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Temptation of Christ
pastor corner

Dr. Lawrence Butler

The Bridge Church, Pembroke

The temptation of Christ is a subject to which is often referred, but one I have only rarely heard addressed in sermon topic. It is a most enlightening subject where we find revealing information not found elsewhere in scripture. As I pondered this subject I found there were three questions that I needed answered in order to proceed with my study.

How do we know about the 40-day fast and the subsequent temptation? There are basically three methods which could have resulted in this story being included in the three gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). The first is that of a tall tale added by the writers, such as the stories of healing, calming the troubled sea, or feeding 5,000 people.

These have never been disproven and require only faith that Jesus was the real Messiah, one who had the mystical power of God. The second source for this story to be part of the New Testament was by revelation.

However, Matthew and Luke present a different order of the three temptations. No revelation was granted or that would not have happened.

The only real source of information had to come to the disciples by the word of Christ Himself. No doubt they heard the story, with all details provided, from the lips of Christ.

Why did Jesus go up into the mountain? There are examples given in the scriptures where the Spirit of God led people to do certain things. John was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day…” (Rev. 1:10), Ezekiel was lifted up by the spirit for the revealing of sin (Eze.8:3), and Philip was “caught away” by the Spirit to preach elsewhere. We are distinctly told that Jesus was “led by the Spirit” into the wilderness. Mark actually said the “spirit driveth him into the wilderness” (Mark 1:12). The Spirit led the Son of God to follow the will of the Father. Marvelous thought it is that the Spirit will do the same for us.

Why was it necessary for Jesus to experience the temptation? It is here in the wilderness that we first discover the New Testament identification of the source of evil. We are presented the name and personality of evil. The names are Satan, tempter, and the devil. The name devil comes from the Greek word ‘diabolos,’ which means accuser or slanderer. This aligns with what we learned from the book of Job (1).

He works to destroy our faith and our relationship with the Father.

Jesus had to deal with Satan to fully experience human life, to know what fleshly temptation was, and yet remain without sin (Heb. 4:15).

Blessed be our Savior!

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