The Temptation of Jesus
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matthew 4:1
The Temptation of Jesus is a story many of us learned in Sunday School and heard almost every year at the beginning of Lent. That is very fitting because there is so much comfort and strength to be derived from this account.
First and foremost we need to understand that Jesus endured this temptation FOR US! Notice that Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness for the very purpose of being “tempted by the devil.” Jesus came to battle Satan for us.
In the Garden of Eden, our first parents were ambushed by Satan’s sly temptations. They were deceived and fell, bringing the whole world under the power and condemnation of sin. We have all inherited their sinful nature and therefore we too fall for countless temptations every day.
Here we see Jesus Christ, the Holy Son of God, face Satan head on—a sort of rematch for all those who have fallen. As David faced off with Goliath on behalf of the entire army of Israel and won the victory for them all, so Jesus our hero, faced Satan on our behalf and won the victory.
This was hardly the only time Jesus was tempted by Satan. He was truly tempted in all points as we are, yet remained “without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15) This, however, was a visible showdown. Here we can see the temptations and see how Jesus overcame those temptations for us. Let’s watch our Savior again this week as He overcomes our greatest enemy for us. In the process, we will learn from Him how we can fend off the temptations of the devil, the world, and even our own flesh.
Jesus, grant that balm and healing
In Thy holy wounds I find,
Every hour that I am feeling
Pains of body and of mind.
Should some evil thought within
Tempt my treacherous heart to sin,
Show the peril, and from sinning
Keep me ere its first beginning.
The Lutheran Hymnal 144:1