Matthew 4:1-11 - Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."
Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written:
" 'He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"
Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"
Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
First, I think it's important to note (and this often is glossed over or completely overlooked) that Satan tempted Jesus for 40 days -- not just 3 times on the 40th day. (Mark and Luke make this fact clearer.)
I wonder if Satan really thought Jesus would give in to any of his temptations. Maybe he thought he could wear him down by trying over and over again for 40 days. Who knows how many times he tried! Perhaps hundreds or thousands of times.
Not much different than some of the temptations we experience over and over again, is it?
Jesus Christ is universally relevant today as in times past as the Lessons Taught by Him during his Life and Times are so touching and materially sensitive to the Pysche of Human Beings !He has suprior moral principles to teach us all and he did them by examples !!!! Every Example of His is like saying "This is the Day That The Lord Has Made ! "
ReplyDeleteGerald Heng Sr. Metrowest Boston,MA.USA.
The Lessons of Jesus Christ Super Star of His Life and Times are universally material and morally applicable to the present and in times past. A Great Teacher of Morality Lessons he has done them by Examples that enlightened the world as each Example is like saying " This Is The Day That The Lord has Made Let Us Rejoice In It ! " What Love and Grace he brought to a troubled and spiritually desolate world !
ReplyDeleteGerald Heng Sr.
Metrowest Boston,MA. USA.
this is overlooked but i see a much deeper secret of the devil revealed here that has been happening ever since the devil was cast down... read on.
ReplyDeleteAgain, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
God didn't make this world we see now. when the devil was cast down to earth he made it his kingdom. the devil wants to be like or better than God. yet he doesn't have that kind of power to basically create something out of nothing. but he does have the power to create something out of what is already there by way of manipulation. this system we are in now. the norm. the way of life. is wrong. all these wire's in the sky, buildings, the roads etcetera etcetera our society. this is the work of the devil taking Gods very own creation and creating it into another form and understanding. thats why when the devil showed jesus the "kingdoms of the world and their splendor" saying all this i give you. he wasn't kidding. Materialism fancy cars fancy houses forest being knocked down and farms destroyed and cities and railroads replaced is exactly the devils plan. eventually i see the world as we know it coming to an end. a purification process of some sort will take place. and by this happening a lot of people are going to shout where is your God now and ha told you it was all fake. but i'll tell you this. just because the world goes through this doesn't mean jesus still won't come afterwords. the church wants their revival in these major cities. well get out of the kingdom of the world and the splendor of it. take them their. you'll see your revival.
Here is what I see about the temptation:
ReplyDelete1. Bread (food); the thing we need to consume in life. Yes Jesus can change it to bread if He wants to, if He only care for his hunger. can you imagine what people would do for food?
2. Power & Wealth; the thing we also look in this life, this is kingdom of the devil kingdom of this world. but Jesus always look at His Father kingdom of Heaven. He does not need what this world/ the devil offered. But most people still looking for success, fame and fortune.
3. The Son of God; if He jump, He doesn't need angels...He die and yet risen from the grave..
from all this temptation, all leads to one point, the devil tried to make Jesus denies who He is..
God is Love, Jesus came to us to teach about who is God, God who creates human in the image of God and 1 Corinthians 13 told us about what Love is = God = Jesus.
so the devil tried to make Jesus out of the image, including us.. we are His Children, if we from God, we do what God had done first for us.. Giving His Love for us
May the Love of God always upon us and May we all be the true God Image, Amen.
Shalom,
Patrick