Bible Study: Matthew chapter 4

I have some issues with this chapter.

Especially with this verse:

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is quite weird don’t you think? Jesus was actually led to be tempted by the devil? Why?

Does this kind of thing happen to us nowadays? Does God lead us to situations where the devil has an opportunity to tempt us?

Wetin dey occur?

Welp

“For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I mean, it’s not exactly surprising.

“During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Wooooowwwwww. The devil waited patiently for Jesus to reach a point of ‘weakness’, for Jesus to be hungry and vulnerable before he eventually showed up and began his temptings.

“But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yay Jesus! He used the scriptures to defend Himself.

“Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off!

For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’ ””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:5–6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Ahhh…the devil was like, ‘You’re not the only one who knows the scripture, I do too.’

It makes me wonder how many times the devil has used the scriptures out of context to tempt us. That’s scary. The devil is using God’s own words to do evil.

This sounds familiar doesn’t it? Remember Genesis 3?

“Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

“Get out of here, Satan,” Jesus told him. “For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’ ”

Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:8–11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Yaayyy!! Jesus basically won this test.

Jesus was tempted on 3 levels:

1- His identity was questioned- ‘If you are the son of God, do this’. Jesus didn’t need to prove His identity as the son of God. God had already confirmed His identity on the day He was baptised. The devil wanted Jesus to have doubts about God’s word.

2- His knowledge and understanding of God’s word. The devil used the scriptures to tempt Jesus and Jesus, who had a better understanding of scriptures countered the devil’s temptation with another scripture.

3- The devil tempted Jesus on the desire to have power.

He wanted Jesus to bow to him in exchange for the power and riches of the world.

Jesus recognized that the person who had all the power is God and as such, God alone should be worshipped.

Remember what happened in Eden?

“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.”

‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

He tempted Adam and Eve too like this, tempted them to disobey God’s instructions in exchange for the power and authority that God had.

Made them doubt their identity in God, but the truth is they were already like God.

God has made us in His image and likeness.

Jesus was tempted by the devil just like how Adam and Eve were tempted by the devil, yet Jesus did not sin.

Jesus became the start of a new humanity, He became a good example for us to follow. If Jesus who was a divine being, but in the frail human flesh could confront the devil and win, then we can too.

Later on, John the baptist was arrested and then Jesus left Judaea, went to Nazareth and Capernaum beside the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali. This was also in fulfillment of the prophecy that Isaiah made:

“Nevertheless, that time of darkness and despair will not go on forever. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali will be humbled, but there will be a time in the future when Galilee of the Gentiles, which lies along the road that runs between the Jordan and the sea, will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:1–2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus was that glory and Jesus was that light.

Jesus then began preaching and telling people to repent because the Kingdom of Heaven was near.

He met Peter, Andrew, James and John who were fishermen and asked them to follow Him and be His disciples and they did.

Jesus kept teaching and preaching about the Kingdom of heaven. He went about healing the sick and His popularity grew more and more.