The Temptation of Jesus

Fasting

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 4

4 Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the devil, 2 and after he* had fasted forty days and forty nights, then he was hungry.

The New Bible Commentary 4:1–16 Testing and Preparation

The devil was the agent and tempted Jesus to misuse his position; but his hostile purpose was put to the service of God’s testing of his Son. 2 Jesus’ fasting and hunger show that the Son of God was not free from real human suffering.

In this passage we see that Jesus was led up into the wilderness. To be led requires that the subject follows. The text does not lead us to believe that Jesus was bound, or held hostage, just that he was led. Now for those here today who have animals or have shown animals it does require training. We used to halter break calves to show them in 4-H. This was not always an easy process. The other point I want to make is to look at the word tempted. The word here in Greek is πειράζω (peirazō), test; put to the test; tempt. Cognate words: ἀπείραστος, ἄπειρος, ἐκπειράζω, πεῖρα, πειράομαι, πειρασμός, πειράω. Heb. equiv. fr. LXX: נסה (16×), חָנֵף (1×)

The Lexham Analytical Lexicon to the Greek New Testament (Logos Bible Software, 2011).

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 4

3 And the tempter approached and* said to him, “If you are the Son of God, order that these stones become bread.” 4 But he answered and* said, “It is written, ‘Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ ”

If you are hungry are you able to resist the test to receive something to eat? Esau was tempted by his brother to give up his birthright for some soup. 29 Once Jacob cooked a thick stew, and Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, “Give me ⌊some of that red stuff⌋ to gulp down, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom). 31 Then Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright ⌊first⌋.” 32 And Esau said, “Look, I am going to die; now what is this birthright to me?”

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Ge 25:29–32.

בְּכֹרָה beḵō·rā(h)

Hebrew Lemma • position and right of the first-born

Jesus shows us how to respond to the test.

The Lexham English Bible Chapter 4

4 But he answered and* said, “It is written, ‘Man will not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ ”

Think what the cost was for Esau. Think about this Esau said that he didn’t care about his inheritance because his inheritance was no good if he died. What about our inheritance; are we willing to give up our birthright? We know we must die of self in order to be born again to Jesus. Abraham is tested by God. 22 And it happened that after these things, God tested Abraham. And he said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 And he said, “Take your son, your only child, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains where I will tell you.”

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Ge 22:1–2.

Is it a test to persevere? You better believe it.

The test that follows is one where Satan twists scripture to tempt Jesus to let the Angels keep him from falling. In my thoughts we can abuse this temptation. Don’t we often pray for protection. If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down! For it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

‘On their hands they will lift you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 4:6.

The response that Jesus uses should teach us how to respond, 7 Jesus said to him, “On the other hand it is written, ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 4:7.

The last recorded test was, 8 Again the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, 9 and he said to him, “I will give to you all these things, if you will fall down and* worship me.”

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 4:8–9. This test may be the hardest one for us to resist. We all want what we want and the temptation of receiving great rewards that the world has to offer can be hard to resist. What we have to remember is that Satan was given dominion over the world. He can only give you things of this world, but remember as followers of Christ our great reward is not of this world. 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, Satan, for it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’ ” 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and began ministering to him.

W. Hall Harris III et al., eds., The Lexham English Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012), Mt 4:10–11.