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In this lesson:
A critical step is completed. Like Adam, Jesus is tested by Satan. Also, note that all three Deuteronomy passages Jesus quotes reflect the period when Israel was being tested. Study Tip: It helps tie the Bible together in your mind if you go back and review past lessons. |
Jesus in the wilderness.
By British artist Briton Riviere (1840-1920) |
The Gospel According to St. Luke
The King James Bible
The King James Bible
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Luke 4:1-13
The two Adams 1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. 3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. 4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. 5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. 7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine. 8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: 10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: 11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 12 And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. |
Margin notes:
"Returned from Jordan." (4:1) - Means, "Returned from the Jordan River" where Jesus had just been baptized by John in Luke 3:21-22 (lesson 109). "The wilderness." (4:1) - A desert area in Judea east of Jerusalem and north of the Dead Sea. "Forty days tempted." (4:2) - Jesus was tempted (tested) by Satan for the entire forty days of His fast, not just the three temptations chronicled here. Additional note; Moses spent forty days with God on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 34:28) and Elijah traveled forty days to Mt. Horeb to speak with God (1 Kings 19:7-9). "Man shall not live by bread alone." (4:4) - Jesus is paraphrasing Deuteronomy 8:3. "All this power will I give thee.....for that is delivered unto me." (4:6) - God gave this power over the earth to Satan, temporarily. Satan can delegate this power to others (Revelation 13:2). "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God." (4:8) - Paraphrased from Deuteronomy 6:12-18 and 10:20. "Set him on a pinnacle of the temple." (4:9) - "Set Him on the highest peak of the Temple." "For it is written... (4:10) - Satan is quoting Psalm 91:11-12 as he tempts Jesus. Satan knows Scripture, but just knowing Scripture isn't enough "To keep thee." (4:10) - "To guard, protect you." "Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." (4:12) - Jesus is referencing Deuteronomy 6:16. "For a season." (4:13) - "For a while." Jesus will confront Satan again. "Christ's defeat of Satan in the wilderness was decisive but not final. Throughout his ministry, Jesus would confront Satan in many forms." (The "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; page 1957). |
Matthew 4:1-11 (lesson 5) also reports on Jesus' being tested in the wilderness, as does Mark 1:12-13 (lesson 63).
New Living Translation
Luke 4:1-13
The Temptation of Jesus
1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
3 Then the devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."
4 But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone.'"
5 Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please.
7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me."
8 Jesus replied, "The Scriptures say,
'You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.'"
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off!
10 For the Scriptures say,
'He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
11 And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'"
12 Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the Lord your God.'"
13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
The Temptation of Jesus
1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,
2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry.
3 Then the devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread."
4 But Jesus told him, "No! The Scriptures say, 'People do not live by bread alone.'"
5 Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 "I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them," the devil said, "because they are mine to give to anyone I please.
7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me."
8 Jesus replied, "The Scriptures say,
'You must worship the Lord your God
and serve only him.'"
9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off!
10 For the Scriptures say,
'He will order his angels to protect and guard you.
11 And they will hold you up with their hands
so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.'"
12 Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, 'You must not test the Lord your God.'"
13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible. However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
Key verses from this passage
"And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered." (4:1-2)
Today's Question:
1. Why was it necessary for Satan to tempt Jesus? (4:2)
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1. Why was it necessary for Satan to tempt Jesus? (4:2)
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Answers: (Do you agree?)
1. Facing "temptation is part of the human experience. For Jesus to be fully human, for him to understand us completely, he had to face temptation (see Hebrews 4:15). Second, Jesus had to undo Adam's work. Adam, though created perfect, gave in to temptation and passed sin on to the whole human race. Jesus, by contrast, resisted Satan. His victory offers salvation to all of Adam's descendants (see Romans 5:12-19)."
(From the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream Illinois; page 1956).
If Satan had succeeded in tempting Jesus as he did Adam, Jesus would not have become our Savior.
Application thought for the day:
Satan is more than just a myth or a concept, he's a real creature who tried to orchestrate Jesus' fall from grace, like he did with Adam, as he does with us.
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Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; "The Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies"; "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible." All were critical in putting these lessons together.
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© 2026 evolke