Scripture: Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'” Matthew 4:5-7 ESV
Observation: Jesus resisted the first temptation of satiating his hunger pains and breaking his forty-day fast by utilizing Scripture, our sword of the Spirit (yesterday’s Daily Focus). Here, Satan again misuses Scripture (Psalm 91:11-12) to attempt to seduce Christ to sin by making a spectacle of himself that would prove he is the Son of God. Most scholars attribute this psalm to Moses (collected by David), with its dating associated with completing the tabernacle. Moses likely directed this beautiful psalm of refuge in God to all of Israel to encourage them to press on under Yahweh’s protection to their Promised Land. So while it may have a prophetic voice for the future Messiah, Satan nevertheless iesegetes these two verses (interprets its meaning to support his purposes).
Of note, Matthew tells us that the devil “took him… and set him” (v.5 above). The notion that Satan could transport Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple or a mountain (third temptation) where Christ could see “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” (v.8) again raises the question of whether Jesus encountered the devil through an out-of-body vision or whether the devil teleported Jesus. Leaning toward the former, Paul tells the Corinthian church how God drew him into the third heaven (paradise), where he experienced a revelation. He adds that he knows not whether the supernatural event transpired in his bodily form or out of the body. Like Jesus’ test, Paul notes that God permitted “a messenger of Satan” to harass him. And he, too, proved up for the test that prepared him for ministry—learning that Christ’s grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:2-10).
Takeaway: Having already resisted the temptation to circumvent the suffering of hunger pains (that would serve to prepare him for his ultimate endurance of suffering when bearing a cross), Jesus, without hesitation, rebuffs the devil by once again thrusting the sword of the Spirit (Scripture) at his accuser. Quoting Deuteronomy 6:16 regarding not putting the Lord to the test, Christ foils Satan’s scheme. And again, the devil seemingly ignores Jesus’ response and immediately presents his third and last temptation of this wilderness trial (for tomorrow’s Daily Focus).
The context of Jesus’ quote of Moses’ admonishment to Israel was the historical event at Massah (which means “testing” in Hebrew) when the people grumbled about not having a sufficient water supply. Following the Lord’s instructions, Moses struck a monolith, and water miraculously gushed from it (Exodus 17:1-8). So Moses reminds the next generation as they prepare to take possession of the Promise Land to diligently keep the Lord’s commandments and resultantly thrust out all their enemies before them (Deuteronomy 6:17-19). And in our story, Jesus does the same.
So what’s our takeaway? First, never set down the sword of the Spirit. If we wish to resist Satan’s temptations and those of a godless world that unwittingly serves the devil’s purposes, then we must become not only students of God’s Word but doers. But the first step is to read, mark, and digest Scripture to the degree that it naturally flows out of us, informs our concerns, and guides our decisions—particularly in moments when seconds matter. Secondly, and more to the point of this temptation, we need to become self-aware of our motives. It’s easy to succumb to rationalizations that pander to our egos—to show off our faith in God to others. Instead, we will do well to quietly and humbly exercise our faith in a manner that brings glory to the Father and makes much about his Son. After all, as Paul reminds us, our faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8).
Prayer: Father God, thank you for not sparing your Son for our sake. Yet, while Satan bruised his heel, Christ bruised his head (Genesis 3:15). Still, knowing that for now the devil still tempts and harasses, would you please help us to resist him with your sword of the Spirit and refrain from making a spectacle of ourselves and instead make much of your Son? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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