January 3rd

By Randall L. Broad

Read: Genesis 5:1-7:24; Matthew 3:7-4:11; Psalm 3:1-8; Proverbs 1:10-19

The day after we read about the fall of Adam and Eve in the One Year Bible we read about the temptation of Christ in the wilderness.

The Gospel of Matthew tells us:

¹Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ²After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

⁴Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

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.’ ”

⁷Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

⁸Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹“All this I will give you,” he said, “If you will bow down and worship me.”

¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”

¹¹Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Matthew 4:1-11

The same story of the temptation, although in a different order, is recorded in Luke 4:1-13 and mentioned in Mark 1:12-13. Satan has already undermined God’s creation by challenging Adam and Eve with the million dollar question, “did God really say …” Then in today’s reading he goes after an even bigger prize–the Messiah who has wrapped himself in humanity to undo the victory of the serpent in the garden. Though He was man in the flesh, He was still God in Spirit. Thus after being declared the “Son of God” (Matthew 3:13-17); Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit to be tempted. Satan comes to Him on the final day offering Jesus the chance to avoid any further suffering–not just in the wilderness but on the cross as well. The tempter uses the same weapons against Jesus as he did in the garden and as he does against all humanity: hunger; pride; and compromise. The question the One Year Bible does not answer is how Matthew, Mark, and Luke knew about Jesus’ encounter with Satan. All three gospels place this story before Jesus calls His first disciple, yet all three record it or make reference to it.

We cannot be certain at what point in His ministry Jesus shared this story with His disciples. There were no witnesses to the encounter itself. Indeed, the story takes place in multiple settings; first the wilderness, then on the temple; then on a mountain. Nothing finite could have traveled to so many places so quickly; only Jesus and Satan could have been present. Yet we can safely presuppose Jesus felt it was important to share this experience with His disciples and for them to record these events alongside the miracles they witnessed and the teachings they heard. Stories and parables were an established form of teaching in Jesus’ time which combined an earthly event with a heavenly meaning. The modern western mind often thinks incorrectly of a parable as a “fictional story” with a philosophical meaning. For Jesus parables were intended to be intensely practical and lead the people who could understand them to a heavenly meaning. It is unlikely Jesus shared this story the way He did His usual parables in the gospels’ “Once there was …”, but it is also difficult to imagine Him telling it in any form that was not humble and intended to convey a deep and important meaning.

As such the story shares two characteristics of the parables which Jesus so often used as a teaching tool for his followers.

The temptation of Jesus’ contains a “heavenly meaning”.

In the passages found in Matthew and Luke Satan tries three times to get Jesus to choose His flesh over union with God just as Adam and Eve did. But Jesus came to restore the union and usher in the Kingdom of Heaven. This heavenly meaning can be found in the temptations themselves–Satan tells Jesus to turn stones into bread to end His hunger. Satan challenges Him to throw Himself off the temple from the highest point in the city performing an unforgettable miracle that will draw men to Him. In the ultimate temptation, Satan offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world if He will bow and worship him. Each challenge is a temptation to compromise. Each challenge represents a crown without the cross. Jesus shared this story with the disciples so they would understand God will build the Kingdom through faith, not by tricks, or spectacles, or compromises. Jesus answers every challenge with the words “It is written …” for Jesus understood the Kingdom could only be built by righteousness and through the Word of God.

The temptation of Jesus’ contains a “practical truth”.

Adam and Eve were tempted one time in the Garden of Eden and failed. Jesus was tempted three times in the wilderness and yet … He remained sinless. The Book of Hebrews declares “... Jesus was tempted in every way!” a direct reference to the events contained in Matthew 4:1-11.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet he did not sin.

Hebrews 4:15

The practical truths are found in Jesus’ three responses to Satan. When challenged to turn stones into bread; Jesus replied, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (v. 4).” When challenged to leap from the temple; Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test (v. 7).” When offered all the kingdoms of the world; Jesus replied, Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only (v. 10).” Jesus shared His temptations because He knew the disciples and every living human being in the Kingdom of Heaven would face the same challenges to put physical needs before their spiritual ones; to test God; and to compromise with evil. In his answers we find the practical truths of the Kingdom: man does not live on bread alone; he should not test God; and he must worship and serve only the one true God.

Walk with the Lord …

Ephesians 1:17 

(RLB250103)

© Copyright 2017: Randall L. Broad

Disclaimer: This commentary is written by Randall L. Broad. It is in no way affiliated with or represents any denomination, university, church, or pastor. Any errors or omissions are purely my responsibility.