Matthew is the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament, and is one of the more detailed accounts of the life of Jesus. And even though the temptations he faced in the wilderness are recorded in both Mark 1 and Luke 4, Matthew gives us perhaps the most information.

One of the most striking things about Matthew’s account of this event is the fact that he states that “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Many people don’t read this carefully enough, and get caught up in the fact that God doesn’t tempt, so why would he cause Jesus to be tempted in this scenario?

First of all, the statement that God does not tempt us is true, and is found throughout the pages of Scripture, with James 1:12-13 being one of the most clear statements:

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

But Jesus wasn’t led out to be tempted by God. He was led out into the wilderness to be tempted by the enemy, so that he could display the glory of God, and confirm that his calling and strength come from God, even in the face of the strongest of opposition. The temptations came from the Adversary, and from him alone, but God permitted them in order to show us that Jesus came to be the sacrifice for us all.

The crazy thing about this is that even though God will not tempt us, he can still use the temptations we face and turn them into a blessing for us, tempering it to our strength, and making us stronger through the victory over it.

I think that is one of the main points behind why God allowed Jesus to face these three temptations: So that we can see that Jesus experienced everything we do, and remained sinless (Hebrews 4:15).

The three temptations were really simple. First, Satan tempted Jesus to miraculously resolve his physical hunger. After fasting for forty days, Jesus was hungry, and Satan always tends to hit us where we are the weakest. Temptation results from the excitement of desire (James 1:14), and as a rule, the greater the desire, the greater the temptation. Jesus was very hungry, so the first temptation was to do something about it.

The second temptation was for Jesus to throw himself from the pinnacle of the temple and display his power by having angels come to save him from harm. Satan twisted Scripture and attempted to use it against Jesus here, but Christ saw right through that. This would have shown the world his power, drawing people to him through that means instead of by way of the cross. In essence, this temptation minimized the need for Jesus to go through with that plan, and would place him in a position where he was putting God to the test. He was unwilling to do that.

In the third temptation, Satan offered Jesus the whole world, if he would only bow and worship. But what Satan offered was deceitful, because Jesus was already the true possessor of the whole earth, even though Satan has usurped that for a time.

In all three instances, Jesus responded with Scripture, and all three were from the Book of Deuteronomy. He quoted these three passages: 8:3, 6:16, and 6:13.

He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. – Deuteronomy 8:3

You shall not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah. – Deuteronomy 6:16

You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. – Deuteronomy 6:13

There is a lot going on in this passage that can command our attention, but one things stands out far more clearly than the rest. Jesus used Scripture alone as his defense. He did nothing else. He didn’t respond by attempting to cast out the devil, or use supernatural means to rid himself of the enemy. He used Scripture.

When you and I face temptation, this same principle holds true still. Scripture is the one thing that we have at our disposal that has the power to stand against the wiles of the enemy. Scripture can help us maintain the proper attitude when temptation comes. Scripture, when it is hidden in our hearts, will help us to stay strong.

That is why a daily discipline of reading and studying Scripture is an essential element for the believer. Without it, we are powerless to resist temptation when it comes our way. But with the Word of God in our hearts, in our minds, we have a shield that will help protect us from attack.

Make reading Scripture a priority, each and every day.

Question: Do you have a daily habit of reading God’s Word and allowing it to take root in your life? If not, what is preventing you from beginning that discipline today? You can leave a comment by clicking here.