Matthew 4

The Temptation

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Mt. 4:4)

In this chapter we have the temptation of Jesus. Notice that Christ always answered Satan with scripture; each of his answers are quotes from the Old Testament. My daughter was asking one time why the devil didn’t flee from her when she quoted scripture as she was taught that he would. I had to think on that one for a moment, but it occurred to me that if Jesus had to do it three times before the devil finally let him alone, how often must we quote the Bible before he leaves us? More specifically, how many times must we quote scripture to cause Satan to leave us alone? We need to just keep on reciting scriptures over and over until we chase him off. The only way we will be able to do so, is to eat, sleep and breathe the Word of God. We need to make it our “daily Bread”. As our text verse says, we need to live by it, even as we need bread.

Yes, Jesus was tempted in all points, as we are, but without sin, (Heb. 4:15), and through His suffering, He is able to succor us when we are tempted (Heb. 2:18). The temptation in the wilderness covered three basic areas, which affect our lives, and we find that all sin will fit in these areas somehow. These can be compared to 1 John 2:15, and the “lust of the flesh”, the “lust of the eyes”, and the “pride of life.” To each of these temptations, Jesus had an appropriate answer, and we can too, if we learn the Word of God. The Bible has the answer to all the problems of life; it is a Book of life, or rather, a Book for life. Too often, we suffer in life because we have not searched out the solutions to our problems in the Word of God, and will stumble through our dilemma, hoping it will soon end.
God has the answer. Satan found that out way out in the wilderness when he “bit off more than he could chew” you might say. Jesus gained the victory over the devil there, and later over death itself, which was the ultimate victory for us. He has, indeed, overcome the world, and Satan, and death, and there is no more for us to fear when we abide in Him. Thank God for the victory we have in Christ.