JD Abshire

The devil had nothing to offer the Lord!

Psalms 50:10 "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills." v. 11 "I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine." v. 12 "If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof."

Let's look at what had happened prior. At the close of Matthew 3 the Lord had just been baptized by John. 
Matthew 4:1 "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil." 1. The testing was initiated by God. We see that the Holy Spirit led him there for the specific purpose of tempting or testing.

4:2 "And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred." 2. He had purposefully fasted 40 days and nights, most certainly at the limit of physical endurance and near starvation. 

I believe the purpose of these temptations or tests was for the authentication, validation and proof of Christ's divine nature and his humanity, that he truly is the "God-man". In John 6:38 he said: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me." 

Why all the suffering? Hebrews 2:17 "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." v.18 "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."

October 10 2014 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

On one level, I can see that it would seem to make no sense for Satan to offer Jesus something that, as God Incarnate, was already His. However, one interpretation of this temptation that I have seen is that Satan was basically offering Jesus the opportunity to "take the easy way out" by gaining the world while avoiding the excruciating suffering and death that Jesus knew His redeeming mission would (and had to) entail ("the crown without the cross", as I have seen this temptation expressed).

Since Jesus was truly human as well as truly God, it seems to me that this was a powerful and real temptation to Jesus' human side (just as the temptation to turn stones into bread was, since He had not eaten for forty days). However, Jesus (as He did with the other two temptations) resisted it by quoting Scripture showing that what Satan was tempting Him to do was directly opposed to God's previously-given commandments, which were (and are) similarly available to all humans in rejecting or resisting Satan's temptations in their own lives.

January 04 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Esther Martinez

Authentication is a great description of the reasons our Lord had to endure a face-to-face with our enemy, immediately after the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. I believe another reason was for an example to us. To teach US how to handle the enemy with the sword of the spirit. Blessed be His name.

April 26 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Danny Hickman Supporter Believer in The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

This is probably THE MOST misunderstood concept of the Christian faith. 

Here's the mystery: How is Jesus being tempted to be understood? He's God; everything is his already, no one can rightly promise him anything that he doesn't already own. He's the giver! He promises! 

That is all true of the Son of God, but not of the Son of Man. The Son of God can't be tempted. The Son of God is above the enticement, the attractive nature of a seduction. The Son of Man wasn't. If the Son of Man had been beyond the power of the allure, there would have been no tempting of which to speak. 

The reason for this kind of question about Jesus being "tempted" is that some of us think being tempted is sinful even if you don't follow through all the way to the immoral act.

Here's the meaning of tempt: to appeal to strongly; to entice or allure to do something; to put (someone) to the test.

For we don't have a priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses (plural), but one who in EVERY RESPECT has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) (emphasis mine)

Jesus was enticed, lured, put to the test to sin in every way that we are, and he kept his cool. He was TEMPTED to sin. 

Tempted doesn't mean 'a desire to sin.' It means the object used to tempt is de•sir•a•ble! If it isn't, if there is no desire on the part of the target, there is no temptation. 

Why would Satan tempt Jesus to turn stone to bread? Because Jesus was desiring something to eat; he was famished! (Matt 4) He wanted something to satisfy his hunger; he had gone without food for over a month (40 days). Jesus was in human form (Philippians 2:8). He was tempted! He was hungry! He was in a tough situation! 

Why did Satan try to tempt Jesus to worship him and be made king of the world? Like this question reminds us, Jesus knew that the kingdoms of the world would someday belong to him without him bowing down to Satan. So how could this proposal be a temptation? (some say this world is under Satan's lordship; Revelation 19:16, John writes that Jesus wears a robe with a name embroidered on his thigh, 'King of kings and Lord of lords'). 

Satan is telling Jesus that he can have what he is in line to receive without having to be sacrificed on a cruel cross. He's saying, 'Why go through the pain and suffering that you know you were sent here to go through? You can have it without the suffering. Of course, you'll belong to me, but I'll give it all to you, and you won't have to be nailed to a cross.' It was very tempting to a tired, hungry and thirsty man. Jesus was the Son of Man! 

If sin isn't tempting (something that is alluring) there is no such thing as temptation. If sin is enticing, then there's no way to avoid its existence, there's only a way to stand strong in its presence.. That is what a tempted Jesus did. He saw the attractive nature of eating when he is supposed to be fasting. He saw the attractive nature of avoiding the Cross and receiving the same kingdom as if he had gone through with his purpose for coming here. 

The temptation Satan proposed for Jesus to jump from the top of the temple has always puzzled me. How is it desirable to jump to your death? It isn't. He was telling him to to do a 'trial run' and check to see if God would keep him (preserve him) until his appointed time to die on the Cross.

Satan was quoting Psalm 91: he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone (Psalm 91:11,12).

I can see how tempting it would be for me to want to know if David's Psalm (song) was trustworthy.
(Here it is) 'What have you got to lose?' If you jump and the angels don't come to your rescue you'll be no worse off.' 

Oh he was surely tempted! What man wouldn't be? How could any man live here in this jungle of sin and not be tempted "in every respect"? And make no mistake about it, Jesus was here in human form! 

That is why he is so amazing!

December 27 2023 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report