Series on Luke
II The Identification
I The Burden Acknowledged
Text: 4:1-13
Introduction
We should make four important observations initially. First, this temptation occurs immediately after Jesus’ baptism. The baptism is his commitment to the work that he came to do, which is to seek and save that which was lost. The temptations, therefore are an attack on his calling and mission. In other words we may not assume that Jesus was not tempted before now. Hebrews 2:17 and 18 says, For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted, and we read in Hebrews 4:14 and 15, Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 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. These Scriptures remind us that Jesus was tempted all of His life, as a child, a youth, and a full grown man. Secondly we should get rid of any perverse notion that Jesus’ temptations were not real. Many times people assume that since Jesus was sinless, it was not hard for Him to resist. But not only was it hard for Him, it was harder for Him because He was sinless. The commentator, Plummer, reminds us, “A righteous man, whose will never falters for a minute, may feel the attractiveness of the temptation more keenly than the weak man who succumbs; the weak man gives way before perceiving the full attraction of the temptation, but the righteous man who perseveres feels the full force of the solicitation.” Thirdly, owing to the fact that Jesus was sinless, all his temptations had to come from the outside whereas our temptations often come from within because of our fallen nature and our past sinful experiences. However as we have already seen, this does not make the temptation easier to bear, but in fact makes it harder. Lastly, observe the scene of this temptation in verses 1 and 2, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry. Notice the contrast between the first Adam’s environment and that of the last Adam. The first Adam was in a paradise, a beautiful garden of delight. The last Adam was in a barren desert. The first Adam had the right to eat of the abundance of the garden, except for one forbidden tree and is full. The last Adam does not eat for forty days because the spiritual struggle is so intense that he must fast and pray constantly and He is empty. The first Adam was tempted once. The last Adam was tempted repeatedly as we read, for forty days he was tempted by the devil. Now as we consider the three individual temptations that are recorded in our text we should see that they are about Jesus’ conduct of His mission. They have to do with what He should seek; seek sustenance, seek success, seek spotlights.
I Seeking Sustenance
The first temptation is in verses 3 and 4, The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone.’” Jesus is hungry by choice. He is hungry because he is in a tremendous battle with the forces of darkness and He cannot let down His guard for a minute. He is fasting to focus His attention on the will of the Father. The implication is that he does not need to deprive Himself. But every winning battle against temptation requires sacrifice and self-discipline. The devil says, If you are the Son of God. God said He was His beloved son at His baptism, but now he is suffering and susceptible to doubt. If you really are the Son of God, then why are you so hungry? The privation of Jesus is training. He learned obedience by the things which he suffered, Hebrews 5:8, Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. If He cannot endure this sacrifice, how will be able to persevere to the cross and the ultimate deprivation? Later he would teach his disciples not to be anxious about their lives. God feeds the birds of the air. But we just keep accumulating things to keep us safe and comfortable, don’t we? Jesus trusted the Father. Matthew records a fact that Luke does not in 4:11, Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. God, the Father was caring for Him and as soon as the devil left the angels came to feed Him. Satan fails because Jesus has meat to eat that is His because the Bible says, Man does not live on bread alone. Jesus’ meat is to do the will of the one who sent Him.
II Seeking Success
The second temptation is found in verses 5-8, The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 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. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’” Thus the devil suggests to Jesus that the end justifies the means. In other words, if your ambition is a worthy one, it is OK to break the rules. Scientists do it, politicians do it, business men do it, and sadly we all do it. It is not surprising that Satan offers this alternative. It is the way in which the liar from the beginning rules in this fearful fallen world, and he does rule. Three times in the gospel of John Jesus refers to Satan as the “Prince of this world,” in 12:31, 14;30, and 16:11. Of course he rules in the hearts of sinful unrepentant men by the permission of God. He gained this authority when he defeated the first man God has created. Now God has sent as second Adam and Satan is bent on bringing the last Adam under his rule. He fails because he demands that he be worshiped and the Bible says, Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.
III Seeking Spotlights
The final temptation in Luke is in verses 9-13, The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written: ”‘He will command his angels concerning you to guard you carefully; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered, “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. Now the ploy of Satan here is to get Jesus to do a wonder or miracle that will demonstrate His power, and thus attract the multitudes to Him for the wrong reason. You see, we live in a world where people worship heroes. But even Satan is capable of lying wonders, and people’s lives are not changed by miraculous works. False prophets as well as charismatic leaders attempt to keep people in their thrall by alleged miracles. These wonders are not from God. There are people who will not worship at a church unless there are “miracles” in the services and meetings. The believers in Corinth in the New Testament were like this. Paul’s whole point in I Corinthians 12-14 is that love is a greater gift than the working of miracles. Even during Jesus’ ministry many people followed Him because of His miraculous works, but they did not believe His words and they declined his call to discipleship. Fame may gather large crowds, but it is fleeting and it does not bring repentance and faith in a crucified Savior. Jesus’ greatest work was His atoning death and resurrection, and He said that His generation sought after signs (miracles, wonders) but no sign would be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah. The crowd wanted a sign that would show His great power and would justify their false believe that the Messiah had come to conquer the nations and physically restore Israel to preeminence. That was not his plan, and so Paul says in I Corinthians 1:23 that the gospel of Christ crucified is a “stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.”
Conclusion
And so in this passage we learn much about our Lord’s obedience, and Satan’s strategy, but we learn something else. We learn how Jesus, Himself, resisted temptation. He did it by fasting and prayer, that is, by self denial, but also by the Word of the living God. It was by a life lived in the Word that He was strengthened to resist. He was listening to His Father. So can we.
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