The Tempting of Jesus

Mat 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.

The end result was to be tempted of the devil. What was Jesus doing in the wilderness? He was fasting and praying, getting direction from the Father and denying the desires of the flesh. What is it to be tempted? tempted: peirazō, to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quantity, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself. God does not tempt, the devil tempted him.

James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

God cannot be tempted, but a man can. It was the man part of Jesus that was tested.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 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.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Heb 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
Heb 5:2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

Mark 1:12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
Mark 1:13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

driveth him: there are many definitions for the word ekballo, translated driveth. The one that applies here means: to lead one forth or away somewhere with a force which he cannot resist.

Forty days, tempted of the devil. Is it normal to be tempted of the devil during fasting and prayer?

Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

It was after the 40 day fast that he was very weak physically and hungry, that Satan came to him at his weakest to personally tempt him.

Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

The same "if" that he used on Eve in the garden of Eden, the same attempt to cast doubt about the things of God.

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Gen 3:4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Gen 3:5 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.

Satan cast doubt on God's word, he lied, he is a liar. Then he offers them pride; "...your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Satan himself tried to be God, and was cast down from heaven. Pride, God hates. Whereas Adam and Eve only knew good, because of Satan they would know sin. Where they experienced love and fellowship with God, now they would see their nakedness and would feel shame and isolation. Isolation is not from God, he want's us to come to him. Welcome to Pro-choice; choosing sin, where there was life and all good things before. Yes, and they would die. First their Spirit died to it's connection to God, then physical death would follow. Satan is not your friend, he desires to kill you.

If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Satan wanted Jesus to obey him and act apart from God's will. If we act apart from God's will, it is sin. If Jesus had sinned in the smallest thing, he could not have been our substitute, paying for our sins by giving his perfect life for us on the cruel cross. A sinner cannot pay for the sins of another.

Mat 4:4 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.

He answered satan and overcame him using the word of God. This is for our example. God knew that we would be tempted, so he brought his son to a place where satan would tempt him. By seeing Jesus, we see God. By following the way of Jesus, we follow the way of God. Jesus is the way of God and the way to God. He passed satan's first temptation and we learn to use God's word against the lying devil.

Suicide thoughts

Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6 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 was taken to the highest part of the temple, where satan tempts him to kill himself, by jumping off. Again satan wants Jesus, who is Lord of the temple, to test his Godly powers by an act of suicide. Suicide is one of the ways that satan will try to stop you from serving the true God. He is the god of death and destruction.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Our God is the God of life. Jesus himself is the origin of life. He was with God in the beginning creating the worlds and all that is in them. (Hebrews 1:1-3)

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.

Beware of satan using scriptures. When he uses them, they are used as the Scribes and Pharisees used them with Jesus, as a way to destroy another. We do not use the Bible to destroy another person; satan will do this, so beware of the letter of the Law. Let the Holy Spirit of God apply the truth of God's word in your life.

2 Cor 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

This doesn't mean we do not heed the word of God, but instead "spiritualize"the meaning away. No, this may be just another subtle trick of the devil, as he spoke with Eve, "Yea, hath God said?" He will have us doubt what the word plainly says.

John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.
John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.

The Spirit of God will show you God's word as it is correctly understood. He will speak the word of truth. Jesus answers the devil's scripture with another scripture. We DO NOT take one scripture out of context. We can claim it says what we desire it to say, twisting the meaning, to suit our will and desires. We must look at all scriptures concerning a subject to come to the truth, which is God's will and purpose.

Mat 4:7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
The devil was tempting God to sin. Do we sin tempting God, because of His grace?

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Once we are forgiven of sins by Jesus, we must put to death the evil deeds of the flesh. Satan comes against us in our thoughts (suicide) and in the lusts of the flesh. We shall not give him a foothold in our life. He will put us behind a wall, separating us from God. If we continue in sin, we are behind four walls, deceived and prisoners of satan. Break through to God's perfect will for your life.

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Satan had stolen dominion over the world from Adam. Now he offers the kingdoms of the world to the one who created the world with his father; Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Let's see what the Bible says about satan and his worldly authority.

The god of this world.

2 Cor 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

father of sin

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
John 8:42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
John 8:43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
John 8:44 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 8:45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?John 8:47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

The destroyer

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

love not the world

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1 John 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Mat 4:10 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.

Again, Jesus quotes the word of God. We are to worship the LORD God, of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not the god of this world. The gods and godesses of this world are of satan; allah, buddha, nenus, dianna, the pagan gods, whatever names you put with them, they are not of the Lord God.

Mat 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Resist with the word of God, our sword and wear the shield of faith; satan will flee, but will return again, so hide the word in your heart and he will not gain control.

and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Jesus in the desert doing battle with the devil, now the angels come to minister as they would come later, when he suffered in agony of his soul, in the garden before the cross. The angels are sent to minister to the heirs of salvation.

Heb 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Jesus would indeed be King of all the world's kingdoms, but not by serving the devil. He would obey his Father God, and shed his blood on the cross of Calvary. Then one by one the world's people will come into the Kingdom of God, escaping the evil god of the world. Thank you Jesus for showing us how to escape the temptations of the devil.