Tempted

           The story of Christ's temptation is found in each of the Synoptic Gospels--Matthew, Mark, and Luke but only Matthew and Luke treat it at length.  If you compare their accounts, you'll find that the order in which they present the second and third temptations differ.  This makes no difference since neither writer claims to be presenting the material chronologically.  Most commentators, however, believe Matthew's account is probably chronological

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            As we look at the story, we may wonder how the disciples learned about the experience.  Simply put, we don’t know.  However the Gospel writers learned about the experience, they knew what it meant.  It meant Jesus understood.

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INTRODUCTION

Matthew 4:1-11

A few years ago an undeniable change in attitude regarding Jesus began to emerge among Americans.  For generations the orthodox teaching of Christ’s sinlessness was embraced even by those who did not consider themselves to be his followers.  Then, in 2000, it was discovered that fewer than half of American adults (40%) believe Jesus lived a sinless life.  Today, the percentage of Americans who believe “that when Jesus Christ lived on earth He committed sins” is closer to two-thirds.  About half of teenagers believe Jesus sinned. 

Younger adults are more likely than older adults to believe Jesus sinned.  Members of mainline denominations are more likely to see Jesus as a sinner than members of non-mainline denominations. 

The very notion that Jesus sinned runs contrary to long-held beliefs about Jesus.  In fact, his sinlessness has traditionally been linked to his capacity to serve as our redeemer.

Seeing Jesus as sinless is clearly rooted in the teachings of the New Testament.  Consider what the writer of Hebrews says:

HEB 2:18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to

 help those who are being tempted.

 HEB 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with

 our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as

 we are--yet was without sin.

This is one reason why it is so important to understand what happened during the temptations of Christ.  We need to begin with a clear view of the man who wandered into the desert following his baptism.

The portrait of Jesus the gospel wiriters present is that of a man of purpose, a man who is clear-headed, capable of recognizing even the most subtle of the Tempter's strategies.  Still, he marched on to that engagement.

Indeed, the whole story suggests Jesus apparently had no problem believing in Satan.  However the Evil One chose to appear to him, Jesus did not find it necessary to say, "Who are you?"  As the eternal Son of God, he had known cosmic proto-Rebel from before the Creation, had seen the product of his work in Eden, had seen his signature on murder, war, child abuse,  idolatry, hypocrisy, and every other act of rebellion against God throughout history.  Christ knew the Enemy he would face in the wilderness and he knew he would have to face this Enemy, not as the Sovereign God of the universe, but as a human being weakened by hunger and isolation.  Christ knew this testing was a necessary part of his role as God's anointed Messiah/Redeemer.  Christ faced the Tempter knowing what was at stake.

But we can't forget that the Tempter faced Christ knowing what was at stake.  A Second Adam had entered the arena.  The first Adam had failed, leaving the human race ravaged with sin.  Should this Second Adam be victorious over the Tempter, he could reverse Satan's victory.  As a consequence, Satan's assault was vicious and strategic. 

The assault came in three waves.

1.  Satan tempted him with the prospect of immediate gratification of a legitimate need.

MT 4:1 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."

    MT 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread

alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'* "

      ---- There was no sin in being hungry.  He had fasted forty days. 

      ---- The same power which would, within a short time turn water into wine, could have easily turned stones into bread.

      ---- Satan seems to be thinking, Can I persuade him to use his power for himself?

      ---- What if Satan had succeeded?  Would it have really mattered if the Son of God had made lunch for himself?  How Jesus used the power which was rightfully his was of importance.

To have succumbed to Satan's suggestion would make it easer to misuse his power later on.

      ---- Jesus would ofter perform miracles on behalf of others, yet when the skeptics came demanding miracles, he refused.  He would not accomodate them by saying, "For my next magical trick..."  He would not build a following on the sensational.

Yet, had he given in to this temptation it might have been so easy to do so.

Listen to Malcolm Muggeridge:

"How easy for Jesus to have turned these stone loaves into edible ones, as, later, he would turn water into wine at a wedding feast!  And, after all, why not?  The Roman authorities distributed free bread to promote Caesar's kingdom, and Jesus could do the same to promote his...

"Jesus had but to give a nod of agreement and he could have constructed Christendom, not on four shaky Gospels and a defeatred man nailed on a Cross, but on a basis of sound socio-economic planning and principles....  Every utopia could have been brought to pass, every hope have been realized and every dream been made to come true.  What a benefactor, then, Jesus would have been.  Aclaimed, equally, in the London School of Economics and the Harvard Business School;  a statue in Parliament Square, and an even bigger one on Capitol Hill and in the Red Square....  Instead, he turned the offer down on the ground that only God should be worshipped."

Had he given in to this temptation, what might his response have been when, hanging on the Cross, he heard these words:  "If you are the Son of God, save yourself...?"  If, out in the wilderness, he had established the precedent of using his power for himself, where might it have ended?

Jesus responded to this temptation, as he responed to each of them, by quoting from the Bible, speciffically the book of Deuteronomy.  This Book recorded Moses' final instructions for the People of Israel before they entered the Promised Land.  Had they given proper attention to its teachings, they would have understood how to be God's People in the world.  Jesus turned to it because he was determined to be God's Man.

Jesus's response establishes his priorities.

Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread

alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Jesus is not saying that eating is unimportant:  He would include concern for the hungry as a mark of those who follow him.  He is saying that it is more important to live according to God's will than to be able to sit down for a feast.

Later, Jesus would feed thousands who were so intent on hearing his teachings they forget to bring food.  Yet, he would send away those who began to follow him just for the bread.

Jesus refused to act selfishly because that wasn't God's will for him, a will revealed in the great OT promises about the Messiah.

2.  Satan tempted him to manipulate God.

MT 4:5 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.'* "

    MT 4:7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: `Do not put the Lord

your God to the test.'"

A quick study, this time Satan quotes the Scriptures, Psalm 91, which, by the way, has nothing to do with jumping off tall buildings.  He used, or misused, the Bible to make is seem as if his suggestion had a kind of spiritual authority.  Ever since the church has wisely warned that Satan, false teachers, and deranged fanatics can quote Scripture.

Among the three, this may be the most difficult of the temptations to understand.

Was Satan trying to trick Jesus into committing suicide?  Not likely.

Was Satan tempting Jesus to use sensationalism to draw a crowd rather than the teaching of God's word?  It's not entirely implausible but no mention is made of a watching crowd.

Satan seems to be tempting Jesus to seek tangible confirmatin of God's care, confirmation beyond the simple promises of God's Word.

More than that, his act would have reduced God to doing our bidding.  For this reason, Jesus counters with a Scripture which reflects the respect we should have before God:  "Do not put the Lord your God to the test."

Here’s an explanation from  Robert Stein:  "Jesus recognized the fine line between trusting God for the needs of life and challenging him to rescue him from artificially created dificulties.  The former would be an act of faith, the latter an evil challenge and dare placed before God."

The temptation to seek some tangible proof of God's care is strong, the temptation to manipulate God is stronger.  Our rewponse ought to be simple faith and unwavering awe.

3.  Satan tempted him to take a shortcut, which would circumvent God's plan.

 MT 4:8 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."

    MT 4:10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written:

`Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'* "

This was a no-holds barred match.  Satan offers Jesus a shortcut to a kingdom.  Satan showed offered him a way to fulfill his role as Messiah without the Cross.

The kingdom Satan offerred was not a spiritual kingdom, it was the merely political authority.  While some were looking for a political Redeemer, what the world needed was a spiritual Redeemer.  The world's problems would not be solved by a crossless Christ.

Jesus knew the Cross was ahead of him but he wouldn't bow to Satan.  Again, God's word established the only course opeen to him:  "Worship the Lord your God and serve him only."  Any other choice would lead to failure.

Once again, here’s a comment from Robert Stein:

"At his temptation Jesus settled once and for all the kind of Messiah he would be.  he would not use his messianic powere for his own ends.  Jesus rejected all political concepts of the messiaship...  In stead he would accept the pats of the sufering servant that God had ordained for him.  He would trust God for his daily needs, even as he taught his followers to trust God.  He would experience hunger, hostility, sorrow and frustration like the others.  As he faced the cross he would not use his messianic power to rescue himself."

The story ends with a picture of angels caring for the Victor.  Is is an encourageing vision but somehow we know the Tempter will be back.

OBSERVATIONS

Let me make some observations about this story:

1.  It reminds us that Jesus' ministry involved an assault on the power of darkness. 

2.  In reminds us that doing God's will isn't always the easy way, it's the right way, but not always the easy way.

3.  It reminds us about the real nature of temptation and the path to victory.

Ultimately temptation involves the attempt to seduce us to choose a course other than that which God has directed.  Sin consists in taking that course.

The Jesus who was victorious over the Temptor was a man of the Word, a man of faith, a man of prayer.  He made use of resources every believer has.

4.  It reminds us that when we fail we may turn for forgiveness to one who understands the power of temptation.

B F Westcott wrote:

"Sympathy with the sinner in his trial does not depend on the experience of sin, but on the experience of the strength of the temptation to sin, which only the sinless can know in its full intensity.  He who falls yields before the last strain."

Although Jesus emerged the victor in this conflict he did not taunt his followers for their weaknesses, rather he taught them to pray:  "lead us not into temptation."  Temptation is no trivial matter. 

When we fail, how important to be able to turn to the One who was victorious on our behalf.