Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are here. The first 56 volumes are compiled into the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.
Thanks for joining our study. Today, we discuss what is known as the “Temptation of Jesus.” Last week, this significant event was briefly mentioned. Now, I feel called to outline the lessons applicable to our lives.
Isn’t that the reason why we study the Bible? Within its pages, we learn how to be the best person the Lord created us to be. We read examples of good and bad behavior. We learn about loving, fearing, and praising the Lord. We understand why we must love and help others and why God gives us gifts and talents to dedicate to His glory.
But before we turn to the Word of God, I must correct last week’s study, in which I wrote that the Temptation of Christ was only recorded in Matthew’s gospel. Wrong! It also appears in Luke 4:1-12. (And none of my Bible scholar readers caught that.)
Now, let’s dive into the temptation of Christ, starting with some important context.
Immediately before the devil tempted Jesus, He was baptized by John the Baptist. Note that Jesus’s baptism marked the beginning of His Messianic ministry. The Bible records:
"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment, heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew: 3:16-17).
With those divine words, Jesus was consecrated by God. The Messiah had arrived and was ready to minister to His people, "the lost sheep of Israel."
Next was a stress test designed by God through the Holy Spirit to see how Jesus would accomplish His earthly mission while not using his supernatural powers for his own needs. Throughout the Gospels, "not for his own needs" is critically important. Most memorable was when the thief on the cross taunted Jesus, asking, "Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
Now we read how Jesus aced the devil’s test:
"Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.' Jesus answered, 'It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
"Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. '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.' Jesus answered him, 'It is also written: "Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
"Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 'All this I will give you,' he said, 'if you will bow down and worship me.' Jesus said to him, 'Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him" (Matthew 4:1-11).
On March 3, 2022, I wrote Vol. 104 "Jesus Quoted the Torah When Tempted By The Devil." Today, we learn more lessons from this seminal passage.
As Jesus’s identity was tested, He showed us spiritual endurance, how to fight against evil forces and live righteously. Jesus’s chosen weapon was the Hebrew Scriptures.
The first temptation was physical hunger since Jesus had been on a forty-day fast. The devil urged Him to turn stones into bread, recognizing that Jesus was the powerful Son of God. But, Jesus fired back, quoting from Deuteronomy — the last of the five Books of Moses known as the Torah — and said:
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." We learn that spiritual nourishment is more important than physical nourishment. It also shows us to trust God for provisions when absent or delayed.
Two examples come to mind. First, in Exodus, while in the desert, God provided the Israelites "Manna from Heaven." Second, when Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35).
The second temptation was a test of God’s protection when the devil was bullying Jesus into jumping "from the highest point in the temple." The crafty devil quoted Psalm 91:11-12 to remind Jesus that God will “command his angels” who "will lift you up in their hands."
However, Jesus knew the Hebrew scripture even better than the devil because He wrote it with God, according to John’s gospel: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). “And the word became flesh and dwelth among us” (John 1:14).
So, Jesus’s response to the devil was again from the Torah, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test" (Deuteronomy 6:16). We can trust God but not be reckless to test how much He will protect us both physically and when we sin.
The third temptation concerns worshipping the devil in exchange for power, money, or anything you value. This is often called "selling your soul to the devil," and it NEVER ends well! God does not appreciate it when humans use Him for personal gain.
The devil offers Jesus all the world’s kingdoms if Jesus will worship him. What is most important is that Jesus would not have to suffer crucifixion to rule over the world. Jesus could have the crown without the cross. But Jesus knew why he came to humankind, and it was not to align himself with the evil one; it was to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. Therefore, Jesus answered, "You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve" (Deuteronomy 6:13).
Jesus rejects worldly power and riches that fade away in favor of God’s kingdom, which never ends. The true power of the universe is God Almighty, who always triumphs over evil in the end. However, there will be spiritual warfare in the world because the devil is always prowling around looking for weakness.
Our victory is through trusting in the Lord Jesus, but the road is often hard and long with much temptation. Strive to overcome it though strength in knowing the word of God!
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer with numerous national credits. Her book, "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible," reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2,” with the same title, reprints Vols. 57 – 113. Order it here.
She is also the Executive Director of the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit, dedicated to building a future permanent Shroud of Turin exhibit in Washington, D.C. In July, the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit hosted a four-day exhibit (with a “Chosen” VIP guest) at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN. Some new news. Contact: <MyraAdams01@gmail.com>
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