Musick-al note # 62
After his baptism (to fulfill all righteousness Matthew 3:15) Jesus was led into the wilderness where for forty days of fasting, he endured the temptations of Satan. He was tempted to use his power to turn stone to bread (Luke 4:3), become a great king to rule over all the nations of the world (Luke 4:5-6) and to exalt himself before men by doing a remarkable feat (Luke 4:9-11). Jesus countered each of these by using the Scriptures as his shield. Even when Satan used Scripture to tempt Jesus, he had the far greater Word of God as truth to guide him. How great were the temptations that he overcame. Feed your physical body, the world at your feet and being esteemed by man because of his powers would all fill the desires of man to fill the stomach, have great authority before mankind and to be looked upon with awe. Jesus, however, had greater desires than those of mortal man for his sustenance was the Word of God, being submissive to the Lord God in all things as his desire was to save mankind from sin and be the servant of all.
We should remember that Satan never stopped tempting Christ Jesus after those 40 days for the Scripture stated that Satan left ‘until an opportune time’ (Luke 4:13). There were undoubtedly many ‘opportune’ times that Jesus could have taken a ‘short-cut’, but most outstanding was in the garden when he prayed ‘if it is possible, let this cup pass, nevertheless, not my will but Thine be done’ and on the Cross of Calvary when the Pharisees said, ‘Come down from the cross and we will believe’. Facing death was not easy for Jesus but he looked beyond the Cross to the joy of saving man through his death (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus did not lack confidence in God’s care and concern so he did not consider Satan’s proposals for every one of them would end with separation from God. To gain the whole world and lose one’s soul leaves nothing to give in exchange for the soul that follows Satan (Mark 8:34-38). We must follow Jesus example and place all our trust and lives by believing in the Lord God as we do His will.
Gordon Musick
Musick-al Notes 