Three Temptations
Today’s passage is Matthew 4:1-11.
Fasting is not a common practice in America today, outside of certain Christian circles during the season of Lent. Ever “given up” something for Lent? That’s a form of fasting. But what Jesus is doing here is much bigger. He went without eating anything for forty days. Warning: do NOT attempt to do this. You will die. But Jesus, being both God and man, is able to go without food for more than a month.
I love how verse 2 ends with “He was hungry.” Of course He was! Jesus is both God and man – and as a human, He got hungry. What is the longest you’ve gone without food? A few hours? A whole day? How hungry were you? How much did you eat afterwards?
Three times Jesus is tempted by the devil, and three times He uses the Word of God to respond. Satan attempts to use this tactic against him in verse 6, but Jesus isn’t fooled. Take a look at the three ways Jesus is tempted:
- Food
- Trust
- Power
On the surface, it seems like the first one isn’t that big of a deal. After all, is it really that terrible to eat when you are hungry? And even the second one seems tame – scripture is even quoted! That’s how temptation works, though. It starts out small, mild, even innocent. It’s how the devil works. But in the end, his true intentions are revealed – he wants to be the one who is worshiped.
Take a look at Genesis 3:1-7. This is the original temptation. When the devil tempts Adam and Eve, he starts with food. They resist at first. Then the second part comes – trust. Satan convinces them that God cannot be trusted. And as a bonus, he adds in the third temptation of power, the desire to be like God. What is remarkable in this account is that Adam and Eve weren’t even hungry – they had plenty to eat, but desired the one thing God had withheld from them.
Thanks be to God that Jesus, in His time of temptation, prevailed. He lived a perfect, sinless life so that He could die on the cross in our place, exchanging His righteousness for our sinfulness. And He rose from the grave, conquering death forever.
Dig deeper:
- This passage in Matthew is paralleled in Luke 4:1-13, and the gospel of Mark briefly makes mention of the same event (1:12-13). How do these accounts expand your understanding of this time of temptation?
- Verse 11 tells us what happened immediately following Jesus resisting temptation. Read through Genesis 3:8-24, which gives the consequences of Adam and Eve succumbing to temptation.
- Make a list of the problems Adam, Eve, and the devil must experience in the future.
- What is the difference in how angels are involved (see Genesis 3:24)?
- Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of a Savior. How do you see this Luke passage in the light of that verse?