Study 9. Luke 4:1-15

11. One purpose of Jesus' baptism was that He might identify fully with man. How did His temptation fulfill a similar purpose (see Hebrews 2:18; 4:15)?

 

To suffer in his humanity, as humans suffer. 

To sympathise with our weaknesses.

 

In a sense, Jesus was unable to sin, or the plan of redemption of God would have failed. But He had a human nature that was fully subject to the chance of falling into temptation. In His sinlessness He bore the full force of the temptation because He did not give way to it. We do not feel a struggle against sin if we continually give in to it, just like we will never feel the weight of a load if we let it drop the moment it is placed on us.

12. a. In all three temptations, Satan intended to entice Jesus to grasp by His own power what the Father planned to give in His own time (see Phil 2:6-9). In what specific area was Jesus asked to disobey His Father in each of the three temptations?

4:3-4    Physical need (hunger)

4:5-8    Worldly power and glory

4:9-12  Abuse of status (safety due to angelic protection)

What is the strategy Satan uses to tempt Jesus (and to tempt us)?

1. He uses the truth, but not the whole truth. Truths are not put in proper context
2. He encourages us to think of how special we are and how we don't have to follow the rules - to presume on our position as children of God. Jesus here continues to represent all of humanity in refusing 'special treatment' as the unique Son of God.
   

 b. Are you tempted to grasp at anything that God would give by grace in his own time? or are you facing some other temptation? Ask God to show you one particular area of temptation, and then describe it.

13 a. What equipment did Jesus use to defend Himself against temptation (see (4:1, 8, 12)

Scripture "It is written". Jesus quotes Deuteronomy (8:3, 6:13, 16), alluding to His standing in the place of disobedient Israel in their wilderness wandering for 40 years.

Note that Satan also quoted Scripture (v.10-11) 

 

It is also worth meditating about what Jesus means when He says that we "shall not put the Lord your God to the test". How does this gel with Gideon's fleece (Jdg 6) or what God says in Malachi 3:10?

The original test of the Israelites was at Massah (Ex 17:7), where they said, "Is the LORD among us or not?). It is a faithless, cynical questioning of God's reality and presence. Ps 95:9 ("when your fathers put me to the test, and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work") uses 2 roughly interchangable Hebrew words used for 'test'.

b. Did the Son of God use any weapons against temptation that are unavailable to us? What are the implications of this fact for us?

We too, have the resources of Scriptural truth at our disposal. Jesus did have a perfect mind though…

14. How could you apply Jesus' weapons against the temptation you described in question 12b?

15 a. In summary, what does 3:1 - 4:13 reveal about the content of good news (John's message and Jesus' identity, mission and character? (See 3:3-6, 6:22, 38; 4:4, 8, 12)

• John's message is to prepare the way for Jesus, through whom the salvation of God comes.
• Judgment is coming
• Repentance is necessary
• Jesus is the Son of God
• Available to everyone, regardless of occupation or ethnicity.
• Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire

b. How would you summarise the way this section encourages us to respond to the good news? (See 3:8, 11-14; 4:4, 8, 12)

Respond urgently

Do your present jobs rightly

Repent in practical ways: share what we have, even basic possessions

Devote ourselves to the Word of God

Worship the Lord

Do not put God to the test

For thought and discussion

What conclusions about temptation in our own lives can we draw from the facts that Jesus was tempted by the Devll...

a. while He was being led by the Spirit (see 4:1-2)

 Fullness of the Spirit does sometimes mean His guidance into situations of difficulty when our faith is tested.

b.while He was fasting and praying in preparation for His ministry (see 4:14-15)

 Satan will try to prevent us from engaging in frutiful minisry.

 

In the temptation of Jesus, the Saviour both fulfills another crucial step on the way to completing His mission and gives us an example of dealing with temptation. How did Jesus reveal Himself to us in the temptation? How did He set an example for us?

He is also human and weak physically. He understands our struggle with sin and Satan. He triumphs over both and teaches us how we too can triumph.

For further study

Compare Paul's definition of justice in Romans 13:7 ("Give to everyone what you owe them") to what John proclaimed. How does this apply to you? How are you tempted to take more than you deserve in your work?

"Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.⁸ Owe no one anything, except to love each other" (Rom 13:7-8). Love is an ongoing responsibiity/debt we cannot finish repaying.So we are to always treat people as we would treat ourselves.