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What the Bible says about Temptation of Jesus Christ
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Genesis 24:50-54

This episode occurs when Abraham sends his most trusted servant to find a wife for Isaac. This story of eating stands in sharp contrast to Esau's satiation of his hunger, as Abraham's servant will allow nothing—not even good food, convivial hospitality, and the persistent appeal of Rebekah's relatives—to deter him from completing his mission. The servant's priorities are firm: His master's delegated responsibility came first!

Of course, so are Jesus' priorities when Satan tempted Him through food, as recorded in Matthew 4 and Luke 4. Somewhat later in His ministry, after His conversation with the woman at the well (John 4), the disciples want Him to eat. He replies that His food is to finish the work His Father gave Him to do (verse 34). He asserts, like Abraham's faithful servant, that sacrifice is in order because His immediate need to gratify His hunger was comparatively unimportant.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Eating: How Good It Is! (Part Two)

Matthew 4:3-4

Satan does not use "if" to cast doubt on Jesus' Sonship, but rather to get Him to reflect on what it meant. Part of what needed to be settled is whether He would give up His birthright as Esau had. Satan suggests to Jesus that, considering who He is, the highly exalted Son of God, He has every right to satisfy His needs regardless of circumstances. Satan appeals to any vanity Jesus might have to provide for Himself first as Esau had without regard to His obligation to others. Jesus' reply is simply, "I must perform My duty to the will of God first."

John W. Ritenbaugh
Eating: How Good It Is! (Part One)

Luke 4:4

In Luke 4:4, Jesus tells the Devil, in response to the first of his temptations, "It is written: 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.'" This is not some general statement that allows us to choose what we will and will not obey, but a requirement for each of us, to the best of our ability, to follow every word of God in living our lives before Him. To do this takes real faith. God has given us "the way of righteousness," a revelation this world just cannot comprehend, and He is looking for evidence that we not only assent to it but are also living it.

It is the works of obedience that change us, that reflect that we are striving to live as God lives. This is what God counts as proper evidence of our faith. In James 2:17, 20, 26, the apostle informs us that, without works, our faith is dead, and these works are defined as putting into practice the instructions of God in our lives, just as Abraham did on Mount Moriah (Genesis 22:2-12).

When God saw Abraham's obedience to His instructions, He said, "Now I know that you fear Me!" As hard as it is for us to measure up to what Abraham did in being willing to sacrifice his only son in obedience to God's command, God should be able to say this about each one of us. Do we have the faith to live by every word of God?

Humbling ourselves in obedience—especially when it hurts—makes a powerful statement to God.

John O. Reid
Will Christ Find Faith?


 




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