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Temptations, the Lord's

Morrish Bible Dictionary

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Besides the general temptations alluded to in Hebrews 4:15 , there were three special and typical temptations to which the Lord was subjected. He met these temptations as a dependent man by the word of God, to which Satan has no reply. That the Lord met Satan in the relation in which, as man, He stood to Israel and man, is confirmed by the temptations being omitted from John's Gospel, in which the Lord is contemplated more as Son of God; for GOD cannot be tempted of evil. James 1:13 .

The first temptation was to leave the path of dependence. To make stones into bread to satisfy His hunger would not have been waiting on God: man's true path is to live by every word of God, to be dependent upon Him in his circumstances. The first temptation is remarkable, as showing that Satan knew whom he was addressing, or he would not have suggested so striking a miracle as making stones into bread.

The second temptation was to prove God's faithfulness to His word by Christ casting Himself down from a height, because there was a promise that the angels would bear Him up. Satan quoted this scripture, but omitted the important part that the angels had charge over Him to keep Him in all His ways. Psalm 91:11,12 . The temptation was for Him to go out of His way, which would have been putting God to the test, or tempting Him

The third temptation was the offer to the Lord of all the glory of the world if He would do homage to Satan. In this he is discovered as Satan. Christ shows that God only is to be worshipped, and bids Satan to depart. All the kingdoms of the earth will be Christ's in God's own time, for which the Lord is waiting. With man, how many have, alas! paid homage to Satan in some way for scraps of worldly glory or earthly possessions!

It will be noticed that the Lord in answering Satan (in each case with 'It is written') quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy, a book in which Israel is contemplated as on the point of entering the land of promise. The same weapon is for the use of the Christian, and is called 'the sword of the Spirit:' it is also said, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." In Luke's Gospel the temptations are arranged in their moral order, the second temptation in Matthew being the last in Luke.