The Temptation of Jesus for Forty Days in the Desert Mat 4:1-11

See also the parallel passages here: Mark 1:9-13, Luke 4:1-14. These are some sermon notes I made on the temptations of Jesus. They will need expanding.

Context:

  • Jesus just been baptized and he is full of the Spirit (Luke 4:1)
  • He has just been affirmed Son of God by the Father, who loves him and is pleased with him (Mat 3:17)
  • He is driven into the desert by the Spirit (Mat 4:1)
  • He is tempted personally by the devil himself not a demon (Mat 4:1, 3)
  • If Jesus failed the temptation the mission would be aborted
  • After the temptations Jesus returns to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14)
  • We find the Son, the Spirit and the father (and the devil) all acting in this section
  • While the spirit leads Jesus into the desert it is the devil who does the tempting, that’s his job

First temptation:

(Mat 4:1-11 NIV) Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. {2} After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. {3} The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." {4} Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

This temptation is aimed at Jesus physical hunger, his humanity.

It was a temptation for Jesus to use his sonship in a way inconsistent with his God-ordained mission (Carson). Later, he would feed five thousand other with the five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed others (Mat 14:19). Just as God gave the Israelites bread from heaven, Jesus was the true bread from heaven (John 6:32-35)

  • After the glory of the baptism experience comes the desert experience
  • Jesus was led by the Spirit, it is part of Gods plan for Jesus to be tempted Heb 2:10, Heb 2:18, Heb 4:15, to be like his brothers and a great high priest
  • It is also a preparation for subsequent ministry (preaching Mat 4:17, healing Mat 4:23 and teaching ministry Mat 5:2)
  • The desert is the abode of demons and where Israel was tested for forty years c.f. 40 days (Heb 3:9), they rebelled but Jesus submits to the Spirit
  • 40 days is longest man can fast without permanent injury, he had water cf. Luke 4:2
  • The forty days in the desert parallels the forty years wandering in the desert of the Israelites, they ate manna (Exo 16:35) to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. Deu 8:2
  • Devil (v1) means slanderer, in verse 3 he is called tempter, in verse 10 he is called Satan (accuser)
  • The tempter (v3. peirazo is used here not diabolos) comes to Jesus when he is weak (hungry) and uses food to tempt him to do a miracle (the devil fights where we are weakest)
  • We see Jesus in his humanity, he was hungry, Satan is tempting him to call upon his divine qualities outside of Gods will
  • Contrast this with Adam eating the fruit in the garden
  • Note the use of "If you are the Son of God" tempting Christ to authenticate his deity, Jesus had just been affirmed Son of God in Mat 3:17 "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." What is the motivation of the devil here? (check D A Carson)
  • Jesus answers (each time) using scripture Deut 8:3, we should fight temptation with the word of God.
  • 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (expand on this, what does it mean and how do we apply it)
  • Once again (twice) the word of God is mentioned (expand) Mat 4:4 It is written,… but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Jesus equates the written word with the actual word that God speaks.
  • Application note: Satan tempts Jesus at the start of his ministry, we should expect the same, so that our ministry will not be unfruitful.

Second temptation:

{5} Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. {6} "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" {7} Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

This temptation is aimed to make Jesus use his divine power wrongly i.e. His deity:

  • Note the use of "If you are the Son of God" tempting Christ to authenticate his deity by a miracle
  • The devil knows his bible Psa 91:11-12
  • Jesus answers using scripture Deu 6:16
  • The devil is tempting Jesus to put God to the test, should we drink poison to test God? Mark 16:18 More examples here… (how do we put God to the test)
  • Jesus has more than twelve legions of angels at his disposal Mat 26:53 (a Roman legion is 6,000)
  • In Mat 4:11 having overcome the temptations angels do indeed minister to him

Third temptation:

{8} Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. {9} "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." {10} Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" {11} Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

Luke 4:6 And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

This temptation is aimed to get Jesus to achieve his mission without the cross.

  • The kingdoms of the world belong to the devil Luke 4:6, 1 John 5:19, Jesus did not dispute this, at the seventh trumpet the kingdom of this world will finally belong to God Rev 11:15 also 1 Cor 15:24
  • The devil has always wanted worship, Rev 13:4
  • This would be idolatry if Jesus worshiped the devil, we are to worship God Rev 22:9
  • The devil's offer side steps the suffering of the cross, eventually the whole world will be Christ's, Rev 11:15
  • In Rev 13:2 Satan will give the Antichrist his power and his throne and great authority.
  • Jesus answers using scripture (Deu 6:13) he answers Satan with the word of God which is the sword of the spirit (Eph 6:17)
  • "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" Note the word "Satan" here means accuser
  • Jesus tells Satan to go away, using the word of God and the devil slinks away.
  • Peter also tells Jesus that he will not die on the cross and Jesus answers him "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Mat 16:23
  • We are to worship God and serve only him (application)
  • Then angels minister to him, cf. Mat 4:6 when Jesus refused the use of angels, they probably feed him as well cf. the first temptation
  • Luke 4:13 adds "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." For example using Peter (Mat 16:23), normally the devil uses humans.
  • Now, in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14), Jesus starts his preaching Mat 4:17, healing Mat 4:23 and teaching ministry Mat 5:2. He began in the Spirit and emerges out the desert experience in the Power of the Spirit

Because Jesus resisted these temptations, through Jesus subsequent ministry the kingdom of Satan would be progressively plundered. In the end Satan will be consigned to the lake of fire.

Mat 12:29 "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house.

(Luke 10:18 NIV) He replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Luke 13:16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"

(John 12:31-32 NIV) Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. {32} But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."

Also through the gospel the kingdom of Satan will be plundered.

(Acts 26:17-18 NIV) I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them {18} to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'

Final thought:

We need the full armor of God to take our stand at Satan's devices, see Eph 6:10-17. Note we stand against Satan (Paul uses the word stand four times). In verse 17 we see that the sword of the Spirit, is the word of God and the temptations of Jesus illustrate how He used the word of God.

(Eph 6:10-17 NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. {11} Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. {12} For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. {13} Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. {14} Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, {15} and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. {16} In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. {17} Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

End note:

Peter uses the term " Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. " Here I think Peter is alluding to persecution. This should be familiar from Rev 13:

Rev 13:7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

Rev 13:10 If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

The wiles of the devil include deception and persecution.

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