January 24, 2022

The Year of our Lord, Jesus Christ

Matthew 4:4

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

In Matthew’s gospel account of the life of Jesus the story begins with the baptism of Christ. Then, immediately the temptation of the Lord is related. Having led many individuals to Christ then baptizing them, it has clearly been demonstrated in real life that a spiritual battle begins. Temptations of all types enter a new believer’s life that have never been faced before. Some overcome these temptations, some do not.

Jesus overcame the temptations. He is our Hero!

The first temptation was in the area of fleshly hunger. Remember, our Hero has been fasting for forty days and forty nights. He was physically hungry. At this point of hunger, the tempter came to Him with the offer of physical food. Not food provided by the tempter, but food provided by He, Himself. After all, if He was the Son of God, He would have the power to make rocks into bread and feed Himself. There is nothing wrong with eating bread, nothing wrong with working miracles (after all God brought water from the rock during the wilderness wanderings of Israel, brought quails for meat and manna for bread). So, what would be wrong with Jesus turning stones into bread? Nothing at all except it was not God’s Will for Him to do so.

God the Father limited Jesus to the human condition while on earth. Remember, the Lord was every bit as much man as He was God. Jesus was limited in Himself while on earth in order for Him to fulfill verses like Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

So, our Hero responded to the tempter; It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Jesus would not give into the taunt of the tempter, He would not prove that He was the Son of God, He would not allow the stones to be turned into bread; for He had a greater source of food. He had the Word of God. He was proving that He trusted His Father in Heaven more than He trusted in His own miracle working ability. Oh, that we would learn this lesson.

Regardless, the Lord overcame one temptation; two more await.

Until Next Time,

William T. Howe, Ph.D.