Luke 4: The Temptation of Jesus

There is no question that the world we live in is surrounded by spiritual warfare. We see throughout history, and in the world around us, the schemes of the devil and the power and effect demonic forces have on culture around us. Our world is drenched in pornography, lust, abuse, hatred, and greed. All these schemes of the devil are used to undermine God’s plan of redemption and entice people further and further from the truth. We see the world celebrate people like Sam Smith who dresses like the devil and sings songs about adultery at the Grammy’s. We see the world celebrates abortion and LGBTQ culture saying that if you believe that what the Bible says is truth you are old fashioned, intolerant, and a hateful person. We see social media championing villains, saying that if you want to be a real man or a real woman this is how you should act. Satan is using all these different lies to hurt people and keep them in bondage.

As we continue to talk about what it means to be on mission, it is important that we begin to see the world from an Biblical perspective. Paul tells us that our enemies are not other people but are spiritual forces.

2 Corinthians 10:3–6 CSB

For although we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, since the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every proud thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to obey Christ. And we are ready to punish any disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

Ephesians 6:10–20 CSB

Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit—which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.

Paul wrote this second passage to a people surrounded by spiritual darkness. It was so bad in Ephesus that in Acts 19 the people of Ephesus rioted because they hated Paul’s ministry. They were surrounded by idolatry, immorality, sorcery, and demon possession, and Paul knowing this, encourages them to continue in their mission. I think it is important for us that as we look at our city and our schools we are prepared to face the Spiritual opposition we will face for the name of Jesus. Every day we need to take time and prepare for battle. Put on the full armor of God and pray for boldness to stand against evil in our communities.

We see this is one of Jesus’ primary focuses in coming. Time and time again Jesus cast out demons from the people He was ministering to. On one of these occasions the religious leaders accused Jesus of being sent by satan. Jesus in response essentially says that not only is He sent by God, but the kingdom of heaven is at hand and that Jesus has come to bind satan and restore what satan has stolen.

satan has manipulated this world into celebrating what is evil, but Christ has come to set us free from our slavery to sin.

The world celebrates unholiness, but Jesus celebrates holiness

The world propagates relative truth, but Jesus is The Truth

The world boasts wealth and comforts, but Jesus serves with humility

Who or what is satan?

I think this is an important question to ask. I like to read the Art of War by Sun Tzu. It is this really old book written by this guy from ancient China. He was like a brilliant military leader and a lot of military strategies are influenced by what he wrote. I like to look at it from a perspective of spiritual warfare.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” -Sun Tzu

I think this is helpful wisdom to consider as we approach this idea of spiritual warfare. We need to know our enemy and who we are. More importantly we need to know who God is, because who we are comes from who God is. Knowing God is the most important step in fighting against the enemy. Our victory comes from Him and Him alone. Knowing who He is, that He is a loving and powerful God of angel armies who overcomes the power of sin and death by Jesus’ death and resurrection makes the difference in how we approach the battle. Knowing that He has made mankind in the His image and that He has given us the objective truth of His Word, the Holy Scriptures, knowing these things gives us an anchor in the storm.

Who is satan?

satan is a fallen angel who leads demons in their rebellion against God. He is referred to throughout Scripture as the devil, the serpent, the great dragon, the prince of the power of the air, the god of this age, the evil one, the prince of demons, the accuser, and the tempter. satan is a created being, meaning that He is not over or equal to God. he, like other demons, is subjected to God’s sovereign will. It is easy to look at it as an equal fight between good versus evil, but God is already victorious over satan and will destroy him without contest in the final judgement as we see in the book of Revelation. satan opposes the spread of the Gospel by blinding unbelievers to its truth, persecuting the church, and promoting false doctrines that oppose the truth of the Gospel, yet in all these things God has used the faithful teaching and ministry of His people to overcome the devil’s schemes. Despite his opposition the Gospel continues to spread.

an accuser

The name satan isn’t actually a personal name. It is a nickname for the devil. satan in Hebrew means accuser. Where the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin, the accuser condemns us for our sin. The Holy Spirit gently corrects us when we sin. He speaks to our heart and leads us to repentance. satan on the other hand wants us to feel shame and guilt. To feel like we are worthless and disposable. As satan tries to remind us of our sin, make us feel like we can never change and that we are stuck, the Holy Spirit reminds us that Jesus’ blood has washed away every stain and that we are made new and there is nothing satan can say or do that changes how much God loves us.

a thief

John 10:7–11 CSB

Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

a prowling lion

1 Peter 5:8–11 CSB

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while. To him be dominion forever. Amen.

a father of lies and a deceiver

John 8:44 CSB

You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

2 Corinthians 11:14 CSB

And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

It is no wonder why satan’s lies seem so appetizing. He makes sin look so worthwhile and attractive, but in the end a chocolate covered turd is still a turd.

Luke chapter four gives us a unique story of spiritual warfare. The stakes were high. One slip and all reality would come crashing down. satan, who had convinced Adam to sin in the most beautiful paradise, where every need was met, was now looking to tempt Jesus in the desert, where He had no food, no comfort. Yet we see, where Adam failed in a garden Christ would remain faithful in a desert.

Luke 4:1–2 CSB

Then Jesus left the Jordan, full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days to be tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they were over, he was hungry.

Sometimes, as we live on mission and follow the Holy Spirit’s call on our life, it takes us into dangerous and uncomfortable situations. Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Even though it would be difficult, Jesus was obedient. When God calls us to go somewhere it is important that we are obedient. We can have confidence knowing that wherever we are led in our mission that God is there with us. We don’t have to be afraid or worried because God’s grace is sufficient for all of our needs.

Praying and Fasting

One of our greatest tools against spiritual warfare is prayer and fasting. Jesus spends forty days of prayer and fasting before He ever called a disciple. As we follow Christ’s example, it is important that we also are frequently spending time with God through prayer and fasting, seeking His wisdom and direction in our lives and decisions. Prayer is how we communicate to God. God already knows what we need but He teaches us how to pray and hears our prayers because He wants us to trust Him, to have a relationship with Him, and be involved in events that have eternal significance. He brings us into relationship with Him through prayer.

When a country is at war the soldiers don’t typically have access to their generals. I think of George Washington. He would have had his own tent where He and his administration would look at strategies and make plans before coming out and telling the troops what they need to do. There are ranks and chain of command that needs to be followed in order for an army to run efficiently. God doesn’t operate this way. In our spiritual war, we have direct access to the commander and chief. We can go to God directly and talk with Him. He has created us all uniquely and given us all different skills and abilities so that we can use those things for His kingdom and He invites us to be creative in how we serve Him. The second tool God gives us to aid us in spiritual warfare is the study and memorization of Scripture.

Studying and Memorizing Scripture

Luke 4:3–13 CSB

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.” So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you, and they will support you with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.” After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

Jesus defends Himself against the schemes of the enemy by using passages of Scripture from the book of Deuteronomy. If somebody ever tells you that you don’t need the Old Testament or that its irrelevant I want you to remember that Jesus held very closely to what it taught.

2 Timothy 3:16 CSB

All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness,

All Scripture includes the rich library of Old Testament texts given to us throughout the ages.

So Jesus uses these passages from Deuteronomy and does so to show us something about who He is. Jesus truly is the perfect Israelite. If you remember back, Israel also spent some time in the wilderness. Forty years to be exact. They were brought through the Red Sea on dry ground, led by God, into the wilderness where they would spend forty years fully dependent on God for every need. Likewise, Jesus is brought through the Jordan river through baptism, led by God, into the wilderness where He would spend forty days fully dependent on God for every need. It is no coincidence these are the passages Jesus holds to as His defense. These passages were written to people in a similar context to Jesus, but they failed in fulfilling them. With each passage Jesus quotes it is a reminder of why He had to come in the first place. Man has sinned against God, but Jesus came and lived a sinless life, making Himself obedient to every word the Old Testament teaches.

Luke 4:3–4 CSB

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone.”

Satan questions Christ’s flesh and tempts Him to not trust God as provider

The promise Satan made was for temporary satisfaction, but the path Christ walked led to the satisfaction of God’s wrath against mankind. Jesus refused to use His power for His own satisfaction but instead was focused on the will of God.

Deuteronomy 8:3 CSB

He humbled you by letting you go hungry; then he gave you manna to eat, which you and your ancestors had not known, so that you might learn that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

For the ancient Israelites living in the wilderness, Manna was provided to them by God for food. The Manna was like bread but it appeared every morning like dew on the ground. The people were instructed to gather only what they needed for that day and extra on Fridays in preparation for the Sabbath. Their time in the wilderness was meant to teach them that God is our provider. Food is important but only the words of God bring true everlasting life. Our lives are more than just a carnal need to survive. Survival of the fittest offers little comfort by the way of meaning and purpose. Jesus offers us eternal satisfaction found in Himself, not in what little comforts the world can offer.

Luke 4:5–8 CSB

So he took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me, all will be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

Satan questions Christ’s power and tempts Him to not trust God as praise worthy

The promise Satan made was temporary glory, but the path that Christ walked led to eternal glory. The relationship between Israel and God was built on the exodus from Egypt.

Deuteronomy 6:12–13 CSB

be careful not to forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. Fear the Lord your God, worship him, and take your oaths in his name.

God had brought the people out of the hands of the Egyptians by the way of ten plagues. God used Egypt as a demonstration of His power and authority over kingdoms and authorities on the earth. When satan tempts Jesus, he tries to show Jesus all the power and praise being a king of the world could offer. Jesus didn’t have to be some small town carpenter, if He worshipped satan he could have all the power this world could offer. Jesus’ response reminds us that there is not a kingdom satan showed Jesus that could overthrow the power and authority of God.

Psalm 2:1–6 CSB

Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the Lord and his Anointed One: “Let’s tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.” The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them. Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.”

Colossians 1:16 CSB

For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.

What satan offered Jesus was a cheap imitation of what He already had. It reminds us as we go through our life here on the earth that status and authority are not our definition of success. A successful life is one lived in faithfulness and obedience to God. That is success. Success is when we live a life of worship and service to God looking towards the day when we will spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Mark 8:35–38 CSB

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world and yet lose his life? What can anyone give in exchange for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Luke 4:9–13 CSB

So he took him to Jerusalem, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written: He will give his angels orders concerning you, to protect you, and they will support you with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” And Jesus answered him, “It is said: Do not test the Lord your God.” After the devil had finished every temptation, he departed from him for a time.

Satan questions Christ’s privilege and tempts Him to not trust God as protector

The promise Satan made was for comfort, but the path Christ walked led to sacrifice. The scary thing we see from this temptation is that satan knows the Scripture too. We need to take that into consideration. Not everything that sounds like Christianity is true. There are a lot of false teachers in the world that try to pass off lies as truth. It is so easy for people to twist the truth and distort it. This is why it is so important for us to be able to read and understand Scripture.

Deuteronomy 6:16 CSB

Do not test the Lord your God as you tested him at Massah.

The story of Massah is referenced in Deuteronomy and the book of Exodus. In Exodus 17 Moses says the people tested God by asking if He was really with them. satan tempts Jesus to do the same thing. He tells Him to throw Himself off the temple to see if God will really keep His word and protect Him. Jesus knew that God was protecting Him but also that being obedient to God doesn’t mean that no harm will come to Him. The presence of hard times does not mean the absence of God. Rather God is ever present in our time of need.

So as we approach our lives and the spiritual warfare we will face it is important that we are prepared for what we are going to face. satan will no doubt try to tempt us with the same things he used to tempt Jesus. In times where we may feel like God will not provide for our needs, times when we struggle to see Him as praise worthy, or feel like God won’t protect us it is important that we remember what His word says to be true of Him. The devil wants to cause us harm. We have a real enemy. Sin leaves people broken and hurting but Jesus offers us new life and freedom through His death and resurrection. When we feel overwhelmed or tempted, frustrated or afraid, we can remember that Jesus isn’t making us do it alone. He is with us every step we take.

John 16:33 CSB

I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”