The Supreme Test

• If Jesus fails His test, it will affect every person who wants to be saved; His loss becomes our loss

• This makes Mt.4:1-11 the supreme test

II The Context The Context (Mt.4:1-11)(Mt.4:1-11)

• Wilderness (1)– Recalls experience of Israel, Dt.8:2

• Tempted. To test; used in three ways:

1. Try, attemptTry, attempt, Ac.9:26

2. Try, testTry, test, Jn.6:6 (goodgood sense)

3. Try, testTry, test, Mt.19:3; 22:18 (badbad sense)

• Lk.11:21-22, the Stronger One wins

Mt.4:2

• Lk.4:2 –

– Tempted for whole period

– These must have come at close of the 40 days when . . .

• His hunger was greatest • His resistance was lowest

• These were not isolated attempts to ruin Jesus (Lk.22:28)

Mt.4:3-4

• 3, Came (temptation from the outside)

– If (since, Mt.3:17; repeated in 27:40)

• “Use your powers for own ends”

– Adam failed food test in paradise

• Test of Sonship for . . .

– satan: provisions for body

– Jesus: obedience, trust in Father (4)

Mt.4:4

• Dt.8:1-5

– As God tested Israel, so He tested Jesus, the true Israel

• “Man” = how He bore the temptation; He is our example

Could Jesus work a miracle to satisfy His hunger?

• Mt.14; 15

• He lives on every word…

– He relies on His Father, not His miraculous power, for food

• “God will support My needs in His own way; the lower life is nothing compared w. the higher”

Mt.4:5-6

• 5, took Him (cf. 8) – Highest point of Temple is either SE

corner (450 ft. drop to Kidron Valley), or pinnacle of temple proper

• 6, first temptation: let a miracle rescue you from existing danger

– Here: court needless danger to be rescued by miracle

– Test God’s faithfulness; win the people by might, not right

Satan’s strategy• Throw Yourself… Satan tempts; he

cannot make us sin – Satan suggests; Jesus does not

consent• Satan misuses Ps.91:11-12

– Angels guard the feet of those who walk in path of duty

• Satan omits “in all your ways” (Ps.91:11)

Mt.4:7

• Refers to Massah (Dt.6:16; Ex.17:2-7)

• “Is the Lord among us or not?”

• False trust is no better than distrust

• Isolated texts may be misleading– Satan implies that it is impossible to

put too much trust in God

– Jesus shows that testing God is not trusting Him

Mt.4:8

• No literal mountain shows all kingdoms of world (cf. Dt.34:1-4)

• If satan, from a mountain, could show Him all kingdoms, he could do same from desert

– Ezekiel 8:1-3; 11:24

• Lk.4:5

– In an instant, simultaneously

Mt.4:9

• Jn.6:15, the same temptation: obtain crown w/o cross

• Prince of this world (Jn.12:31) claims control of earthly thrones. 2 Co.4:4; Rv.13:2

• First temptation is desire for food; this is desire for rule

– Both are legitimate desires for the Messiah

Mt.4:10-11• 10, He would not fulfill His mission by

compromising w. satan, Jn.14:30 – Dt.6:10-16 in context – Jesus the village Carpenter could

occupy the throne of the world (this was His mission: Dn.7:14; Mt.28:18)

• 11: Lk.4:13 – – Ended every temptation– Satan left Him until an opportune

time – Mt.16:23; Jn.14:30

IIII ApplicationsApplicationsA. Jesus had no inward desire or

inclination to sin – These in themselves are sin. Ja.1:14

B. Hb.2:18 and 4:15 prove three things:

1. Temptations were real; more severe than any we could experience

2. He successfully resisted them and remained unstained by them (2 Co.5:21)

3. His temptations assure us of His sympathy

– “Sympathy w. the sinner in his trial does not depend on the experience of sin, but on the experience of the strength of the temptation to sin, which only the sinless can know in its full intensity. He who falls yields before the last strain”

– “But I’m only a man!” • Jesus also was a Man • Does this justifies sin?

C. He defeated satan with a weapon that everyone has

– Ep.6:17 D. He was tempted as:

– Son of man, representative of humanity

– Second Adam– Son of Abraham (Mt.2:15; Ho.11:1) – True Messiah

E. By not falling for satan’s tempta-tions, Jesus received blessings that satan offered, with God’s approval

IIIIII Lessons1. Concern1. Concern

– Mk.1:12 connects this to His baptism

– He who most closely follows God will be most closely followed by satan

– A verse a day keeps temptation away

• False! We will never rise above temptations. 1 Jn.1:8

• Correct view: A verse used in the right way turns temptation away

– Mt.4:1-11 = three illustrations. Ja.4:7

2. Compassion2. Compassion

– When we see a brother in sin, there are three things we do not know:

• First, how hard he tried not to sin

• Second, the power of the forces that assailed him

• Third, what we would have done in the same circumstances 

– Ga.6:1

3. Caution3. Caution

1. Materialism

2. Pride

3. Self-centeredness

4. Laziness

5. (Tie) Anger/Bitterness

5. (Tie) Sexual lust

7. Envy

8. Gluttony

9. Lying

Conclusions• Temptations were more potent when

– They neglected time with God (81%)– They were physically tired (57%)

• Temptations were easier to resist . . . – Prayer (84%) – Avoided compromising situations

(76%)– Active in Bible studies (66%) – Accountable to someone (52%)

• 1 Co.10:13

Temptation:

• NeverNever sought (Mt.6:13)

• EverEver shunned (2 T.2:22)

• AlwaysAlways endured (Gn.39:10)

4. Confession4. Confession

– How much time this past week did you spend watching TV, reading magazines, watching videos, etc.

– How much time did you spend reading your Bible, helping others?

– This may explain a lot!