the temptation of Christ.

In the Old Testament, the word temptation meant proof (heb nissah) It is in this sense that the Bible in many places uses this term. (Exodus 20:20) In Greek the word temptation is peirasmon (James 1:12, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Revelation 2:10) Temptation is not synonymous with sin however Julian Charley explains its importance: "Indeed, man would be morally and spiritually weak and immature without such proofs, but he is blessed if he endures them. (James 1:13) Each test occasion provides the opportunity to take a step, either forward or backward. While God desires the first and therefore allows the test to take place, the devil, on the contrary, seeks to induce us to step back a step away from the will of God."

1.1. Under the questioning of the deity of Jesus ("if you are the Son of God" v.3) the devil wanted Jesus to surrender his physiological needs to his perverse will. As Buswell says: "If Jesus had turned the stones into bread to satisfy his own hunger, the literal accuracy of his incarnation would lack a special special meaning"

1.2. The devil takes advantage of the moments of our physical and spiritual weakness to satisfy a passing desire. Such is the case of characters like: Esau in the physiological aspect (Genesis 25: 29-34), Samson in the sexual aspect (Judges 16: 1, 4) Judas in the material aspect. (Matthew 26: 14-16)

1.3. Jesus giving us the best example of triumph in the midst of temptation, made use of the Word of God ("Written is ..."), applying the spiritual function of it in the life of man.

1.4. Jesus, as the second Adam, was representing man, if he yielded to temptation, he thwarted the plans of redemption for the human race.

1.5. Jesus in declaring this Word teaches us 2 things, first that the human being is not only matter, but also has a spiritual component that is inherent to his created nature (soul-spirit). Second, there is a primordial need in man to satisfy his spirit with a food that is spiritual. that is, the Word of God.

1.6. Jesus uses the verb "he will live" (gr. Zésetai) to indicate that this is the effect produced in man by that spiritual nourishment, that is, by providing abundant life.

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2. Second Part: Jesus, tempted to "force the hand of the Father": (v. 5-7)

2.1. For the second time the devil wants to question the deity of Jesus, under the slogan that commits a suicide, thus "forcing" the hand of the Father. The purpose of the devil was to remove Christ from the will of the Father and prevent it from depending on Him.

2.2. Misusing the Scriptures, the devil tries to instill a false security in the believer using a promise of God in Psalm 91:11, 12. that taken out of its own context becomes a dangerous tool of double effect, first, It makes God responsible to keep us under his care and provision even when we are in disobedience and out of his will, second, we would automatically be disobeying the command of God in Deuteronomy 6: 16. He tells us about not tempting God.

2.3. God strictly forbids in his Word to be tempted by man. One of the most explicit examples that we have in the Bible on this particular is in the people of Israel on their pilgrimage through the desert for 40 years who angered God by tempting him repeatedly (Numbers 14:22, 23).

Why should we not tempt God: "It is forbidden to try to prove God because it is totally unjustifiable (Ex. 17: 7) because he has given ample testimony of his faithfulness."

2.4. Jesus, understanding the intentions of the devil, who had the purpose of preventing Christ from dying on the cross, to redeem man from his sins, refused to endanger his physical integrity and made use of the Word of God correctly.

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3. Third Part: Jesus, tempted to temporary pleasure. (v. 8-11)

3.1. The devil in this part reveals his true character, that is, seeks to be adored by Jesus. This is why he ended up being expelled from heaven and dispossessed of his glory and beauty (Isaiah 14:13, 14; Ezekiel 28: 14-16).

3.2. Unlike the devil who offered a temporary kingdom, Jesus Christ spoke of the kingdom of God when he preached (Mark 1:15). The characteristic of this kingdom is totally spiritual and is not limited by time (because it is eternal) nor by space (not it is limited to a certain territory).

3.3. Believers in Christ Jesus many times we are faced with the dilemma of choosing between the spiritual and eternal or the material and perishable. Many Christians seek the latter and form their own "kingdoms" of fame and money.

3.4. When Satan offers Christ the kingdoms of this world, he shows him all the empires of the world system of that time and the glory of them, that is, his extensions, his power, his riches, with the purpose of dazzling the eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ and tempt him to enjoy a temporary glory, thus removing him from the will of the Father.

3.5. The gospel of Luke in chap. 4: 6 records an interesting fact on this point, the devil claiming to be the master of the kingdoms of the world, says to Jesus: "... because it has been given to me and to whom I want I give it." Here an important question arises. Is it true that Satan is the owner of the kingdoms of the world and their glory and that he was given those things? to all this we respond like this:

A. The Bible teaches that it was originally the man to whom the lordship of all creation was granted, by God's disposition (see Genesis 1: 28-30). However, when man sinned, he lost communion with God and dominion above all things, in such a way that Satan exercised his later dominion.

B. It is not the devil, the legitimate owner, but it became a temporary usurper of the dominion that man lost in his sin, since then in his hands he had the rule of death, until Christ defeated him on the cross and his dominion it was crushed and without effect (see Hebrews 2:14).

C. Some claim that the devil had no domain, however, how could it become a temptation for Christ if that were not true? Jesus Christ called him "the prince of this world" (see John 14:30)

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In conclusion

1. Although his kingdom was rendered ineffective, because of the victory of Jesus Christ, the devil always seeks to have an advantage over the servants of God, so we must not ignore his machinations. (2 Corinthians 2:11)

2. Jesus taught us to use the Word of power in the midst of temptations with powerful results so we resist the devil who will end up fleeing. (James 4: 7)

3. There is a glorious reward for those who resist temptations in their daily walk with Christ. (James 1:12)

4. Let us give glory to God who will not leave us, nor will he leave us alone, but in the midst of temptation assures us that he always has control and provides us with an escape. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

As a rule, our problem is not ignorance as to what is right and good. It is that the flesh is weak and we do the bad knowing that it is bad. We can not hide behind the fact that the flesh is weak. There is always a way to resist and win. By the temptation of Christ we can learn something from the maneuvers of Satan and what is needed to overcome.

Blessings

@josevina
www.steemchurch.net