Jesus’ Defense

We read about Jesus’ temptations in verses 1-11. What I find remarkable is that each time the devil suggests that Jesus sin, Jesus replies with Scripture.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written,

‘One does not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying 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 dash your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is 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; and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God,
    and serve only him.’”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

Job 1:6-12

God makes a bet with the devil!

Luke 4:13

When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time (NRSV).

Jesus’ Temptation

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’”

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”

The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down from here. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you
to guard you carefully;
they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Jesus answered, “It is said: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time (Luke 4:1-13, The Voice).

I find it interesting that Jesus uses Scripture to counter the devil’s offers, even when the devil uses Scripture.

Outline of Luke 4

1. 40 Days in the Wilderness
2. The 3 Temptations of Christ by the Devil
3. I Canz Haz Isaiah? Iz Meeeee!
4. Jesus Insults the Locals: God blessed a Sidonian and a Syrian
5. Jesus Heals in Capernaum: A demon-possessed guy and Simon Peter’s mom
6. Jesus On the Road Again

Luke sure packs a lot of action into each of these first few chapters!