“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.”
(Matt. 4:1)
The Temptation is mentioned by the first three gospel writers, but is excluded from John’s book. The latter emphasises Jesus’ Deity, and God cannot be tempted, so says James. Our Lord was tempted as a man; He was there as our representative, Lk. 4:4.
Satan has suffered several humiliating major setbacks in the scripture (at least two still awaiting him). He was kicked out of heaven; his diabolical plan to kill God’s infant Son was foiled; he lost out again at the Cross and empty tomb; Christ’s intercessory work at present is checkmating him at every turn; and at Jesus’ return he will be chained a thousand years in the bottomless pit; Then, after being loosed for a season he will be cast into an eternal liquid lake of fire, with the Beast and False Prophet.
But I personally believe that of all his embarrassing defeats none was so painful to the “Proud One,” as the one he suffered at the hands of the lowly layman, the carpenter from Nazareth. The One who spent thirty years of His life at a workbench. A Commoner, if you please. One who we, in everyday work clothes, can identify with, when severely tempted.
The devil never dreamed after his temporary victory over the first man in the garden, where his slimy path would ultimately lead him. Straight to the feet of The Second Man, the Man Christ Jesus. SURPRISE! This man desired nothing in this world for Himself, but only that God would be glorified in all things. And that He might leave His redeemed brothers and sisters an example on how to live life. One sample was in overcoming the Wicked One by His hearty, “It is Written...It is Written. And again it is Written.”
“I have written unto you...because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.”
(1 Jn. 2:14)
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