Temptation

Matthew 4:1, “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Interesting thought, that Jesus might be tempted! However, let’s remember that He was human, as we have previously seen. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. … And Joseph … took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus” (Mt. 1:18, 24-25). As human, Jesus knew life as we know it, with all the difficulties of other humans. Hebrews 4:15 later reminds us that Jesus “… has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” He could have sinned, being human, but didn’t!

Luke tells us Jesus was about thirty years of age when He began His ministry (Lk. 3:23). He was a carpenter (Mk. 6:3), so we assume He was young, strong, and healthy – but after forty days without food!? “And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry” (Mt. 4:2). That is, I am sure, an understatement! He had “fasted” – that is, He went without food for the purpose of prayer and was apparently seeking directions from the Heavenly Father concerning His mission. He had been baptized in water by John and had received the Holy Spirit to help Him and had now spent these days in prayer. It was in this physically weakened state that “… the tempter came …” (Mt. 4:3). And so we don’t misunderstand the identity of the “tempter” Mark 1:13 says, “And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan …” and Luke 4:2 says He was “… being tempted by the devil.” Listen, temptations come to all of us. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us, “… Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” That’s the bad news.

The good news is this: “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Let me also remind you that Jesus taught us to pray about temptation this way, “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one” (Mt. 6:13 NKJV). So, it is God’s plan that we have to endure temptation, but as we pray and follow (to the best of our ability) the way Jesus taught, we will (with God’s help) overcome temptation! Since Jesus taught us to pray for deliverance from the devil when he tempts us, then we can be certain that God wants to deliver us! Let’s trust Him and hang on!

Note: I want to address the three temptations of Jesus one by one in the future, and then I will get to my original subject, the Sermon on the Mount! So, be patient with me. And, by the way, I usually quote from the New American Standard Bible, just in case you were wondering. Thanks for reading.