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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Commentary on Luke 4:1-13 | Luke | billsisson | 544 | ||
Jesus' 40 days and nights with Satan. Give me a commentary. | ||||||
2 | Commentary on Luke 4:1-13 | Luke | GeneralWAS | 547 | ||
Part 3 - Matthew 4:7-11 Matthew 4:7 Jesus now has Satan in a bad position, exchanging Scripture to back up their views. He responds here with a personal application of a plural command as found in (Deuteronomy 6:16). Here is a lesson for us to learn - while the Scriptures are written for all men, they are only efectual in the lives of men one at a time. Their truths must be applied personally, not to others, not even to a group which we are a member of, but right to our own heart. It is so easy to apply the Bible to other's lives, it is not so easy to apply it to our own. Where does standing on the promises of God become presumption? Matthew Henry once agains speaks clearly when he says: If we expect that because God has promised not to forsake us, therefore he should follow us out of the way of our duty; that because he has promised to supply our wants, therefore he should humour us, and please our fancies; that because he has promised to keep us, we may wilfully thrust ourselves into danger, and may expect the desired end, without using the appointed means; this is presumption, this is tempting God. And it is an aggravation of the sin, that he is the Lord our God; it is an abuse of the privilege we enjoy, in having him for our God; he has thereby encouraged us to trust him, but we are very ungrateful, if therefore we tempt him; it is contrary to our duty to him as our God. This is to affront him whom we ought to honour. Note, We must never promise ourselves any more than God has promised us. Henry, Matthew, Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Bible, (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers) 1991. Matthew 4:8 Satan's last attempt to tempt Jesus to sin is to appeal to the pride of men which desires to by in charge, to control, to rule. To do so, Satan shows Jesus the kingdoms of the world, as if he was showing Him something He was not imtimately familiar with. After all, did not Jesus create the world? Put in place all rule and authority? Matthew 4:9 Satan was within his power to offer this, since he is the ruler of this world (2 Cor4 :4). He was only giving to Christ that which was already promised to Him. This teaches us that we must not accept even those things which are promises of God from the hand of Satan. Look at the condition which Satan sets forth for his deliverance of the kingdoms, Christ worshiping him! How vile, how ludicrous. How could Satan even begin to think that the one who created him and everything around him would fall down and worship that which he created. Satan here shows convincingly that he is no match for the God of the Universe. He displays a weakness which seems even silly for men, that of worshipping that which they themsleves have made. Satan is truly an inferior creature as compared to a magnificent, omnipresent, omnipotent God! Matthew 4:10 Jesus response here to Satan is harsh and forceful. He is offended at the very thought of worshipping other than His Father and he immediately stands to defend Him. While Satan's other attempts were against Jesus and His character, this one is against God the Father and Jesus puts a quick stop to it. We should treat affronts to the divinity and sovereignty of our God in similar fashion. We should abhor the very thought. Jesus clearly states that worship is for God and God alone. Considering the harshness of His rebuke, and His strong conviction for His Father, it makes a very great case that Jesus was in fact God in that He readily accepted worship of Himself while He was on the earth. Jesus then commands Satan to begone. Matthew 4:11 Satan MUST obey the command of Jesus. He has no choice and Jesus has endured enough of his ignorance. We need to recognize Christ's power over Satan. Jesus is already victorious and since His Spirit dwells in believers, we in a sense are victorious as well. Let us never forget that Satan cannot defeat us if we stand firm in our relationship to God the Father, through Jesus the Son, empowered by the Holy Spirit. Satan need not be feared! |
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