Jesus, tempted by the devil (1) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2025

Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days he ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, he was hungry. And the devil said to him, If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread. But Jesus answered , Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Luke 4:1-4.

Jesus, tempted by the devil (1)
When Adam, the first man, was tempted by Satan in the Garden of Eden, he lived in the most favourable circumstances, yet he succumbed to temptation. When the Lord Jesus Christ was tempted at the beginning of His public ministry, the circumstances were highly unfavourable, desert land all round. He had eaten nothing for 40 days and, as a human being, felt hungry.

The devil exploited this natural need, advising Him to make bread from stone. It sounded innocent enough and was within the Lord's power. The attentive ear, however, distinguished the voice of the tempter: "If you are the Son of God." Satan always questions what God is and what He has said.

Jesus' answer contains points that are important for Christians, too:

We can resist temptation by heeding the Word of God: "It is written ," was the Lord's counter.
Spiritual food, "every word of God", i.e. everything in the Bible, is no less important than natural food. If we nourish ourselves and are formed in this way, we shall lead a life with God and according to His will.
Following Christ's example, we shall not allow Satan's temptation to disturb our fellowship with God and our dependence on Him.

(to be continued tomorrow)

Today's reading: Isaiah 9:1-21 · Acts 23:23-35