Temptation Number 2: Sensationalism or Faithfulness?
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' " Matt. 4:5-7, NKJV.
The devil can quote the Bible and sound impressive. Never forget that crucial fact. If Jesus' first temptation came at His greatest point of immediate weakness (hunger), the second aimed at His greatest point of strength--His familiarity with the Bible and God's promises.
Quoting from Psalm 91:11, 12, Satan suggests that Jesus should jump to fame. Absurd as it may seem to us, that wasn't a bad idea. After all, weren't the Jews always looking for a "sign" (Matt. 12:38; 1 Cor. 1:22) by which to identify the Messiah when He arrived? Here is the perfect one. A jump from the top of the Temple, towering more than 400 feet above the Valley of Hinnon, would be impressive indeed. Malachi had predicted that "the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple" (Mal. 3:1, RSV), and certain rabbis had predicted that "when the king Messiah appears, he will come stand on the roof of the Temple."
For the Jews, there was nothing like fulfilling a Bible prophecy. The people would easily line up behind that type of Messiah. They wanted a spectacular Messiah. To Jesus, that would be an easier way to win a following than a crucifixion. And its results would have been immediate.
But He once again answered Satan from the Bible. This time He pits scripture against scripture ("It is also written," NIV), which is particularly appropriate in this instance, since Satan has misapplied the passage from Psalm 91.
In His answer, Jesus teaches us that mere quotations from inspired writings are not enough. Those quotations must be accurately interpreted for meaning within their specific context and within the overall framework of the character of God. To run with quotations out of context may or may not make a person into a fanatic, but such a practice definitely cannot transform individuals into followers of Jesus.
In Jesus' second temptation we have an important lesson for our lives. The devil has a thousand ways to lead us astray, even through the use of the Bible. With that in mind, how important it is that we become Bible students who read God's Word faithfully so that we will be protected from that Satan who pursues us like a "roaring lion" (1 Peter 5:8).
Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " Jesus said to him, "It is written again, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' " Matt. 4:5-7, NKJV.
The devil can quote the Bible and sound impressive. Never forget that crucial fact. If Jesus' first temptation came at His greatest point of immediate weakness (hunger), the second aimed at His greatest point of strength--His familiarity with the Bible and God's promises.
Quoting from Psalm 91:11, 12, Satan suggests that Jesus should jump to fame. Absurd as it may seem to us, that wasn't a bad idea. After all, weren't the Jews always looking for a "sign" (Matt. 12:38; 1 Cor. 1:22) by which to identify the Messiah when He arrived? Here is the perfect one. A jump from the top of the Temple, towering more than 400 feet above the Valley of Hinnon, would be impressive indeed. Malachi had predicted that "the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple" (Mal. 3:1, RSV), and certain rabbis had predicted that "when the king Messiah appears, he will come stand on the roof of the Temple."
For the Jews, there was nothing like fulfilling a Bible prophecy. The people would easily line up behind that type of Messiah. They wanted a spectacular Messiah. To Jesus, that would be an easier way to win a following than a crucifixion. And its results would have been immediate.
But He once again answered Satan from the Bible. This time He pits scripture against scripture ("It is also written," NIV), which is particularly appropriate in this instance, since Satan has misapplied the passage from Psalm 91.
In His answer, Jesus teaches us that mere quotations from inspired writings are not enough. Those quotations must be accurately interpreted for meaning within their specific context and within the overall framework of the character of God. To run with quotations out of context may or may not make a person into a fanatic, but such a practice definitely cannot transform individuals into followers of Jesus.
In Jesus' second temptation we have an important lesson for our lives. The devil has a thousand ways to lead us astray, even through the use of the Bible. With that in mind, how important it is that we become Bible students who read God's Word faithfully so that we will be protected from that Satan who pursues us like a "roaring lion" (1 Peter 5:8).
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