Testing

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

TESTING

Matt 4:5-7

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" 

NIV

This is the second of the temptations the devil came at Jesus with. This time he took Jesus to a place for this temptation, the highest place on the temple in Jerusalem. We are not sure exactly why the devil used scripture in an attempt to motivate Jesus to yield to his temptation, but it may have been because his first temptation failed because Jesus responded with scripture. So it is possible the devil thought he might have more success if he used the scripture to temp Jesus. Of course we know Jesus just turned that around and answered him with the appropriate scripture to show the devil how wrong he was. The point here for us as a lesson is we always have to be aware that temptations may not always come from an evil perspective. We might face temptations from someone using scripture, at least enough of it to appear right. What would be wrong for Jesus to prove to the devil he was the Son of God? First off, the devil already knew who Jesus was. Jesus was there in heaven when Lucifer was cast down to earth. Jesus was there when Satan was in the presence of God concerning Job. Jesus knows this tempter very well, they are not strangers. With as many encounters we have had with the devil we too should not be strangers with him either. By now we should be very aware of his methods of tempting us. Yet it is possible we might find certain temptations coming to us with the use of scripture. There are many false prophets, false teachers who would fleece the flock, so to speak. They use the scriptures to tempt people into false thinking, false doctrines or theology. Several years ago there was a great movement with certain areas of Christianity that subscribed to the name it and claim it thinking. That would say that God obligated himself to do whatever we said. Trying that out on the golf course, naming a hole in one, proves that this thinking does not always work. But still we have to understand the devil will come to us, even take us places and attempt to subdue us with scripture. This is the importance of being led by the Spirit and not only by scripture. Man can mislead by using the scripture. Man can misuse the scripture for his own agenda. Maybe the proof of that lies in the multitude of denominations. If they all were being led by the Spirit, then they all would be saying the same thing, believing the same truths. There are so many scriptures they all have differences about, it is difficult to think they are all lead by the Spirit. Jesus had just experienced his baptism in water as well as the Spirit descending upon him. Did it leave him? Very doubtful, as he was led into the wilderness by the Spirit. So the devil used scripture without the aid of the Spirit, but Jesus used scripture as led by the Spirit. Should we do any less? This should give us a clue as to whom we should fellowship with, unless we have been called to be a missionary to that fellowship which does not understand the leading of the Spirit. The key for us is to always be aware of the Spirit, listening to him, not only to men who use the scriptures to either preach or teach. Jesus had the Spirit and he was God in the flesh. We mere humans certainly need the Spirit to lead us into all truth. If we are truly led by the Spirit we will know there is no need to test the Lord.