The Temptation of Christ - Matthew 4:1-16

ANALYSIS
In Matthew 4:1-11 we see the story of Jesus being tempted by the devil. The passage starts out by making a significant comment about Jesus’ humanity which is important for proper understanding of the rest of the passage. Verse 2 says that after his forty day fast, Jesus was hungry. Although a short clause, easily missed on a surface read, this statement is significant because it shows that although Christ was, and is, God- he was also truly human. And as a human, he experienced many of the same limitations that we face. Jesus needed to eat. Jesus was truly “born in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:7)
The main scene in this passage is the battle between Christ and Satan, between the rightful King and the usurper. We see Christ tempted three times. On all three occasions, in different ways, we see Satan challenging Jesus’ deity, the deity which HE had laid down.
In taking on the likeness of men, he became susceptible to hunger. Thus, in the first temptation, we see Satan attempting to use Jesus’ hunger against him. “Command these stones to become loaves of bread,” Satan says, “if you are the Son of God.” Satan plays off of John the Baptist’s statement in the previous passage, “God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” It is as if Satan is saying, “If you really are God and can turn stones into children, then why don’t you at least turn these stones into bread?” Jesus responds with Scripture. Second, Satan brings him to the top of the temple and says, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down” and angels will stop your fall. Jesus again responds with Scripture. Finally, Satan brings Jesus to a high mountain over looking all the kingdoms of the world. Satan says that all the kingdoms in the world could be Jesus if He would just worship Satan. Christ responds one last time, again with Scripture, telling Satan to be gone. After this series of temptations had passed Jesus heard that John the Baptist had been arrested and he went to live in Capernaum. This fulfilled prophesy made by Isaiah.

RESPONSE
In this passage we see Christ give an example for dealing with temptation. Since it is our goal as Christians to become more like Christ each day, we would do well to follow his lead. In each instance the temptation is overcome by the Word of God. When Jesus is tried he immediately has the Scripture at hand to refute the temptation. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” When I am struggling with sin, I need to remember that one effective means of combating that lust is to internalize Scripture dealing with that particular sin. The Word of God is called the Sword of the Spirit, and by it we can dismember and put to death the many attacks of the devil and deeds of our flesh.