Matthew 4:1-11

Victor Porton's sermon

An explanation about Jesus having been tempted by the devil. Gospel of Matthew 4.

Verse 1 Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit, to be tempted by the Devil.

Why the spirit leads to be tempted rather than to avoid having been tempted?

A temptation is a kind of a problem or question than needs to be answered.

A simple example of a temptation: Somebody says you in a email: “Pay me $100 and in ten minutes I will return you $1000.” The proper response is to reject the temptation.

The temptation is any information that may lead to a decision that looks good (you gain $900), but is in fact bad (you lose $100). That’s the definition of a temptation.

Note that a temptation is a kind of a question that needs to be answered.

Many people think, that the more information they receive, the better informed decision they make. But in fact, if there is a temptation in that information, more information may actually lead to poorer decisions.

After overcoming that temptation, you would probably write a manual, how to deal with such email temptations, for other not fall into it, too. Jesus speaking with the devil answered questions that apply not only to that personal situation but also to the future. It is a manual about how to answer to the devil. This is the reason, why Spirit led Jesus to be tempted by the devil. Because a temptation is a kind of a question that needs to be answered, Jesus answered the devil’s questions.

Verse 2 And having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards He hungered.

Jesus should have answered the questions when He was weak, when there was not enough glucose in His brain. That’s because it would not suit, if Jesus overcome the devil by complex philosophical answers, through with long discussions (which He didn’t has the power to settle, because He was hungry). It required short, striking answers, to be applicable to many situations in the future.

Verse 3 And coming near to Him, the Tempter said, If You are the Son of God, speak that these stones may become bread. 4 But answering, He said, It has been written: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word going out of the mouth of God."

The only meaning that I see in these words of Jesus is that we should fit into the plan of God. If Jesus would say this, this would not be in the Father’s plan, and therefore would garble all the life of Jesus. I doubt how to apply these words of Jesus in Christian life practice, especially I don’t know how to apply it to prosperity Gospel. You are not so tightly connected to God the Father, as Jesus is; so we often cannot see when we are deviating from God’s plan and when no. Jesus even told us to ask the Father for food on every day. Probably, this means that we should ask for blessing only based on particular God’s promises (called “word going out of the mouth of God” by Jesus), rather than just saying “bless me”.

Verse 5 Then the Devil takes Him to the holy city, and he set Him on the wing of the temple. 6 And he said to Him, If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it has been written: "He shall give His angels charge concerning You, and they shall bear You on their hands, lest You strike Your foot against a stone." 7 Jesus said to him, Again it has been written: "You shall not tempt the Lord your God."

This simply means that we should do not do experiments with God. In my podcast “Philosophy of Jesus Christ” I explain that God is a time machine and making experiments with a time machine may be dangerous. If Jesus would jump, He would be checking what God does in this situation.

Verse 8 Again the Devil takes Him to a very high mountain, and he showed to Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him. I will give all these things to You if falling down, You will worship me. 10 Then Jesus said to him, Go, Satan! For it has been written: "You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve Him only."

Here the devil discussed with Jesus who of them two will be the leader. Jesus, being God, said that he is sufficed only with the situation when Satan (even unwillingly, because Jesus outsmarts the devil) will serve to Him, not vice versa. The devil requested from Jesus symbolic language of worship falling down, what means that Jesus would proclaim a surrender.

11 Then the Devil left Him. And behold! Angels came near and ministered to Him.

After finishing the temptation, angels fed and cured Jesus after 40 days of hunger. By overcoming the temptation Jesus proved that He is worthy worship of angels.