John Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: August 13

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John Kitto Evening Bible Devotions: August 13


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Tempted Like as We Are

Luk_4:13

It demands particular notice that at the end of the history of our Lord’s temptation it is stated, that “when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Him for a season.” This plainly implies, and indeed expresses, that he returned at a future time—once, if not oftener. Accordingly, towards the close of the life of Jesus, there is a clear intimation of another great temptation—the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. The presence of Satanic influence does not indeed appear in the history of that transaction; but just before he arose to proceed to that scene of bitter trial, our Lord, in anticipation of what awaited Him, distinctly expressed its nature to his disciples: “the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.” The “prince of this world” is of course the same Satan who appears in the temptation before us, and who here indeed distinctly claims the princedom of the world. In the second instance it is as distinctly said that “he cometh,” as in the first that “he came;” yet in the history of the agony we find no notice of his presence in any bodily or visible shape, and indeed but for this antecedent intimation, we should not with certainty know that Satan had any part in that awful scene. This similarity may lead us to inquire, Whether, more in the wilderness than in the garden, Satan was present other than by his suggestions, which being at once recognized by Christ as from him, rendered him as really present as if he had stood in a bodily shape. Indeed, the difference is really small, and not worth contending for. If we believe that there is such a being as Satan, as a personal agent, there can be no difficulty in believing in his personal presence; and if personally present, it is easy to conceive that he could not be hid from Jesus, although, under the like circumstances, we only become aware of his presence by the nature of his suggestions—by the torturing pressure of his hot hand upon our souls.

It is therefore really immaterial whether Satan did or did not appear in a more distinct embodiment in this temptation than in any other. However understood, his presence was not the less actual, nor his temptations the less real.

It appears to us, that on the two occasions to which we refer, the presence of Satan is indicated by the evangelists with more or less distinctness—and in the present instance with the greatest possible distinctness—for the simple and single purpose of showing that the suggestions with which our Lord was tried, and which constituted the temptation, were such as could not possibly have proceeded from his own mind (as one of the interpretations stated yesterday supposes), but could only have been presented to him from without. It was thus with the second Adam as with the first; and Satan sought to take the same course with Him which he had found so fatally successful with the first Adam—imparting, however, a different character to the suggestions, as suited the differences in their circumstances, their endowments, and their conditions.

There was, however, this serious difference—Adam was not able at once to discover the source from which the temptation came; and Satan did not find that his heart offered a soil absolutely incapable of receiving and nourishing the evil seed he desired to sow. But Jesus at once beheld the tempter and temptation revealed in their naked deformity, and in his soul there was no place where the evil thoughts which Satan offered could take root. It is thus that, in reference to the last recorded temptation, our Lord says: “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me;” and this was his security, that though the suggestions might try Him—and try Him severely, as they did in this latter instance—they could not prevail over Him—He was sure to be at last victorious. In reference to the text we have just cited, a commentator of our own day well paraphrases our Lord’s expression: “There is in Me no principle or feeling that accords with his, and nothing therefore by which he can prevail;” and he goes on to remark—“Temptation can only prevail because there are some principles of evil that accord with the designs of the tempter; and which may be excited by presenting corresponding objects till our virtue be overcome. Where there is no such principle, temptation has no power. As Jesus had no such evil principle—as he was not at all under the influence of any evil depravity or attachment to forbidden objects, Satan had nothing in him, and hence could not prevail.” Note: Barnes on this text. Of precisely the like purport, corroboratory of this, is the passage in which the Apostle speaks of our Lord as “tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Tempted like as we are by Satan from without; but, being without sin, necessarily incapable of being tempted by evil thoughts originating from within; and although not, as a man, incapable of moral suffering and struggle when such temptations were presented to his mind, yet sure to triumph because they were altogether abhorrent to the sinless nature of One who could lift up his head in the midst of those who watched for his halting and thirsted for his blood, and cry aloud, “Which of you convinceth Me of sin?”

In closing the consideration we have given to this subject, we must not omit to point out the profit which we may derive from the example of our Savior in repelling the suggestions of Satan. The method He employed was indeed doubtless intended for our instruction. He repelled temptation by calling to mind apposite passages of Scripture; and cannot we do the same? “All that we have to do, is to treasure up in our memories the passages of Scripture which relates to temptations, and especially those passages that refer to the sin which most easily besets ourselves…. By this simple, easy way, we shall be enabled, with the blessing of God, to escape or resist every temptation. For to our own humble exertions, we must ardently pray, that God would direct and strengthen us, and enable us to overcome every difficulty. And let it be impressed on our minds that every successful resistance to temptation will render us better, more vigorous, more exalted, more improved, and more happy Christians.” Note: Dr Thomson’s Expository Lectures on St. Luke, i. p. 140, 141.