JESUS OVERCOMES TEMPTATION'S POWER

Passage: Matthew 4:1-11

Key verse: 4

NIV

Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness(A)

4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a](B) by the devil.(C) 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights,(D) he was hungry. 3 The tempter(E) came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God,(F) tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]”(G)

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city(H) and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,”(I) 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.’[c]”(J)

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]”(K)

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan!(L) For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[e]”(M)

11 Then the devil left him,(N) and angels came and attended him.(O)

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 4:1 The Greek for tempted can also mean tested.
  2. Matthew 4:4 Deut. 8:3
  3. Matthew 4:6 Psalm 91:11,12
  4. Matthew 4:7 Deut. 6:16
  5. Matthew 4:10 Deut. 6:13
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Temptation of Jesus

4 (A)Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness (B)to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting (C)forty days and forty nights, he (D)was hungry. 3 And (E)the tempter came and said to him, “If you are (F)the Son of God, command (G)these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, (H)“It is written,

(I)“‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 (J)Then the devil took him to (K)the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,

(L)“‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
    lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus said to him, “Again (M)it is written, (N)‘You shall not (O)put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8 (P)Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, (Q)Satan! For (R)it is written,

(S)“‘You shall worship the Lord your God
    and (T)him only shall you serve.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and behold, (U)angels came and were ministering to him.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

First, Jesus' fasting and first temptation (1-4)

At the beginning of his ministry, Jesus had to face severe temptation by the devil. The devil tried to tempt him first with hunger, knowing that Jesus had been fasting for 4

days. Jesus refused the temptation to turn stones into bread by Scripture, 'Man shall not live on bread alone' (Deut 8:3). Jesus held on to the truth that our life is spiritual and not just physical.

Second, Jesus resists temptations of earthly glory (5-11)

Next, the devil tempted Jesus to prove his divine identity by jumping off the temple's highest point. Then he promised Jesus all the world's wealth in exchange for worship. Jesus answered both temptations with Scripture as well. The devil tempted Jesus with all types of temptations: physical desires, pride, and greed. Jesus succeeded against temptation and showed that he is qualified to save us from the devil.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the victory you won over sin for us. Help me learn from Jesus' example how to overcome many kinds of temptations.

One Word: Temptation can be overcome in Jesus