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Septémber, 1939
THE K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
wielded by the Holy Spirit through a man. Points and Problems 1. “Then” (Matt. 4:1). With this •word “then,” the writer wishes to em phasize that Jesus was led away into the place of temptation at a certain time. To what particular time or cir cumstance does the word “then” re fer? It points back to the events re corded in the latter part of the pre ceding chapter^—His baptism, the de scent of the Spirit upon Him, and the Father’s voice of approval from heaven (vs. 13-17). The chapter division here has unfortunately obscured the impor tant connection between these events and the temptation. We shall find, as our Lord found, that the severest tests of Satanic temptation follow immedi ately our highest and most blessed spir itual experiences. This is especially true of the new convert. The time that we need most to be on our'guard is at the very moment when we are most,con scious of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It was so with our Lord. 2. “Led up of the Spirit . . . to be tempted of the devil” (4:1). There are two great truths set forth in this state ment. First, all temptation to sin i£ originally of Satan. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (Jas. 1:13). Second, although God never tempts men to evil, He does bring us into places where we are exposed to temptation. But we do not go into the wilderness alone. Just as our Lord was “led up of the Spirit,” even so it is our priceless privilege as believers to be “led up of the Spirit.” He al ways goes before and leads the chil dren of God. It is a great comfort to realize this when we enter the fiery testings of life. And we fail only when we lose «ight of the Spirit’s leading and neglect to hear His voice. 3. “It is written . . . It is written again . . , for it is written” (4, 7, 10). Here we find our Lord, a g a i n s t the threefold temptation of the Evil One, using the written Word of God as His only defense. It is not enough to re member that the Holy Spirit leads into temptation, but we should also under stand that the Spirit has placed a sword in our hands which should be used in times of danger from temptation—“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). And whether we fail or come off victorious depends on how well we are able to use this sword of the Spirit. If the reader will look up the three passages quoted by our Lord in His defense against the Adver sary, he will find all three are taken from the Book of Deuteronomy, a book pronounced by modernistic critics to be
God and the believer, That Word says, in effect, to each believer, “Thou art my son” (cf. John 1:12), and faith lays hold of the declaration and is assured of the relationship and consequent secur ity. Furthermore, Satan tempts con cerning the ways of God and would have us change our faith to sight. This temptation must be met with the firm refusal to demand signs by which to prove the truth of the Word; the Word of God needs nothing to prove its truth. Moreover, Satan tempts concerning the will of God. He would have us seek worldly assistance (either in its spirit or its activity) in doing the work to which we,are called. This situation must be met by continuance in simple obedience whether anything appears to be accom plished or not. In His victorious attitude, Jesus was taking away the armor of the “strong man” (Satan) and opening the way for the spoiling of his goods (cf. Lk. 11:21, 22). From God’s side, it was not temp tation in the ordinary sense (Jas. 1:12- 15), but it revealed to Satan, and to, the universe, the impeccability of Jesus Christ. While He could not sin, He could and did feel the weight of .every force that Satan could bring to bear to cause Him to sin, and hence He can sympathize with all who are tempted and tried. III. T he W ay of V ictory (11) In the temptation of the Lord Jesus, the way of victory is revealed. He used one weapon, the Word of God. That weapon was rightly used by reliance upon the Holy Spirit to bring forth, and to wield, this His own sword. The Lord Jesus used one method, which involved the threefold principle of all true vic tory and deliverance; absolute depend ence upon God, accompanied by abso lute confidence in God, and backed by absolute obedience to God. So-called wise men of today ignore or deny both Satan and the Word of God. But this lesson reveals the per sonality, dignity, power, purpose, and limits of Satan, and also that Jesus evi dently believed these facts concerning him. The lesson also shows that even Satan believes in the Word of God, its power and sufficiency, and is afraid of the power of that Word, when it is B LACK BO ARD LE SSO N
LESSON TEXT: Matt. 4:1-11. GOLDEN TEXT: “For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. (4:15, R. V.). DEVOTIONAL R E AD I N G : Heb. 2:11-18. Outline and Exposition I. T he T ime (1) T HEN” was Jesus led up of the He yielded Himself for service and ac cepted the office of King, and at which time He heard the voice of God ac knowledging His Sonship, “then” Satan attempted to interrupt the service, rob Him of the assurance of His Sonship, and d i s p u t e His moral right to the thfone. The battle b e g i n s with the “then.” Our Lord was now acting as a man under orders, and acting by the Holy Spirit. Hence He was “led” (Mark says, “driveth”—cf. Mk. 1:12) into the wilderness by the Spirit to meet Satan’s challenge. Satan could not dispute His legal right, nor His personal right; these were settled by His genealogy and the voice from heaven. But .he could and did challenge His moral right. God ac cepted that challenge, and the Holy Spirit “drove” Jesus into the wilderness to meet the test. II. T he M anner (2-10) Jesus was tested as a Man, concerning the Word of God (vs. 2-4). He had. heard the voice saying, “This is my' Son,” and now Satan suggested that He test that Word, that He act independ ently of it—even as the first man did. This was a temptation to unbelief, touching the physical nature and affect ing His body. But man is more than body, and while he may exist, he cannot actually live by bread alone; if he lives, he lives by the Word of God. Jesus was tested as Messiah, concern ing the ways of God (vs. 5-7). This was a temptation to presumption, touch ing His people and affecting His soul. But faith needs no proof. It does not presume; it simply believes. Jesus was tested as the Son of man, concerning the will of God (vs. 8-11). This was a temptation to compromise, touching His kingdom and affecting His spirit. But His kingdom, with dominion over all creation, is spiritual in its resources, and any compromise would hinder its manifestation. The easy way would be the wrong way. Likewise the church, and the indivi dual Christian, are tempted by Satan— tempted concerning the Word of God that proclaims the relationship between
Spirit. The time notes are most important in the life of Jesus. Immediately after His baptism, in which
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