Lessons From The Temptation Of Christ

by Larry R. Ping II

The lessons are many that one can learn by reading and studying about the temptation of Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12,13, Luke 4:1-13). These lessons include:

1. That Jesus Was 100% Human While He Was 100% Divine. That Jesus was divine is fact (Acts 2:22). While this is true, He also was a man just like you and me (Philippians 2:7,8). The Son of God was tempted by Satan and had every opportunity, as a man, to succumb to those temptations and fail to find the way of escape (I Corinthians 10:13). But He did not yield, and consequently, we have a High Priest who knows what it is like to be tempted (Hebrews 4:15).

2. That The Word Of God Indeed Is Very Powerful. With each temptation, Jesus produced verse to exterminate the enticement (Matthew 4:4,7,10). Often, we find ourselves fighting without the proper weapons. The armor of God includes the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), which is used to “stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Is there any other book that holds words as powerful as the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12)?

3. That Temptation Will Not Go Away Quickly Or Easily. Once defeated is not a recipe for temptation or the tempter to leave the scene. The more that man is drawn away, the easier it will be to do so in the future (James 1:13-15). The easier it is, the slower it will be to leave. The lesson: Nip temptation in the bud!

4. That If Resisted, The Devil Will Leave. James promised through inspiration from God that if we “Resist the devil,” “he will flee from you” (James 4:7). The Bible does not waste its words. When it says something, it means it, right? Not only do we see this in word, we see it in action. After the third resisted temptation, the Bible records that “the devil leaveth him” (Matthew 4:11). Let us take solace in the fact that Jesus Christ certainly gave us an example to follow in these circumstances (John 13:15).