We Have a High Priest Who Can Sympathize with Our Weakness
Matthew 4: 1-11 Hebrews 4:15, 2:17 John 8:44 1 Peter 5:8 James 4:7 Psalm 119:11
In St. Matthew’s gospel we read that Jesus was led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward hungry. (Matthew 4: 1-11) But, why was it necessary for Jesus to be tempted by Satan?
We have to remember that while Jesus was God, He was also man. Jesus hungered as a man, thirsted as a man, suffered as a man, and ultimately died as a man. He was also tempted as a man, yet was without sin. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) This was necessary so that He could become a merciful High Priest. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17). In this way Jesus knew what it meant to be tempted with sin and the things of this world. Jesus was not a hypocrite. He resisted temptation his entire life. In so doing, He became the perfect standard for us to imitate in life.
Jesus said that Satan was a murderer and a liar from the beginning: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it”. (John 8:44). The word “Devil” means “adversary” or “accuser.” That’s Satan’s true character.
Every Christian needs to remember that Satan is the true enemy and constantly seeks to undermine us in everything that we do for Christ. In that regard, he is like the lion who is seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8). We must resist him in all things and with all prayer (1 Peter 5:9). When we so resist, he will flee from us, because he is truly a coward (James 4:7).
Jesus fasted so as to focus himself for the challenge of temptation that He was about to face. Being tempted directly by Satan was no ordeal into which one ought to enter unprepared. Prayer is often accompanied with fasting (Mark 9:29, Luke 2:37, Acts 14:23) and no doubt Jesus involved Himself in this activity as well. A very wise person once said, “You can pray without fasting, but you can’t fast without praying.” Fasting helps the prayer life.
It should also be noted that not everyone’s health allows them to fast. Medication needs or blood sugar levels, etc may dictate that you not go long without food. If that is the case with you, then it is best to consult your doctor and refrain from fasting, as God understands our needs.
In tempting Jesus with bread, Satan attempts to use Jesus’ source of spiritual strength (His fasting) against Him. Satan knew Jesus was hungry. This shows that Satan does in fact have knowledge of the human condition, and he knows how to use that condition against man (2 Corinthians 2:11). Perhaps Satan thought that the same ruse would work on Jesus that worked on Eve, in the garden. Fortunately, the last Adam isn’t as easily deceived as the first, as St. Paul indicated in his first letter to the Corinthians: “And so it is written,‘The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam, (meaning Christ) became a life-giving spirit. (1 Corinthians 15:45)
Then Satan said: “command that these stones be made bread”. Satan’s temptation however, was not in the form of offering bread directly to Jesus, but in tempting Jesus to use His power for purely selfish purposes. Jesus’ response to Satan was to quote scripture. He cites Deuteronomy
8:3 where God instructs the children of Israel regarding the manna with which He fed them. They were to know and realize that it wasn’t by bread alone that they survived, but by the very words of God.
Then from the Mountain top Satan said: “cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone”. Jesus said unto him, it is written again, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God”.
Jesus is tempted by Satan to Rule the World. Satan takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world. The temptation was for Jesus to take the easy route for “world salvation.” With control of all the nations, Jesus could force everyone to do His will. After all, He created this world and these are His subjects. Why not compel them to obey Him instead of having to go through what he knew was in store for him at Calvary?
Because that is not God’s way, as it is His desire to reason with man regarding his sins (Isaiah 1:8), not force upon man His ways. But Satan asks too much of Jesus for these things; he asks Jesus to worship him. Jesus flatly refused to worship Satan. It was an appalling thought. Jesus answers Satan with the words:
“Away with you, Satan! “Be gone.” “It is a strong rejection and one which was closely followed, once again, by a scriptural rebuke, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13. “God alone is worthy of our worship, no other”. This is the third time that Jesus has quoted from scripture to refute Satan.
It is a powerful and wonderful example to us, that if we know the scriptures then we can resist Satan’s temptations. Psalm 119:11 is very appropriate,“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You”. When we know and understand God’s word, we have the greatest weapon with which to go on the offensive against Satan. (Ephesians 6:17).
The devil left Jesus, at least, for a while. Satan may leave us alone for a time, but he will always return and seek us out again. As long as we are on this earth, we will have temptation. God has promised, however, that he will not completely abandon us to Satan’s devices. St. Paul told the Corinthians :“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it”. (1Cor 10:13)
Please pray that all should come to know Christ, and through Him, receive the peace that passes all understanding and life everlasting. Amen.
The Most Rev. Dr. Rick Aaron Reid, Presiding Bishop Traditional Anglican Church of America Rector, St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Newton, North Carolina 28658