Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJohn Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: August 12
Today is: Saturday, December 21st, 2024 (Show Today's Devotion)
Select a Day for a Devotion in the Month of August: (Show All Months)
Mat_4:3-11; Luk_4:3-13
Jesus was suffering the pangs of real hunger, nor was any food to be obtained in that wilderness. There is no severer physical want than hunger (unless thirst be greater)—none that occasions severer pangs—none that more tempts to extreme resources for its gratification. Under these circumstances it might seem, at the first view, perfectly natural to one conscious of possessing miraculous powers, that he should exercise those powers in turning into real bread some of the loaf-like stones that lay around, for the satisfaction of his wants. But Jesus at once detected the insidious nature of this suggestion, and perceived how the position He came to fill would be lowered, and his miraculous powers degraded, if He employed them to relieve his own need, instead of reserving them as a high and holy trust for the benefit of others, evincing the Divine origin of the pure religion He came to establish. He therefore repelled this suggestion by producing the text (Deu_8:3) which, with reference to the supply of manna to the wandering Israelites when they sighed for bread, intimates that bread alone was not essential to subsistence, for God had ordained other means, or in his providence could furnish other means, of supporting life; thus meaning to say, that bread was not so needful as that He should work a miracle to obtain it; but that it became Him rather to seek some other food, less agreeable perhaps, but more easily obtained; or await in patience for what the Father’s providence might present. By the rule of conduct which was elicited by this temptation, Jesus never after failed to act. It was on this principle that He acted when He suffered the apostles to satisfy their hunger with the corn they had plucked, rather than work a miracle to supply them with better food. On this principle He acted, when He gave himself up to the officers sent to apprehend Him, rather than seek deliverance by a Divine interposition. Of the same kind too was his trial when He hung upon the cross, and those that passed by said: “If He be the king of Israel let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.”
The next temptation presented by Satan was subtle in the highest degree. It was that Jesus should try the existence of his power by making such an ostentatious use of it, in such a manner that if it failed it would humble or destroy Him, or, if it succeeded, must commit Him to the popular views of the Messiah’s temporal reign. It was that He should cast himself down from the highest summit of the temple. The text which was quoted as an inducement, as to his being borne up by angels rather than that He should dash his foot against a stone, seems to indicate that Satan meant to suggest a doubt of the power, in order to tempt to its unworthy exercise. But the result would probably have been, that, if He had not this power, He would be dashed in pieces; and if He had, and accomplished this feat, He might have seemed to descend from heaven, and would in all probability have been hailed with wonder and delight by the assembled worshippers, as the long-desired Messiah. This would have formed a beginning well suited to the expectations which the Jewish people entertained. But this temptation was also repelled by a convincing text from the Scripture. “It is written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God;” meaning that one should not throw himself wilfully into needless danger in trust upon the Lord’s deliverance, or to try whether the Lord would deliver Him or not. On this principle also our Lord acted through his whole career. He never voluntarily exposed himself to peril. He always employed wise and prudent means to escape the toils of his enemies; and He went forth with trust in God and in submission to his will, to meet only such dangers as his Divine mission made necessary, and which He could not avoid without unfaithfulness to the great task He had undertaken.
The baffled tempter now more plainly and broadly disclosed his real objects, and openly played his last stroke. He showed to Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and declaring that they were at his disposal, offered them all as the price of submission to him. The homage he asked was not that of Divine worship. Even the devil would not have been mad enough to ask that of Jesus. But it was that He should essentially serve him, and render him homage “as the prince of this world,” by relinquishing his spiritual mission, and making it such a temporal one as the Jews looked for; undertaking, in case he would consent to the establishment of an outward kingdom with worldly splendors, that the most extravagant of their expectations with regard to the universal dominion of the Messiah should be realized. And undoubtedly, if it had been possible that Jesus should have consented to appear as king of the Jews, the whole nation would have crowded with enthusiasm to his standard; and it is difficult to assign any limits to the dominion of a prince, who could support his armies, and destroy his enemies, by miracle.
The boldness of this suggestion of Satan required a stern and unmistakable rebuke. Jesus had suffered them thus far, but now He sends him away with indignation: “Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” Him only—this was the key of all. There could not be two masters—no divided empire. The kingdom must either be wholly spiritual—that is, of God; or wholly temporal—that is, of the devil. And there could be no question which it should be—“Him only shalt thou serve.” “No man can serve two masters; he cannot serve God and mammon.”