Ep. 220. Matthew 4 | The Temptation
EPISODE 220
THE TEMPTATION: MATTHEW 4, LUKE 4
My entire life, I've been taught that the point of Jesus's temptation story was that he overcame temptation by knowing and quoting the scriptures. While I still think it is important to know the scriptures, it isn't so we can win a chess match of temptation with the Devil.
When we take the time to really study the scriptures, we see that Jesus's three temptations and the three Old Testament quotes he references all make a point about his superiority to the nation of Israel.
In the first temptation Jesus is asked to consider turning rocks into bread. After all, he has been in the wilderness for forty days without food. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3-4. Let me give you some perspective. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses is a couple of weeks away from dying. The Jews are about 2 months away from entering the Promised Land. The scripture Jesus quotes deals with Israel complaining about manna in the wilderness. God "tested" Israel in the wilderness for those forty years with daily bread, to see if they would depend on him to meet their needs. Jesus's forty days in the wilderness are analogous to the forty years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness. But where the Israelites did not trust God's word or his provision of food, Jesus did.
The second temptation (in Matthew's order) has Satan suggesting that Jesus jump from the pinnacle of the temple. After all, "God says he won't let you strike your foot against a stone." Jesus again quotes Deuteronomy, but in chapter six, this time saying, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test." Moses is referencing the doubt the people had in the promises and provision of God from Exodus 17. The people grumbled because they had no water, even though they had already seen God provide water for them multiple times in the first two months they were in the wilderness. Again, where Israel failed, Jesus did not.
The third temptation is an offer by Satan to Jesus. "If you just bow down and worship me I will give you all the kingdoms of the earth." Jesus again quotes Deuteronomy 6 saying, "You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him only." This third reference to Deuteronomy highlights a text that indicates the Israelites serve idols and worshipped false gods in their wilderness journey. And though Israel failed to worship God as holy, Jesus did not fail.
Matthew wrote his book with a primarily Jewish audience in mind. These three temptations of Jesus would have resonated with them on a deep level. They would have understood the Old Testament references and the correlation without even straining their brains. Matthew chose to highlight this event in Jesus's life to show that Jesus is superior to the nation of Israel and to prove himself to be the Messiah.
Should we learn the scriptures? Can the scriptures help us in our temptations and weaknesses? Sure. But that's not the point of this text. This text highlights that Jesus is the fulfillment for the people of what the nation could never be. Jesus is better, higher, and more holy than the nation of Israel. The nation was not righteous and did not walk in the ways of God, but Jesus is fully righteous and walked faithfully in the Lord always.
ADDITIONAL READING: Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 50; Psalm 91:11-12; Deuteronomy 6:16; Hebrews 4:15; Deuteronomy 6:13; Isaiah 8:23-9:2; 2 Peter 1:3-4; Romans 8:11
