Matthew 4:1-11, Temptation of Jesus Christ, part 2
The Gospel According to Matthew • Sermon • Submitted
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Lord willing, I hope to continue on today examining the Temptation of Jesus in the wilderness found in the Gospel According to Matthew. So, if you would please, turn to Matthew chapter 4, verse 1.
Chapter 4, starting in verse 1,
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 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. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 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. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 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; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 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. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Last week we looked at verses 1 and 2, where willfully following the leading of the Holy Spirit, Jesus went into the wilderness specifically to be tempted. The reason for this, we read from Hebrews 2:16-18,
For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 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. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Hebrews 4:15 continues,
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
After 40 days of temptations and fasting-- alone in the wilderness-- Jesus was hungry and feeling the effects. At his physically weakest point, Satan attacked most aggressively.
Look at Verse 3, “And when the tempter came to him,” Mt 4:3 The devil goes by a number of names, often ones that describe his wicked ways-- such as liar and the father of lies, deceiver, murderer, accuser or false accuser, oppressor, slanderer, adversary, enemy, opponent, and other names which include the dragon and the serpent. His name, Satan, in The Hebrew means to oppose, obstruct, or accuse. In the Greek it literally means “adversary.” In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the name is rendered as diabolos-- or the prince of devils.
Tempting is one of his main works. He desperately attempts to lure people into sin, especially professing believers whom he wants to separate from God. Not that he ever could separate us from the love of God, but he will try his best to keep us living in sin and damage our relationship with God-- whom we have been reconciled to by the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Here in the wilderness, the tempter came to Jesus, manifesting himself in a way that we are not given specifics on, but most certainly in an audible voice; possible even in a physical manifestation.
The devil’s tactics have been the same since the first temptations in the Garden of Eden. He distracts the attention of people away from God. He tempts them to question or deny the existence of God-- or at least disobey God’s Word and perfect standards. From the Serpents mouth to Eve, “Did God really say that?”, he wants mankind to doubt and turn their hearts, minds, and wills against God.
Disbelieve and disobey-- that is Satan’s way. A way that leads to sin-- to ruination, to death, and to judgment-- which, without Jesus Christ’s righteousness will end in eternal condemnation. Those who believe In Jesus Christ and repent will be saved from sin and the punishment due it.
Continuing on in verse 3, “... he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”
“… If thou be the Son of God…” Three verses ago (in Matthew 3:17), immediately before Jesus went into the wilderness, we read, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” This was preceded by the Holy Spirit’s coming down as a dove upon Jesus, before John the Baptist.
The devil here is saying, if the witnesses are true then prove it. If John the Baptist’s proclamation is true, if the Holy Spirit’s witness is true, and if God’s claim that you are his son is true-- then certainly you can do this little thing to prove it.
And what is that little thing? Make yourself some food.
This turning of stones into bread may come from John the Baptist proclaiming that stones could be made into Children of Abraham back in chapter 3, verse 9. The devil wanted proof of the Divine Son-ship of Jesus Christ and he wanted it by his methods, regardless of what God’s will was. He wanted Jesus to disregard and distrust God’s providential works in sustaining him in his life and ministry.
40 days of fasting and now the effects of hunger have set in-- and this is what the devil pounces upon. Physically weakened and afflicted states can open the way for temptations that give it to sin. Jesus said in Matthew 26:41,
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Hungry, weak, and alone, Jesus completely understood the weakness of the flesh-- but he did not, and could not sin.
Benjamin Keach draws out of this temptation that:
“The devil had a double purpose.”
“(1.) To know whether Jesus was really the Son of God, by this reason, that if by his bare word or command he could turn stone into bread, then of certain he is the Son of God; therefore he says not pray, but command, but if in the extremity of his hunger and necessity, he cannot do this, then he cannot be the Son of God, and therefore Satan would take occasion to despise and mock him, thus, in vain do you trust to that heavenly voice (from Matt. 3:17,) and believe, or hope that others shall believe thee to be the Son of God.”
“(2.) By that temptation the devil endeavours to entice Christ into some sin, or distrust of the divine oracle, or into a vain ostentation, or empty glory, if by the devil’s suggestion he should work a miracle, &.”
(Benjamin Keach, Tropologia: A Key to Open Scripture Metaphors (London: William Hill Collingridge, 1856), 35.)
The circumstance of this temptation has some similarities to the first temptation in the Garden of Eden, in Genesis chapter 3.
First, there was a temptation that appealed to the lust of the flesh-- a physical temptation to eat. Adam and Eve were in the lushest and grandest garden creation has ever seen-- a garden specially prepared by God. They had the finest food before them, and in great abundance. They could eat anything they desired, except for the fruit of one tree.
In contrast to the Garden of Eden, our Lord Jesus was in a wilderness, most likely one that was barren and had sparse vegetation. Adam and Eve could have had their fill, but our Lord had gone 40 days without food.
The serpent in his temptation of Eve worked to draw her away from God, to cast doubt upon God’s Words and Commands. That liar and murderer led Eve to take matters into her own hands and exalt herself as a god.
That same serpent tried to cast doubt on God’s words of verifying that Jesus is the Son of God. He wanted Jesus to take matters into his own hands and exalt himself in the works of creation- ignoring the will of God the Father.
Eve, in her unwitting battle against the serpent, used the Words of God in her response. She told the devil that God said they could not eat of that one tree, nor could they even touch it, or else they die.
But she did not fully believe those words of God, and as the serpent distorted and subverted God’s Words-- appealing to her physical desires and pride--Eve gave into the temptation and sinned.
So too did that old serpent try to appeal to our Lord with physical desires and pride by tempting Jesus to perform a miracle to feed himself and satisfy his own hunger.
Verse 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.
Jesus uses the most powerful weapon to fight this battle-- the Word of God, which is the Sword of the Spirit. It is our greatest weapon as well. He quotes Deuteronomy 8:3,
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.
In that passage, Moses is reminding the children of Israel of God’s grace and care for them during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. During that journey God fed the people with manna from heaven. God alone sustains his people and supplies them with every provision he deems necessary.
Concerning the “word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD”, John Calvin said, “The word does not mean doctrine, but the purpose which God has made known, with regard to preserving the order of nature and the lives of his creatures. Having created men, he does not cease to care for them: but, as “he breathed into their nostrils the breath of life,” (Gen. 2:7,) so he constantly preserves the life which he has bestowed. In like manner, the Apostle says, that he “upholdeth all things by his powerful word,” (Heb. 1:3;) that is, the whole world is preserved, and every part of it keeps its place, by the will and decree of Him, whose power, above and below, is everywhere diffused. Though we live on bread, we must not ascribe the support of life to the power of bread, but to the secret kindness, by which God imparts to bread the quality of nourishing our bodies.” (John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, vol. 1 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 215.)
When Eve responded to the serpent with God’s word there was no trust in God or his promises-- his provisions were not satisfactory for her.
When Jesus responded to the tempter with God’s Word, there was trust that God would keep his promises and that he was in control of all things-- God will provide and care for his people as he sees fit. Quoting from Deuteronomy also points to the fact that God has proven himself in his promises to care for his people-- to sustain them and provide for them as he wills.
The devil, tempting Jesus to prove he is the Son of God, is shown that Jesus is obedient and subservient to God’s will and God’s Word. Jesus does nothing more to answer the devil in proving who he is.
When Jesus responds to the devil in the next two temptations, he also responds with verses from Deuteronomy. For our Lord, the Scriptures were the final rule, truth, and authority for all matters of faith, doctrine, and life. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in the second epistle, chapter 3, verses 16 &17,
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
In Ephesians chapter 6 Paul gives us instructions concerning the armor of God in spiritual warfare-- that we “may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Eph 6:11. One of the key elements in that armor is the Word of God. It is critical for engaging in spiritual warfare. The Word is a powerful defensive weapon.
Jesus’ use of the Word in response to the tempter puts an end to the first temptation. So, the devil changes tactics for a greater attack.
Verse 5, “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city,” Mt 4:5
Physically, Jesus was taken up to Jerusalem by the devil. As there was no sin recorded, nor any victory claimed by the tempter, this journey was done with the permission of God and consented to by Jesus Christ. Details of the way in which this occurred are not given to us.
Continuing on in verse 5, “… and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,”
The devil takes Jesus to the top of the temple, in that holy city Jerusalem. There, is the center of all that represents God. The city is the capital where the Throne of David is represented. The temple was a type and shadow of Jesus Christ himself. The temple is the religious center for the Jews, the dwelling place of God. It is where God receives worship.
Verse 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.
Jesus is taken to the very pinnacle of the temple, and the devil wants Christ to prove to all the people of Israel that he is indeed the Son of God.
The temple is the meeting place between God and his people, and what a way for all of the public to see that the Son of God has come-- cast thyself down cries the tempter, and perform a miracle by revealing yourself and the heavenly host of angels. By revealing who he was, certainly the worship of the people below would be turned towards Jesus-- he would be treated and worshipped as God.
Sounds remarkably like the temptation of Eve, “ye shall be as gods”.
Notice also that the devil does not attempt to throw Jesus from the Temple, nor offer to push him-- he tempts Jesus to cast himself off. The devil was restrained and did not have the power do such work, as it is written in Job 38:11, “… Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further…” John Gill said, “… that Satan did not offer to cast him down himself; for this was not in his power, nor within his permission, which reached only to tempt; and besides, would not have answered his end; for that would have been his own sin, and not Christ’s: accordingly, we may observe, that when he seeks the lives of men, he does not attempt to destroy them himself, but always puts them upon doing it.”
(John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 30.)
The devil then begins to use the Word of God against Christ, twisting it and manipulating it to suit his own desires and doctrine. To mock Jesus’ use of “it is written”, the deceiver then uses the same phrase to attempt to exert the authority of the Word of God. He says, “… 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.” This is cited from Psalm 91:11,12,. Mark your page in Matthew chapter 4 and turn to Psalm 91:11 please. Psalm 91:11. Pay close attention to the wording here. Psalm 91:11,12 “ For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.” Satan, in attempting to deceive Jesus, left out the part that said,“to keep thee in all thy ways”. For this would have ruined the devils argument.
For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
“… to keep thee in all thy ways…” is to act and live according to the will of God, to be obedient to the direction that Providence leads, and to be submissive to the ways of God and his doctrines. Satan was tempting Jesus Christ to violate all of that.
The deceiver also omitted the next verse, Psalm 91:13,
Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
That dragon, the serpent of old from Genesis 3:15, shall be trampled under foot-- which our Lord and Savior did upon the cross on Calvary.
Back to Matthew 4, Verse 7,
Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
The very author of Scripture asserts his authority in the written Word. Jesus is not taking Scriptures out of context, he is not manipulating them to his own ends. Jesus is quoting the Word and doing so in it’s true and intended meaning-- without error.
“It is written”, this is a rebuking of Satan’s misuse and misapplication of the Holy Scriptures. Jesus is stating that thisis the truth of God, “… Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Which is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:16.
The normal outcome of casting oneself off a building would be death. There is no Biblical warrant, command, or example for a person to do such a thing-- it is just the opposite-- do not take a life, even your own. To ignore the ordinary means of living that God has provided, and expect him to work outside those means to satisfy ones own desires is to tempt God.
Matthew Poole said that this act of casting himself off of the temple, “… would not have been an act of faith, but presumption; not a trusting God upon his word, but a tempting of God, expressly contrary to his command, (as stated in) Deut. 6:16.” (Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 3 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 17.)
The devil offers no argument, no comeback-- the simple quote of Scripture was enough to force him to move on. He could not manipulate the quoted verse because he knew what was stated was truth.
Verse 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;
The means by which Jesus was taken we are not told, nor are we told of which mountain he was taken to for the third temptation. We do know that it was an exceedingly high mountain where the devil could show Jesus “… all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;” Luke adds, “in a moment of time.” Luke 4:5.
How is that possible, to see all the kingdoms of the world? Matthew Poole writes, “It is therefore most probable that Dr. Lightfoot judgeth most truly, that “the devil, being the prince of the power of the air, formed an airy horizon before the eyes of Christ, carrying such pompous and glorious appearance of kingdoms, states, and royalties in the face of it, as if he had seen those very kingdoms and states indeed.” Such things the devil can do, and doth do, by condensing the air first, then shaping and figuring, and lastly so colouring it, that it may represent what he intendeth.”
(Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 3 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 17.)
John Gill adds, “… but this was a fictitious, delusive representation, which Satan was permitted to make…” (John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 31.)
For this moment of time, the devil has been granted the ability to show these things to Jesus-- things that were the concoction of a fully depraved and sin deluded mind. The exact scene of what is happening, or the means by which the devil uses to show these things, is not told us. But the image of what is being presented seems grand. The Greek word for glory in that verse means greatness, glory, and splendor. The devil, in taking advantage of this moment, swells up with vanity and pride himself. He raises himself up and claims authority over all the kingdoms of the world.
Verse 9,
And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
The ruler and prince of this world, as described in John 12:31, is offering power and authority to Jesus. The father of lies claims that if Jesus worships him, he could have the world and partake of all the glories shown to him on that high mountain.
However, bowing down and giving that worship means that one would have to be subservient to the evil one-- exalting him as the greater. To give into that temptation would be giving oneself into the bondage of the devil. Just as when Adam and Eve obeyed the serpent, sinners where put into bondage under their new master, the great liar and murderer. Jesus said,
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
The devil laid claim to something that was not his to give-- the world and all that is in it is God’s alone-- and the world was promised to the Son from before the foundations of the world in the Covenant of Grace. That promise is even expressed in the Old Testament, particularly well in Psalm 2. Verses 7 and 8 read,
I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
Psalm 72:8,
He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Daniel wrote,
And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.
With all of the temptations thrown at Jesus, he kept his eye upon the Father,
Verse 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.
“get thee hence” is one word in the Greek, ὑπάγω (hypágō), it means to go away, depart, withdraw from the presence of someone. There were not subtleties here in naming the enemy who was depart. Verse one called him the devil. Verse 3 the tempter. But here, Jesus calls him by his name-- adversary--, and commands him to leave his presence.
John Gill wrote, Jesus “… had borne (the devil’s) insults and temptations with great patience; he had answered him with mildness and gentleness; but now his behaviour to him was intolerable, which obliged him to shew his resentment, exert his power and authority, and rid himself at once of so vile a creature.”
(John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament, vol. 1, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 32.)
In his rebuke, Jesus again goes to the Word of God-- proving it’s authority and power. He quotes Deuteronomy 6:13, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Jesus brings out the great sin of Satan, that old serpent has exalted himself above God-- no longer worshiping and serving him as is God’s will and perfect standard-- the adversary, in his rebellious sin, tempts other people to replace God by worshiping and serving him.
What a stark contrast. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is obedient and subservient, knowing that man must worship and fear the Lord God only, and serve him only. The evil one, however, is not obedient nor subservient, he is rebellious and worships himself, serving his own will and desires. So is the nature of man, to rebel against God, to worship his self and serve his own sinful desires.
Christ accomplished something in this battle that we cannot. He had no sinful desires do give into, he did not seek himself first, and he kept God-- including God’s will and Word, before him always.
Christ remained sinless and righteous, defeating temptation for the glory of God and for our benefit.
Verse 11, “Then the devil leaveth him,” Mt 4:11
Satan wanted proof of the Son-ship of Christ, here it was-- Jesus commanded and the devil obeyed. Jesus Christ was victorious in this battle, and it set the stage for his ultimate victory in his death and resurrection-- where the serpents head would be crushed.
This time of temptation, and this manner of them, came to an end. The tempter would return another time to attack in various ways.
Continuing on in verse 11, “… and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
As the leader of the fallen angels departed, God’s loyal angels arrive in a visible manner to minister unto the Lord Jesus, and to feed him. Earlier in the temptations we saw that Christ refused to call upon the aid of angels, but rather trusted that God would supply him with all his needs. Here, the Father has sent forth his angels to minister to the Son, bringing him food, comfort, and company- which he had been without for more than 40 days.
There are a number of accounts in the Old Testament where angels are manifested in human form to accomplish the ministry of God. In 1 Kings 19:5-8, and angel appeared to Elijah and brought him food. It reads,
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 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.
Close
Jesus Christ fulfilled what the writer of Hebrews describes as suffering in temptations. Jesus can sympathize with out temptations, our sufferings, and our weaknesses. He was tempted as we are, but yet he was without sin-- he did not succumb to the tempters schemes, but was victorious over them.
Because he overcame and was victorious-- ultimately we will overcome and be victorious-- not of anything in ourselves, but because of his work in our place.
After his sufferings, Jesus was ministered to and blessed by the assistance, support, provisions, and comfort provided by God.
Because of his sufferings, and that ministry from the angels, Jesus is able to give us the greatest care in our temptations and afflictions. He has given us the Comforter, his Holy Spirit to minister unto us-- giving us assistance, support, provisions, comfort, peace, strength, joy, faith, love, and a multitude of blessings and gifts from our heavenly Father.
I’ll close with this, 1 Peter 5:8–11,
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.