and forty nights. The devil tempted him to take matters into his own hands and secure his survival. In so doing, he would not be living by faith in God the Father.

* Verse 4: Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "

* The devil tempts God's servants today to solve their "bread problem" on their own, taking matters into their own hands. Because of this we often end up serving our bread problem rather than God and get tied down. And living for survival before God is a cursed life (Gen 3:17-19). In fact, man living for survival was the curse of falling to the devil's temptations first in the Garden of Eden. Man no longer lived for serving God's mission and glory.

Even though Jesus really needed to eat, and secure his bread, he overcame the temptation, but not not by his own struggle, but through the word of God in Deuteronomy 8:3. Man's life is not merely physical, but spiritual as well. Our life comes from God and is sustained by him. Jesus is the Word of God that gives man life. We learn from Jesus that man does not live on bread alone, therefore he should not secure only bread for his life. But lives also on God's word. And that Word is Jesus. By faith in God who provides, we can live for God's mission and not survival. Jesus taught us to pray to God for our daily bread, and to seek his kingdom and righteousness first, believing that God will provide fully for his children (Matthew 6:11; 25-33).

3. Read verses 5-7. How was the devil's second temptation different from the first? Why do you think Jesus might have been tempted to test God in this way? How did Jesus overcome this temptation? Can you think of a time when you were tempted to put God to the test?

* Verses 5-6: 5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:

   " 'He will command his angels concerning you,

      and they will lift you up in their hands,

   so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "

This time the devil tempted him to test God to prove that he would take care of Jesus, who is the Son of God. He even used the word of God to support his temptation.

* Jesus was going to face very real and difficult sufferings as he made his way to the cross, such as physical attacks, rejection from his people, betrayal of his close friends and disciples, pain and sorrow for the world, and much more. It was not going to be easy for Jesus to be in such a dangerous position. It was very tempting to Jesus to demand a sign from God to prove that he would indeed take care of Jesus.

* Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' " Though he may have wanted to ask God for a sign, he responded that it is written not to put God to the test.

* As we serve the Lord's ministry, we are often tempted to demand or test God to prove that he will indeed take care of us, for it is very difficult for a servant to face the challenges and hardships involved in making disciples of all nations. We face persecution and opposition from our family members, friends, coworkers, etc. We want God to prove his love for us. But Jesus' response teaches us to overcome this temptation and serve the Lord by faith in him. In the previous chapter God said that Jesus was his Son with whom he was well pleased. By this Jesus could have faith in his Father and not test him. We learn from Jesus to serve God by faith and not by testing God and asking for signs.

4. Read verses 8-11. What did the devil offer Jesus if Jesus would worship him? How does the devil tempt people like this today? What can we learn from Jesus about the way to overcome this temptation?

* He offered Jesus "all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor." This may represent the easy way for Jesus to get splendor, rather than through the cross.

* The devil tempts people today in similar ways, especially God's servants. For example, many face the temptation of getting a very prestigious or high paying job, at the cost of serving God's mission. Fame and glory and gaining great things in this world and fame are very tempting to us. People think that if they have these things, they will happy and successful. But gaining these things comes with a cost: bowing down to and worshiping Satan. Satan tempts us to get glory for ourselves and not to take up our cross and follow Jesus.

Mark 8:36: "What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"

Consider Cain's struggle for personal fame and glory in Genesis 4:17-24. He became a further instrument of the devil in raising ungodly children.

* Jesus responded in verse 10: Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.' "

We learn from Jesus that we must hold to the purpose of a man's life: to worship the Lord your God and serve him only. All good things come from God the Father (Gen 1:31). We should not be deceived to think that we can find better things apart from him. Our worship and service belong to God.

5. What was the key to Jesus' victory over each of these temptations?

* In each instance Jesus defeated the devil by the word of God (particularly, he used passages from the book of Deuteronomy).

The word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). God's word is the Spirit's weapon to help us win the spiritual victory, especially over the devil and his temptations. We learn that we cannot defeat the devil on our own, but only through the working of the word of God. This means that it is of utmost importance to know and hold to the word of God absolutely, as it is. When Eve compromised God's word, she quickly fell into temptation and Adam followed her. We can resist the devil by the word of God.

6. Read verses 12-17. How did Jesus respond to the news that John was put in prison? What does Isaiah's prophecy reveal about Jesus? What is Jesus' message?

* From that time on he began to preach the message of repentance and God's kingdom, beginning from Galilee. John's ministry prepared the way for Jesus and now was the time for him to begin his ministry.

* Matthew quotes Isaiah: "the people living in darkness

      have seen a great light;

   on those living in the land of the shadow of death

      a light has dawned.".

Isaiah reveals that Jesus is the light for those living in the land of the shadow of death. In fact, all men are under the shadow of death because of our sins. But through Jesus' defeat over the devil, he gave hope and became a light for all men to be saved. Jesus is the hope for all those in darkness.

* Jesus' message was the message of repentance and God's kingdom. Jesus shows us the practical direction for serving the Lord and fighting the spiritual battle: the kingdom of heaven.