Looking at the full context of Jesus’s temptations there is a lot to learn. During the time, Jesus went through his temptations as a means of his Purifications. His divine nature was not involved but His human nature. We see the clear context of Devil in this verses and his form was fully exposed. As Christians, we also pray “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. We are to pray that we may not be tempted, for we are poor, weak creatures of flesh and blood.
Luke 4: 1-2
1 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 where for forty days he was tempted[a] by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.
- Jesus was also spending the 40 days in Wilderness as Israel spent time in Wilderness without food and drink.
- Note that if Jesus was hungry and if food was the only reason, then God could have provided the manna in the desert. Jesus was made hungry to go through the rigorous testing just as the jews were tested in the desert.
- As Duet 8:2 says “Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”
- Here also Jesus was tested to know his hearts desires and was made pure after going through the trails in the Wilderness.
- It is very important that the Citizens of the Heavelnly Kingdon also have a bit of temptations so that God know where you stand. Also check out this World and how things are going bad. You also need to stand and know where you stand.
Luke 4: 3-4
3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’[b]”
- Satan was tempting Jesus to use his power as Son of God, to make food than depending on God.
- Satan was also asking that you have been hungry for 40 days and you did not get any help from God.
- Jesus mentioned that he was going through the trails for a reason and not for having food.
- He quotes - Duet 8:3 “He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
- Jesus Christ used one right weapon of God against Satan and it was the Word of God.
Luke 4: 4-8
5 The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world.
6 And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.
7 If you worship me, it will all be yours.”
8 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’[c]”
- Jesus was told that if you bow down to him, then he would not have to die on the cross
- Satan was trying to make a bribe with Jesus so that he can give Him everything to stall the salvation, and this did not work
Luke 4: 9-13
9 The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here.
10 For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully;
11 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[d]”
12 Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[e]”
13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.
- Satan also used some verses from the Bible to make Jesus follow him.
- Satan uses Psalms (Psalm 91:11-12) 11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
- God does take care of people, but you should not really test Him.
- As the Bible says - ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’
Conclusion -
Today, in life we are also faced with many temptations and we need to make sure how we tackle our temptations. Temptations are good but it should not deliver you to evil but need you need it as a means for God to humble you and know where you stand.
Also the Word of God was the effective weapon for Jesus against the Devil.