The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness

[Guest shiloh357]

In my younger years, I had always read the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness and wondered to myself, was Jesus actually “tempted?”   Did He feel the same “tug” of temptation that we feel?  Or was it the case that Satan was “tempting” Jesus but Jesus being the Son of God was unable to be tempted with something so mundane as turning stones into bread.

 

But if Jesus didn’t feel tempted, then what’s the point o f the Bible saying “He was tempted in all ways like us, yet was without sin?”   Temptation doesn’t really mean anything unless you really do feel it.   So Jesus had to feel that “tug” of temptation.  He had to have been truly tempted.   So what were the temptations?  Were they simply temptations to get Jesus to misuse His power as the Son of God?  Or was there something more important behind the actual temptations?  What was the temptation Satan was trying to employ against Jesus.   Let’s look at the first temptation  just for starters. 

 

And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Mat 4:3)

 

What would have been sinful about Jesus turning stones into bread?  Is there anything inherently wrong with that?   What was Satan’s real motivation?

[firestormx]

I don't know if I can put this into the right words, but I have always believed it would have been wrong because of the motivation or reason behind it. " If thou be the son of God "   It's a test it's tempting him which would be a transgression of the word, you don't tempt God. If he would have changed the stones into bread then, it like he would have been saying I am the son of God and I'll do this to prove it. You don't tempt God. I hope that's clear about what I'm trying to say.

Edited June 8, 2014 by firestormx

[Bible_Gazer]

I think the wilderness was an example for us to always rely on the word of God at our weakest point as did Jesus.(in the body)

Jesus wasn't weak mentally but his body may have been at its weakest point before your lose your mind.

 

Temptation is also a test, not always tempted inside but from the outside influence. - the devil

I don't think Jesus had the lust of flesh as mention in Gal.5

 

Turning the stone to bread - you might read Deut.8:1-3

Jesus faith was in God providing life and not in himself or others.

[Guest shiloh357]

I don't know if I can put this into the right words, but I have always believed it would have been wrong because of the motivation or reason behind it. " If thou be the son of God "   It's a test it's tempting him which would be a transgression of the word, you don't tempt God. If he would have changed the stones into bread then, it like he would have been saying I am the son of God and I'll do this to prove it. You don't tempt God. I hope that's clear about what I'm trying to say.

You have hit on something really important.  And you are correct.   Jesus had just come off of a baptism 40 days prior where the voice of the Lord came down and said, "This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased."  

 

So the temptation begins with "if thou be the Son of God..."   Satan was trying to get Jesus to doubt His Father's testimony. This is where the temptation really lies.  It was a temptation to question the express word of God hidden under a concern for Jesus' physical hunger.  It was not a temptation to misuse his power.  Jesus' quotation from Deut. 8  shows that it was a temptation to doubt God's Word by putting it to the test.

[Guest shiloh357]

If Satan can get us to take our eyes of of the Scriptures and to doubt what God's Word says to us, he can get us to fill that vacuum with doubt and fear.  Doubt and fear are spiritually paralyzing.  He gets into the flesh where we live never really able to live by faith but always living in fear and worry.  Worry is a sin.  Worry is a failure to trust God and to put our confidence in the wrong things.  When we worry and try to fix our problems ourselves we doubt God's word, we are challenging His integrity and we are placing self on  the throne of our hearts.

 

The first temptation in the Garden of Eden was rooted in Satan trying to get Eve to doubt God's Word.  "Hath God said....?  It was a failure to trust God's Word that led to the sin that ruined the world.   Trusting the truth and integrity of God's Word is vital to our well being.

[Inchrist1]

In the garden Adam and Eve were tempted by the Serpent and failed. Jesus the new Adam was tempted by the same serpent and succeeded. Through the old Adam we are spiritually dead and separated from God. The new Adam gives us life and fellowship with the Father.

"Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:45-49 ESV)"

Exodus is another "type and Shadow" that points to Jesus. The spiritual rock that Moses struck represented Christ. Also the serpent being lifted up represents salvation in Christ. The Jews in Exodus wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because they disobeyed God. Jesus was tempted in the Desert for 40 days and obeyed the Father perfectly.

"and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10:4, 5 ESV)"

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. (John 3:14, 15 ESV)"

This may be wrong in some parts so please correct me.

Paging Qnts2

Edited June 8, 2014 by Inchrist1

[other one]

I'm not in a position to look up and quote all the scripture, but my thoughts go along this line. 

We are told that Jesus existed in the form of God before he set that aside and was incarnated into a man.

We are told by Jesus that none of the supernatural things that people were seeing were from him personally, but from the Father.....  

I think Satan was trying to get him to use his innate powers that might have disqualified him as the lamb.

 

I personally don't think Jesus used any of the powers that were available to him other than what the Father did through him.   It takes many many scriptures together to come to that conclusion.

[Inchrist1]

Amen other one!

We can find foreshadows of Jesus throughout the OT. It all points to Jesus.

[Cross Reference]

Temptation cannot ever be temptation unless there is the possibility of failure. __ Jesus wa stempted.

[enoob57]

Temptation is referenced in us who have fallen but not to God- Who has shown to us in every temptation we have had and succumbed to

He did not!!! This was so the redeemed  can enter intimately with Him in prayer over their weaknesses  but also  condemnation to those

seeking excuse to continue in their sin...

James 1:13

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God

cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

KJV

 

Love, Steven

Edited June 12, 2014 by enoob57