The True Son: Tempted, Tried, Victorious Matthew 4:1-11

Temptation is deceivingly toxic

No one is so good that he is immune from temptation. We will never be entirely free from it.… There is no order so holy, no place so secret where there will be no temptation.

Thomas à Kempis

Temptation is inevitable. You will always face it, it at times you will not prevail over it. It entices your deeply rooted sinful appetites with the promise of ecstasy only to be toxic to your soul.

I am reminded of news article reported in the The Appeal-Democrat on a dangerous practical joke played by a nursery employee:

“A British Columbia-based nursery is trying to track down people who bought poisonous plants that were incorrectly labeled “tasty in soup.”

Valleybrook Gardens, which distributed the plants, has worked with government officials to locate the buyers of 17 improperly labeled perennials sold at stores in British Columbia and Ontario from April 18 to 25. Only eight of the plants had been accounted for by Sunday.

The label should have read, “All parts of this plant are toxic,” but an employee changed it to, “All parts of this plant are tasty in soup,” said Michel Benoit, the nursery’s general manager. “The employee was making a practical joke and thought it would be caught by a horticulturist,” said Benoit.”

The devil does the same to us. God put a warning label on sin that declared, “Do not eat from this for you shall surely die (Gen 2:17).” But our enemy switched labels. The label he attached to sin reads, “Looks good. Tastes great. Is desirable to make one wise.” Citation: The Appeal-Democrat (4-30-01); submitted by Tom Tripp; Colusa, California

When we give in to temptation, we experience the weight of guilt and despair. If we rely on ourselves, we are helpless, and we will inevitably succumb to the toxic effects of temptation. However, God intervened on our behalf by sending his Son, Jesus. Jesus came to the world not only to save us from the consequences of our sins but also to empower us to resist the devil's temptations. He does this, in part, by example through his life and ministry. Jesus experienced life in all its fullness, including temptation, yet he lived it perfectly without sin. He can sympathize with us because he understands our struggles, yet he never once gave into temptation.

In today's passage, we see how Jesus, while being tempted in the wilderness, is able to sympathize with us and yet remain sinless.

He was just affirmed and anointed for ministry at his baptism. Immediately he is lead into the wilderness to prove something. Matthew shows us that,

Jesus is the true Son who overcomes temptation with obedience, faithfulness, and worship.

Jesus is the true Son.

In the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness, we see similarities with Israel's experience during their exodus and journey through the wilderness. In Deuteronomy 8:2-3, Moses says that the Lord led Israel into the wilderness to be tested for a period of forty years. Similarly, in Matthew 4:1, we see that Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested for a period of forty days. The three temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness are the same as those that Israel faced: self-gratification, self-preservation, and self-exaltation. It is also noteworthy that every Scripture Jesus uses to respond to Satan is quoted from Deuteronomy 6-8. So, what does this mean? Why is Jesus reenacting Israel's wilderness journey?

"When Satan tested Adam and Israel, both of them were disobedient and unfaithful sons. Satan is now testing Jesus to see what kind of Son He will be. Despite being the incarnate Son of God, Satan still believes that he can tempt Jesus. The question remains, what kind of Son will Jesus be?”

Jesus was led by the Spirit to prove that he is the legitimate Son of God. But unlike Israel, which failed at every test of obedience, faithfulness, and worship that God gave them, Jesus passed every single test and fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). By overcoming temptation from the adversary, Jesus qualified himself to create a new spiritual Israel, a new people for God for his new Kingdom. This is evident in the next section of Scripture where Jesus chooses twelve new disciples, paralleling the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus is the legitimate Son of God who is saving a new Israel for himself, a new people He would eventually seal with his own blood. However, before doing so, he had to prove his undying obedience to the Father.

Jesus is truly tempted.

The story of Jesus's temptation takes place in the wilderness, which is essentially a desert and a place infested with demonic activity. Mark describes it as a location where wild beasts roam around, while Matthew characterizes it as a dry, cold, and waterless place where nothing can survive. It is a harsh environment where life is scarce and unfriendly. Moreover, the wilderness is the same place where Israel faced its greatest challenges, and it will also be one of Christ's most significant tests.

James clarifies that the word "tempted" can mean to cause one to sin or to trap, but God does not tempt anyone to do evil (James 1:13). Instead, God will test your obedience, faithfulness, and even worship. At His baptism, Jesus was strengthened by the Spirit to go into the wilderness and overcome the temptation to prove that He was a worthy Son to create a new people through His righteousness.

It's important to note that Satan came to Jesus when He was physically at His weakest, having fasted for forty days and nights. To say that Jesus was hungry would be an understatement. Even in this weakened state, Jesus remained obedient, faithful, and committed to worshiping His Father.

Some people argue that Jesus, being God, could not have truly experienced the weight of temptation. This claim is baseless and should be dismissed outright. Jesus faced temptation every day of his life, yet never succumbed to it. Consider the immense self-control required to resist temptation consistently. As human beings, we are weak and easily give in to even slight discomfort. We cannot fathom the strength it takes to resist temptation to its fullest. Additionally, we live in a society that often regards giving in to temptation as normal and moral, while Christian values are often considered too rigid. The popular mindset seems to be "If it feels good, do it. You have a moral obligation to do it." C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, provides the best rebuttal to the notion that Jesus was not truly tempted.

“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means — the only complete realist.” ― C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity

Jesus was truly tried

When Satan tries to tempt us, it's important to remember that God can use these temptations as opportunities to test our faithfulness and prove to the world why He is pleased with us. Jesus was both tempted and tried, but he remained obedient and faithful to God.

Jesus overcomes the temptation of self-gratification with obedience to the Father.

Jesus fasts from food for forty days. Satan comes to him and launches his first attack using food. Keep in mind that when Jesus became a human being, he relinquished some of his divine attributes, omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. He relied on the Holy Spirit to strengthen him and empower him for his ministry, even more so in the wilderness.

The devil is the diabolical slanderer. He’s a liar and an enemy of truth. He can take grains of truth and manipulate them to speak falsity. Take note of all the cults such as Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christian Science. Satan has his hand in them presenting a sliver of truth about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, out of context to create a false religion. The truth, says Jesus, sets you free; these cults trap you in death because you live in the truth and you die by a lie. The great liar approaches Jesus with the desire to deceive him with self-gratification.

The opens his dialogue with Jesus

Matthew 4:3 ESV

3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

Using the conditional “if” appears to make it look like the devil is unsure of Jesus’ divinity. That is not the case. The devil knows who he is dealing with because he asks to do something only God can do, turn stones into bread. Once again, the devil wants to see what kind of son Jesus will be.

Jesus will create food later in his ministry proving his is the Son of God. For now, he wants to prove his unwavering obedience to the Father. So,Jesus responds quoting Deuteronomy 8:3.

Matthew 4:4 ESV

4 But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

God tested the people of Israel by allowing hunger to see if they would have faith in Him to provide for them, or if they would take matters into their own hands. Unfortunately, the people failed the test by complaining and grumbling towards God. When God gave them instructions on how to gather manna and quail for their sustenance, they still refused to obey and chose to follow their own desires, instead of being led by God's Spirit. This disobedience showed their lack of faith in God's guidance.

Jesus willingly obeyed the Spirit's guidance when he was instructed to fast. Despite having the power to turn stones into bread and satisfy his earthly hunger, he chose to prioritize his obedience to God over his own desires. As stated in Philippians 2:6, Jesus did not consider his equality with God something to be exploited for his own benefit. Instead, he humbly submitted himself to the will of his Father.

What is at the heart of disobedience?

Take a moment to ponder what lies at the heart of disobedience. It is essentially a form of unbelief or idolatry. Whenever you disobey God, it's because you don't believe something about him, be it his loveliness or the consequences of disobedience. When Satan tempted Eve, he didn't tell her what she needed; instead, he made her doubt something about God. He suggested that if God were truly loving, wise, or good, he would have let her eat from every tree in the Garden. He also implied that if God were truly good and loving, he wouldn't have allowed death to touch her.

Satan is tempting Jesus with the idea that if God were truly good and deserving of his loyalty, then He would understand if Jesus used his divine power to feed himself. However, Satan fails to understand that Jesus' hunger for righteousness far surpasses the food of this world. His love for the Father is far more intriguing to him than gratifying his stomach. Jesus keeps the very truth with his Father that he gives to us, “If you love me you will obey me.” For Jesus his very life consisted on being satisfied in the Father. He told his disciples,

John 4:34 ESV

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Yes, food is necessary for life, but food cannot sustain my eternal life. Man cannot live by bread alone. He must hunger and thirst for righteousness and only be satisfied by He who is righteous, the Bread of Life. My food is to do the will of My Father. To do the will of my father is to obey his commands, even if those commands lead me to suffering.

What sustained Jesus in his obedience was his love for the Father and the Father’s love for his son. Christian, what will sustain you in your hour of need, when you are fighting temptation is being convinced that nothing can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. When you are tempted to gratify the flesh with food or drugs or porn or grudge-bearing, remember Satan is using these things to promise you something that he says God cannot provide. Turn your heart to the Bread of Life and remember he promises

Matthew 5:6 ESV

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

It is important to rely on God for all your needs, both physical and spiritual. If you choose to disobey God in order to satisfy your earthly desires, you will not only face difficulties on earth, but you will also suffer eternal consequences. To have everlasting life, you need to have the Bread of Life that sustains you spiritually. Those who have the Spirit do not live according to their fleshly desires. Instead, they walk by the Spirit, avoiding sin and surrendering to Him. Jesus chose to be obedient to God, rather than gratifying His own desires.

Jesus overcomes the temptation of self-protection with faithfulness to the Father.

In Matthew 4:5-6

Matthew 4:5–6 ESV

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “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 bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”

Jerusalem is the holy city not because Israel is holy, but because Jerusalem is where heaven met earth and God met with is people in the temple. Satan has Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple and he quotes part of Psalm 91:11-12

Psalm 91:11–12 ESV

11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.

Psalm 91 promises protection from harm to those who believe and have faith in God. It could also be addressing a king who has found himself in danger, even if it is due to his own foolishness or accident. However, it's important to note that God does not always prevent his people from suffering. There may be times when he allows suffering to occur to demonstrate his power or to test one's faith. For instance, Jesus experienced suffering and temptation during his time in the wilderness.

Craig Bloomberg wisely says,

“God is sovereign and omniscient and knows when it is best to allow us to go through difficult experiences and when it is better to keep us from them…. “The security which God brings is something to be accepted in humble trust, not something to be used for personal aggrandizement” (Blomberg, Craig L. 2007. “Matthew.” In Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament)

Satan tried to manipulate scripture to get Jesus to invoke the sovereign goodness of God to protect him even as he attempted suicide. Satan is trying to get Jesus to force God’s miraculous hand to act, to manipulate God into doing something to prove he takes care of his own.

One of the implications of Satan’s temptation is that God can only be trusted when he rescues us from danger. Otherwise, God is aloof and distant and not a good God if he allows bad things to happen to those who love him.

Jesus says that is nonsense. He quotes Deut 6:16

Deuteronomy 6:16 ESV

16 “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah.

Good Jews knew the story of Job. God is good and sovereign even when Satan is given some leash to tempt and try your faith. What does Job say amidst suffering unjustly at the hands of Satan? When Job realizes his health, wealth, and family have been taken away form him, how does he respond?

Job 1:21 ESV

21 And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

When his wife foolishly says to curse God and die, Job says,

Job 2:10 (ESV)

10… Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

And when he is being accused by his friends for being being prideful and evil, Job says

Job 19:25 ESV

25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

Genuine faith believes God is good and sovereign in good times and bad. There is no need to test his goodness nor his sovereignty. Jesus chose faithfulness to God knowing that God would deliver him from evil. And this prepare him for the cross.

When Jesus was on the cross, the people said, throw yourself down off that cross if you are the son of God. They even quote Ps 22:8

Psalm 22:8 ESV

8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Can you tell who was behind the voices crying out to crucify Christ? They manipulate Scripture just like Satan did. And yet, Jesus chose faithfulness to God over self-preservation. He knew through all the pain and suffering and alienation from his Father, even letting him die a horrible death, that God would raise him up victorious. Peter states,

1 Peter 2:22–24 CSB

22 He did not commit sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth; 23 when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree; so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus endured the cross and its shame for the joy set before him. He knew that the Father would be pleased to raise him from the dead and save sinners.

In the wilderness, Israel struggled to live by faith. Despite God showing His power, authority, and commitment to them ten times through miraculous events such as the parting of the Red Sea, the provision of Manna and quail, and the preservation of their shoes and clothes, they met every obstacle with unbelief. In contrast, Jesus chose to live by faith, even in challenging times. He never lost sight of His Father's goodness and sovereignty and refused to put God to the test.

‌What should we do when Satan tempts us to doubt God's goodness and sovereignty? If we continue to walk in faith, this situation is likely to arise. God will test our faith by leading us into the wilderness, where things will be difficult and uncomfortable. There may be times when God calls us to do something that feels beyond our abilities, such as starting a school in Litchfield, Illinois. When things don't seem to be adding up, and it appears that God is distant, how should we respond? Especially when Satan tries to influence us with his interpretation of events, leading us to despair?

When Satan tempts me to despair And tells me of the guilt within, Upward I look and see Him there Who made an end to all my sin. Because the sinless Savior died My sinful soul is counted free. For God the Just is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me.

As you look to Jesus, you see the pinnacle of God's faithfulness. Jesus did not come down from the cross, but stayed there for your sake, to pardon your sins and satisfy God's wrath. He was faithful to his father and to you. When God raised him from the dead and brought him to heaven, he sent the same Spirit that strengthened Jesus in the wilderness and on the cross to empower you to be faithful. Jesus chose faithfulness over self-preservation, and now he empowers you to do the same.

Jesus overcomes the temptation of self-exaltation with worship of the Father.

In the final temptation,

Matthew 4:8–9 ESV

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, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”

The significance of the mountain is not as important as the temptation that Satan presents to Jesus. Satan tries to lure Jesus away from his path by offering him all the riches and pleasures of the world, without having to suffer on the cross. All Jesus had to do was bow down and worship Satan. By doing so, he would have been able to avoid all the pain and suffering that lay ahead of him. However, this would have meant turning away from his Father and giving in to the pleasures of this life.

Jesus saw through the nonsense. His incarnation was intended to rid the world of sin and to establish a perfect world where he would rule with righteousness and justice, and his people would enjoy peace. Moreover, Jesus had no desire to deprive God of His exclusive right to be worshipped as the one true God. Jesus and the Father are one, and they love each other as one. To deny the Father is, in one sense, to deny Jesus's own authority as God. Jesus came to destroy the kingdom of Satan, and he will do so without compromising his obedience, faithfulness, and the Father's right to be worshipped. However, it is not just about the right to be worshipped. God is infinitely desirable and compels your heart to worship Him. Jesus knew that.

When you appreciate something for its inherent beauty, you are essentially worshiping it. This admiration compels you to adore and appreciate it and captures your imagination. Similarly, when you worship God, you are filled with a sense of His worth and beauty. Being overcome with His worth and beauty involves loving Him (Matthew 22:37), trusting Him (Romans 4:20), being thankful to Him (Psalm 50:23), and obeying Him (Matthew 5:16).

Worshiping Jesus is the antidote to the toxic poison of temptation. By being captured by His beauty and worth, sin looks disgusting, like a pile of dung in comparison. Furthermore, love will compel you toward obedience and faithfulness. According to Jesus, it is love for Him that moves you to obey Him, just as He loves the Father and the Father loves Him, so that love is in you. Jesus knew that love, and So Jesus says to Satan,

Matthew 4:10 CSB

10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.”

Get behind me sucker! Jesus is to strong for Satan. He is to obedient, too faithful, and too committed to exalting his Father to bow down to a chump like Satan. Do you know what Satan does, he obeys Jesus and leaves.

Matthew 4:11 ESV

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.

Luke says that the devil left him until a more opportune time (Luke 4:13). The fight was not over. The cross was going to be the opportune time the devil was waiting for. For now Jesus would be served by angels. Although he refused to turn stones into bread, throw himself from the top of the temple, or worship God’s rival, the Father sends angels from heaven to feed Jesus’ soul (Matthew 4:11).

Jesus would leave the wilderness to proclaim the kingdom is at hand, repent and believe. He would also turn all of his temptations upside down for the good of his kingdom. See the ironies of his wilderness experience and his ministry. As D.A. Carson points out,

“Jesus is hungry (v. 2) but feeds others (14:13–21; 15:29–39); he grows weary (8:24) but offers others rest (11:28); he is the King Messiah but pays tribute (17:24–27); he is called the devil but casts out demons (12:22–32); he dies the death of a sinner but comes to save his people from their sins (1:21); he is sold for thirty pieces of silver but gives his life a ransom for many (20:28); he will not turn stones to bread for himself (4:3–4) but gives his own body as bread for people (26:26).”

Jesus left the wilderness victorious and empowered to joyful advance his kingdom in the church, community, and home. He was tempted, but found sinless. He was tired, but found, obedient and faithful. And when Satan tried to deal him one final blow on the cross, Jesus overcame death and now sits at the Fathers right hand praying for all of those who put their faith in him.

Christian, he gives you his victory over temptation by his example and his empowerment of his Spirit. Take heart. Those in Christ are no longer enslaved to sin. He has set you free, and you have the power to resist sin and the devil. You have the power to choose obedience over self-gratification, faithfulness over self-preservation, and worship over self-exaltation.

Fight Temptation with obedience, faithfulness, and worship.

Do yo want to fight temptation? Do you want to experience victory over sin? Choose obedience to Jesus over self-gratification. Choose faithfulness to Jesus over self preservation. Choose worship of Jesus over idolatry. And when he comes to tempt you to gratify your flesh, preserver your earthly life at he cost of your eternal life, or into idolatry away from your king, you sing with all of your heart,

“Behold Him there, the risen Lamb, My perfect spotless righteousness, The great unchangeable I AM, The King of glory and of grace, One with Himself I cannot die, My soul is purchased by His blood, My life is hid with Christ on high, With Christ my Savior and my God!”

Carson, D. A. 1984. “Matthew.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, 8:112. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.