Matthew 4:1-11, The Temptation of Jesus Christ

Lord willing, I hope to continue on in the Gospel According to Matthew. So, if you would, please turn to chapter 4, verse 1.

So far in our study we have seen chapter 1, verses 1-17, look back to the Old Testament to show God’s grace in the promises of a Messiah. The generations of our Lord set the stage for his incarnation. Chapter 1, verses 18-25 then reveal the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Chris-- the incarnate Son of God -- God himself tabernacling with man. In chapter 2 we read about the wise men and Herod.

The visit by the wise men, like many other things in Matthew, pointed to the Kingly aspect of Jesus and his fulfillment as the rightful heir to the throne of David. In chapter 2 we are told of an angel warning Joseph to flee to Egypt with Jesus and Mary to escape King Herod’s attempt at killing the child-- and all of that was done in fulfillment of prophecy-- even their return to the land of Israel and the location of their settlement in Nazareth of Galilee was fulfilled prophecy. Chapter 3 introduces us to John the Baptist who came in the spirit and power of Elijah which was according to Old Testament prophecy. He would be the one who would prepare the way for the Messiah. John also begins to preach the doctrines of God’s grace in a clearer way-- which would ultimately be fully revealed by Jesus Christ.

Last week we looked at the baptism and ordination of the public and earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, which finished chapter 3.

If the Lord will allow me, I hope to move ahead in chapter 4 and begin to look at the temptation of our Lord in the wilderness.

Chapter 4, starting in verse 1,

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” Mt 4:1–11.

The baptism of Jesus, in the last chapter, was a humble expression of his obedience to the Father. It has been preached upon occasionally, in this series on Matthew, concerning our Lord’s humiliation which began with his glory being left in heaven when he took on flesh in the incarnation. Thus far in the Scriptural account of his life, Jesus did not experience the glorification and honor due the King of kings.

At the end of chapter 3 we read of a miraculous event, where the heavens were opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Lord Jesus.

One would assume that with the approval of God the Father, demonstrated in such a grand gesture, that there would be a powerful and public start to Jesus’ ministry.

Instead of preaching and performing miracles before all of Israel on the steps of the Temple, Jesus followed the will of God the Father-- through the leading of the Holy Spirit-- to go alone into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Please turn to Hebrews 2:16-18. The writer of Hebrews gives us an explanation why this occurred as such.

Hebrews 2:16, “For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (give assistance and support to) them that are tempted.” Heb 2:16–18

Look down to Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (or as the NKJV reads- “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses”); but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

As a man, Jesus experienced temptations from the devil, but he did not endure them in the same manner or with the same effect as those temptation are to us.

James 1:14–15, says, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Jesus Christ had no sin. He did not have the corruption and sin nature inherited from Adam, nor did he have any acts of sin-- neither of commission or omission. He did not, as James referenced, have the ability to be drawn by his own sinful lusts because he had none. There was nothing that the evil one could have stirred up within Jesus that was sinful. Nor could the devil impart into Christ any sin.

The temptations of Christ did not originate from within a stain ridden soul, such as with normal men, they were from the voice of one who was wicked through and through. There was no depraved or sinful desire on the part of our Lord to succumb to the carnal enticing of the great deceiver.

Jesus as a man was aware of the attack, and had to deal with his own frailties as a man-- enduring hunger and the associated physical effects of that. He also was alone, and may have had other emotions that were strained.

He knew what it was like, as with the temptations that we endure, to be confronted and struggle with the attacks of the devil. He was aware of the urging to give into sinful desires. And, he knew that the devil must be resisted.

Satan came to bring distress, to harass, to injure, and to torture. He did it to the Son of God, he is going to do it to us-- but Christ overcame him, and by the power of his Holy Spirit we too can resist and overcome too.

Christ overcame the devil in the wilderness, he overcame him through in his attacks by wicked servants, he overcame him in the garden, and he overcame that vile and wicked enemy with his death on the cross and his glorious resurrection.

Jesus Christ came and crushed the head of that old serpent.

Looking back at those passages in Hebrews there is something else important tied to the temptation of Jesus Christ, and that is that he endured and conquered as our great High Priest.

Jesus fulfilled the threefold Messianic office; he is our prophet, our priest, and our king. While Matthew’s Gospel account has a tone that reflects the Kingly aspects of Christ, the three offices of Jesus Christ are still very much apparent throughout his ministry and are inseparable from one another.

From our reading in Hebrews 2:18, it is written that, “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted …” He offered up himself to suffer in a life of humiliation, which included temptations, where he would demonstrate his mercy and grace to his brethren. It was through his sufferings and death that he reconciled sinners to God. Because he overcame he offers assistance and support in our times of temptations and spiritual attacks. That is the work of the great high Priest.

Jesus’ prophetic office is demonstrated in his quoting and accurately using Scripture. His kingly office is shown in his battle and victory over the great enemy of God and his Church. Lord willing, as we make it through Matthew’s account of the temptation of Jesus, those offices will be more evident.

Let’s go back to Matthew chapter 4, verse 1, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Mt 4:1

The parallel passages (synoptic Gospels) to that are in Luke 4:1 and Mark 1:12. Luke 4:1 reads, “And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…”

Mark 1:12, “And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.”

We read last week in Matthew 3:16 that “… the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him…” where he anointed Jesus and filled his human nature with the power, authority, blessings, and gifts of the Spirit. This was part of the public witness as to the satisfaction and pleasure of God the Father with God the Son. It was also done in part for preparation for the coming temptations.

The combination of the three Gospels concerning the Holy Spirit and Jesus going into the wilderness tells us a couple of things. First, Matthew’s wording that Jesus was “led” of the Spirit points to the submissive and obedient act of heeding the influence of the Holy Spirit. Secondly, Mark’s wording that the Holy Spirit “driveth” Jesus into the wilderness shows the strong influence of the Holy Spirit to cause something to happen.

Luke expresses both of the ideas that Matthew and Mark are conveying, by saying that, “… Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness…” He was full of the influence of the Holy Spirit and he submitted in obedience to go up into the wilderness. And this was done immediately after the Baptism.

Matthew says that Jesus went up into the wilderness, indicating that he left the lower area of the Jordan river and went up in elevation into the wilderness, where Mark records in chapter 1, verse 13 there were wild beasts. The most wild and dangerous of which was one that walked about “as a roaring lion … seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).

As told in Matthew chapter 3, John was also in the wilderness, a region that was outside of Jerusalem and the heavily populated areas. The region that John was is was sparse with habitation. But the wilderness in which Jesus was led into was uninhabited, where he was truly alone.

Matthew continues that Jesus was, “… led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” The reason for his being led there was to go through these temptations, to battle and conquer, suffering for the sake of his people.

Matthew Henry wrote, “Temptations are fiery darts, thorns in the flesh, buffetings, siftings, wrestlings, combats, all which denote hardship and suffering; therefore Christ submitted to them, because he would humble himself, in all things to be made like unto his brethren; thus he gave his back to the smiters.”

(Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1622.)

Additionally, John Gill adds that one of the reasons for this temptation was that, “Satan, whose works (Jesus) came to destroy, might have a specimen of his power, and expect, in a short time, the ruin of his kingdom by …” Jesus Christ (John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 29.)

In today’s culture Satan is made to look cartoonish or even cool. Satanic worship has become popular-- even some public schools have adopted satanic clubs to counter Christian Bible clubs. Satanic practices such as witchcraft and sorcery have become mainstream, even being taught to children through cartoons and movies.

The power and influence of the devil has been purposefully down played-- reducing him to a childish myth-- a crazy looking red man with horns and a pitchfork.

With the leader of the rebellion against God made to look less lethal, people of all ages are willfully following and worshiping him through entertainment (music, movies, books, and internet content), perverse relationships, environment worship, secret societies (from the local Freemasons to global elitist groups), political associations and governments (like Marxism and other Godless political parties), educational institutions, sports, clubs, false religions, and even false churches (better called anti-Christ churches) that create a god that does not match the One, True, Living, God of the Bible.

1 John 5:19, “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”

According to the Scriptures Satan was a high ranking angel. Along with those angels whom he led in rebellion (which was a third of the angels in heaven), they were created holy and good. Jude 6 says,

“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” Those angels violated the perfect standards that God had set forth for them. Being led by Satan, they rebelled against God’s Sovereign authority. As a result, Jesus said, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Luke 10:18. The devil was irresistibly cast out of heaven. His unholy rebellion could no longer be tolerated or allowed before a thrice holy God.

Revelation 12:7–9, records the events of the wicked angels being cast out from heaven. It reads, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

The rebellion, most likely, was because of the pride of the devil who attempted to exalt himself above God. We are not told specifically what led to the fall, but Paul in addressing the qualifications of elders, says that an elder be “Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” 1 Timothy 3:6.

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” Haughty means arrogantly superior and disdainful. And maybe, the pride, arrogant superiority, and disdainful attitude toward God are what led to the destruction and fall of Satan and his following angels.

Isaiah writes in Isaiah 14:12-15 concerning Satan’s casting out of heaven, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”

Ezekiel writes about this also, in Ezekiel 28:15–19, “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. 17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 19 All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.”

The evil one’s desire comes out in his temptation of Eve in Genesis 3:4-5. “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” He desired to be as God, and tried to lead Adam and Eve in that same direction. Satan’s end is to exalt himself as a god and receive worship just as the true, Triune God. The evil one has even garnered the tile, “… the god of this world…” 2 Corinthians 4:4.

To move worship away from the most Holy, the devil has led the fallen world to create idols to worship, in which sacrifices and offerings are made to. Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:20 wrote, “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice (Gentiles representing the unregenerate), they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.”

The devil has his devoted followers and disciples, which are lost souls. Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44.

John Gill said, “Ye are of your father the devil”, Not of his substance, but by imitation and example; and as being under his authority and influence, his instructions and directions, and ready to follow after him, and obey his commands…” (John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 851.).

As born again believers we have been set free from being under the power, authority, and bondage of the devil. We now have Jesus Christ as our example, and by the desire of the Holy Spirit within us we want to imitate Jesus, be under his authority, live by his instructions and directions, and readily follow and obey him in all things.

In Acts 26:18, Jesus said to Paul, concerning sending him to the Gentiles, that Paul’s preaching of the Gospel was, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

As God’s children we are not under the power of Satan, and he doesn’t like that. He will work to steal our joy, crush our hope, destroy our faith, replace our love with hate, bring disorder and worry to kill our peace--- he will strive to drive a wedge between a believer and God, attempting to undo the reconciliation that was forever secured by Jesus Christ. But the same Holy Spirit that came down on Jesus at his baptism, and the same Holy Spirit that filled him and led him through the wilderness--- empowering and sustaining the man Jesus-- is the same Holy Spirit that indwells believers and pours out God’s grace, blessings, and gifts upon them-- making the believer able to resist and “able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13.

Moving on to Matthew 4:2 , “And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.”

The timing of the temptations during this period is best looked at across the 3 synoptic Gospels. Luke says in 4:1, that “Being forty days tempted of the devil.” Mark records the same thing. Matthew leaves out the temptations that occurred during the forty days. Luke continued, “And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3 And the devil said unto him …” Luke 4:1–3. Luke is clearly detailing the same thing as Matthew, that Jesus did not eat anything for the 40 days (which is a miraculous work of God), and at the end of those days came hunger and an attack. Although Jesus was tempted during those 40 days, the attack at the end was severe-- the devil unleashing all that he had in temptation and torment. Charles Spurgeon said, “Now that the Lord is drained dry by his long fast, and is made faint by hunger, the enemy will be upon him. The devil is a great coward, and takes a mean advantage of us.” (Spurgeon’s Commentary on Matthew, pg 24).

Matthew Henry said that, “Christ needed not to fast for mortification (he had no corrupt [or sinful] desires to be subdued); yet he fasted, (1.) That herein he might humble himself, and might seem as one abandoned, whom no man seeketh after. (2.) That he might give Satan both occasion and advantage against him; and so make his victory over him the more illustrious. (3.) That he might sanctify and recommend fasting to us, when God in his providence calls to it, or when we are reduced to straits (or distress), and are destitute of daily food, or when it is requisite for the keeping under of the body, or the quickening of prayer, those excellent preparatives for temptation.” (Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 1622.)

Moses also fasted 40 days, before the law was given and he spoke with God. Exodus 34:28, “And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.”

Elijah fasted 40 days too. He was under the law and fasted before he spoke with God. The Spirit of Elijah, being John the Baptist, pointed to the end of the law and the beginning of the Gospel. 1 Kings 19:8, “And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.”

Jesus Christ came and fasted 40 days and 40 nights at the beginning of his ministry wherein God’s glorious grace would be revealed in the Gospel-- and Jesus would speak for God the Father.

“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” John 1:16–17.

Close

To start wrapping this up for today, I just want to say,

the devil is a real enemy, not to be underestimated. He has been deceiving people for about 6,000 years-- he has lots of practice and knows the sinful nature of man. He is cunning, he is a liar. He and his host of devils are always present-- seeking whom they may destroy.

The devil has gotten a taste of the power and judgment of Jesus Christ-- and a day is coming where that enemy of God and all of his angelic and reprobate followers will be cast into a fiery hell. Victory belongs to Jesus Christ, and in him we are victorious.

Romans 8:35–39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In the day of temptation, stand fast my Brethren. Nothing will separate us-- not even the devil-- from the love and grace of God that is is Jesus. No matter how hard the prince of devils tries, he can never snatch out of the hand of God.

Jesus said, “let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1), “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) Jesus suffered much more than we could image in those attacks-- he knows what we suffer and what we go through.-- so the peace that he leaves us is far above our understanding or abilities.

Lord willing we will pick back up with it next week. There was a lot of overview and background into getting started with covering the temptation of our Lord Jesus and all that is associated with that.

Pray for me as I continue to work on and prepare the message or messages on this topic. When you take the fight to the enemy, he is going to attack. ????