The Life of Christ (5)

1. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness Scriptures Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13 Vocabulary Hypostatic Union: This is a term used to describe the fact that Jesus was both God and man. The Life of Christ (5)

2. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Hypostatic Union is a term used to describe the fact that Jesus was both God and man (God-Man). • Jesus was fully human as you and I are, yet He did not have a sin nature. • As a man Jesus could feel hunger, thirst, pain, and temptation. • However, Jesus was also God and could perform miracles, heal people, and know certain things his humanity (the Man) could not otherwise know. • The concept of Kenosis involves the fact that Jesus could not use the power he had as God to help His own humanity (the Man part of Jesus). • All of his miracles were directed at helping others, not Himself. The Life of Christ (5)

3. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • After Jesus’ baptism by John, Jesus was led up by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. • Testing is used to reveal or develop character. In the incarnation at the first advent, Jesus was tempted and could have chosen to sin. • Hebrews 2:17–18 (NASB95) • 17Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation (satisfaction) for the sins of the people. • 18For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. • He was in the wilderness for 40 days and nights without food. • This test would have been hard enough if Jesus had been rested and well fed, but He is now in a weakened condition, which makes any test more difficult. The Life of Christ (5)

4. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • As an angelic being Satan can appear in various forms, not the horned devil depicted in fiction. • 2Corinthians 11:14 (NASB95) • 14No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. • In each of these tests Satan twists certain truths in order to tempt Jesus. • In the first test, the temptation was for Jesus to use His deity in a way inconsistent with the ground rules for the incarnation (the appearing of Jesus at the first Advent); He was tempted to use His deity to provide for Himself. • Jesus, as a man, must trust God for all things, just as believers must do. The Life of Christ (5)

5. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The First Test / Temptation • Satan tries to get Jesus to use His rightful powers (as the Son of God) to provide living grace for Himself for the first temptation. • Matthew 4:2–3 (NASB95) • 2And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. • 3And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” • Luke 4:2-3 (NASB95) • 2for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. • 3And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” The Life of Christ (5)

6. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The First Test / Temptation • Satan tries to get Jesus to use His rightful powers (as the Son of God) to provide living grace for Himself for the first temptation. • Jesus uses the Word of God, Deuteronomy 8:3 to refute (counter) Satan. • Deuteronomy 8:3b (NASB95) • 3bthat man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. • Matthew 4:4 (NASB95) • 4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ” • Luke 4:4 (NASB95) • 4And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’ ” The Life of Christ (5)

7. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Second Test / Temptation • In the second temptation, Satan tries to get Jesus to test God’s promise. • Psalm 91:11-12 indicates that believers can be secure in God’s care for them. • Psalm 91:11–12 (NASB95) • 11For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. • 12They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone. • Satan does not quote the Old Testament accurately and leaves out important parts of the Psalm 91 for his own purpose; he ignores the surrounding context about trusting in God (Ps. 91:2), making the Lord his refuge (a place of shelter or safety); (Ps. 91:9), and loving God. Ps. 91:14 The Life of Christ (5)

8. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Second Test / Temptation • The second temptation involved taking Jesus into Jerusalem and having him stand on the pinnacle (high point) of the temple. • Matthew 4:5–6 (NASB95) • 5Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, • 6and 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, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ” • Luke 4:9–11 (NASB95) • 9And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; • 10for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You to guard You,’ • 11and, ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’ ” The Life of Christ (5)

9. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Second Test / Temptation • The second temptation involved taking Jesus into Jerusalem and having him stand on the pinnacle (high point) of the temple. • Jesus responds again by quoting the WOG, the OT • Deuteronomy 6:16 (NASB95) • 16“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” • Matthew 4:7 (NASB95) • 7Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” • Luke 4:12 (NASB95) • 12And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” • Also involved in this test is the fact that this would be a public display and would prove to the people that He was the Messiah. The Life of Christ (5)

10. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Second Test / Temptation • The second temptation involved taking Jesus into Jerusalem and having him stand on the pinnacle (high point) of the temple. • Jewish writings taught that the Messiah would prove Himself by leaping from the Temple pinnacle. • Satan quotes Psalm 91:11-12, but is suggesting a misapplication of the doctrine. Jesus refutes (counters) him with Deuteronomy 6:16 saying, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” • We learn from this also that believers should not expect God to protect them when they are out of His will. The Life of Christ (5)

11. Herod’s Temple The Life of Christ (5)

12. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Third Test / Temptation • In the third temptation Satan offers Jesus a short cut to achieving the glory that prophecy says will be His. • He takes Him to a very high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. • He tells Jesus “All these things I will give You, if You will fall down and worship me.” • Matthew 4:8–9 (NASB95) • 8Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; • 9and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” • Luke 4:5–7 (NASB95) • 5And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. • 6And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. • 7“Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours.” The Life of Christ (5)

13. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Third Test / Temptation • In the third temptation Satan offers Jesus a short cut to achieving the glory that prophecy says will be His. • Satan, as prince of this world, was within his rights to make this offer. Jn. 12:31 • Had Jesus accepted, He would not have had to die on the cross. • Satan offers the crown (rulershipof the world) without the cross; the price Christ would pay for this is to commit idolatry – going against God’s will and worshiping the Devil • Jesus strongly rebukes Satan by quoting Deuteronomy 6:13 • Deuteronomy 6:13 (NASB95) • 13“You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. The Life of Christ (5)

14. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • The Third Test / Temptation • In the third temptation Satan offers Jesus a short cut to achieving the glory that prophecy says will be His. • Matthew 4:10 (NASB95) • 10Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, andserve Him only.’ ” • Luke 4:8 (NASB95) • 8Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’ ” The Life of Christ (5)

15. The Life of Christ (5) Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness • Jesus strongly rebukes Peter for suggesting He should avoid the cross in Matt. 16:23. • Matthew 16:23 (NASB95) • 23But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” • He also had to deal with wild beasts while in the wilderness. • Mark 1:13 (NASB95) • 13And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him. • After passing these tests Jesus is cared for by angels in a ways that are not explained. • This is not a violation of Kenosis, since it is not provided by His Deity and living grace is provided to all men. The Life of Christ (5)

16. Jesus’ Temptation In The Wilderness 12th century mosaic at St. Mark’s Basilica, Venice, Italy . The Life of Christ (5)