Knowing The Word in Luke 4:5-13, The Second and Third Temptations

Luke emphasizes that the evil one flouted all the word’s pomp, which he claimed for his own, before Jesus and will give it to him if only he treated him as God. Jesus answers that his worship is exclusively for God. Remember, Satan can only suggest. Only the tempted person can act. Next Satan quotes Scripture to Jesus to assure him he would be alright to jump off a building. He is twisting God’s word to suit his purposes. On all three occasions, Jesus responded to the temptation by quoting Deuteronomy. This section of Deuteronomy, 6:13-8:3, refers to the wilderness experiences of Israel and the instructions God gave them to do well. Throughout his time of temptation, Jesus had no special resources except the Word of God. It is exactly the same resource we have today!

5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’

11 and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Prayer: O Lord of grace, lead us and guide us from a life of self-centeredness and satisfaction for what we are and what we do to a life of dependence on you. Inspire our hearts that we rise beyond the daily trifles of our existence and join with you in love and concern of the whole creation, that we may always remind ourselves that we are the disciples of one who did not help himself but was a man for others. Grant that we may, through our life and example, work for a world where God is praised and we all live like salt and leaven in the midst of this mass humanity and in a bond of charity. O God the Holy Spirit, inspire, hallow and guide us in this vocation of wholeness and healing, through Christ our Lord. Church of Bangladesh