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Gospel according to Matthew 4: 1-11 (NIV)
1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him 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.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Jesus’ refusal to succumb to any of the devil’s temptations has been recorded by those close to him.
The Apostle Peter (1 Peter 2: 21-22), referencing Isaiah 53: 9, wrote:
… Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
“He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
The Apostle John wrote of him (1 John 3: 5):
But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin.
The Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 5: 21) wrote:
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, these emphasised Jesus’ sinlessness. He did not yield to the temptations of the evil one, either in the wilderness or in the garden on the night he was betrayed.
The Epistle to the Hebrews (chapter 4) testifies:
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to feel sympathy for our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The writer has emphasised that “Jesus the Son of God” “has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin.”
Jesus remained always close to the Father. He knew the Father’s will and abided in it. He rejected the evil one and so was able to make the one perfect and complete sacrifice for sin. The Apostle John exclaimed (1 John 2: 1-2)
Jesus Christ, the Righteous One … is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Let us therefore approach God’s throne of grace with confidence.