The Baptism of Jesus and his subsequent temptation in the wilderness provide us with great examples of humility, obedience, and strength in time of temptation. John was preaching that men should repent because the kingdom of heaven was at hand (Matt. 3:2). Many people “were baptised of him confessing their sins” (Matt. 3:6). The baptism symbolised their cleansing from sins, and was proof of their desire to be morally clean.
Jesus submits to Baptism, overcoming John’s objections by saying “for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15).
What did Jesus mean by these words? He was certainly not in need of repentance, as John was quick to point out. With hindsight, we know that his baptism was prophetic of his death and resurrection. No doubt, by submitting to this ritual, he was setting his seal of approval on baptism as an outward sign of an inward repentance. He does not require of us anything he was not prepared to do himself — the hallmark of a great leader.
Leviticus 8 shows us that Moses ceremonially cleansed Aaron and his sons with water, and anointed them with oil, before they could perform their priestly functions. We know also, from the Law, that they could not perform these functions before the age of 30. We find Jesus, at the age of 30, undergoing the same rituals. By his baptism he displayed that, like Moses before him, he identified himself with his people who needed saving, and that he was prepared to plead to God on their behalf. By his baptism he showed that he understood our need for reconciliation, and that he would be an advocate who would be “touched with the feeling of our infirmity” (Hebrews 4:15).
God’s Approval Of Christ’s Attitude
God declares His approval with a voice from heaven saying “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He then anoints him, not with oil, but with the Spirit of God in the form of a dove.
Prior to this time, Jesus did not possess the power of God, which is the Spirit of God. We know this because Peter tells us in Acts 10:38 that ” . . God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with POWER.” The possession of this power is the source of great temptations with which, until now, he has not been confronted.
It is fitting, before he begins teaching others how they should master themselves, that he should first prove that he is master of himself. The Spirit leads him into the wilderness for this purpose.
God’s Word Our Principal Sustenance
Then follows forty days of fasting, and, no doubt, meditation and prayer. We might well ask ourselves how much time in our busy lives is set aside for fasting, meditation and prayer. It is remarkable that, although in the wilderness for the specific purpose of being tempted, it is forty days before the first temptation presents itself.
If most of us had been placed in the same situation, the desert would surely have been stripped of stones within a week. After a 40 day fast, it is not surprising that the lust of the flesh for food and self-preservation should have been the source of the first temptation.
“If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”
It is not enough that God has just declared, by a miraculous voice from heaven, that he is the Son of God. He is tempted to put God to the test and see if He has told the truth, and, at the same time, satisfy his hunger. The answer from Jesus could not be more appropriate — “it is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ ” It had proceeded from the mouth of God that Jesus was the Son of God, and Jesus was not going to doubt that by turning the stones into bread.
What a tremendous knowledge of the law he had! He produced from his mind a quotation totally suitable to the occasion! He did not just know
that he should not do the act, he knew exactly why not.
Personal Advantage Outruled
To change the stones into bread would also have been to use the power of God for his own profit. Using the power of God for profit is quite rightly condemned by the Apostle Peter in Acts Chapter 8. Simon had tried to purchase the power of the Holy Spirit from the apostles so that he could maintain his position as “the great one, to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, `This man is the great power of God’.” (Acts 8:9-10)
If it was wrong for Simon to profit from the Spirit of God, it would have been equally wrong for Jesus to do so.
We are forever confronted with the same temptation that Jesus faced. How much of our time is devoted to the acquisition of the means of survival — food and shelter? To what extent do we neglect prayer and scripture study to acquire, not merely the necessities, but the luxuries of life?
Jesus was well aware of the fact that, when the bellies and desires of men are filled, their minds do not seek God. He told the Jews “Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles but because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled.”
How could he have withstood, without hypocrisy, their desire for more bread, if he had used the power of God to feed himself? If Jesus had given in to his own hunger, he would have spent the rest of his life turning stones in to bread to feed slothful humanity. But this was not his mission. His mission was to feed a different hunger ”Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.”
Humanitarianism Not A Priority
Jesus also struck a blow against the philosophy of humanitarianism. This philosophy contains the concept that whatever makes life easier for men is essentially good — that the most virtuous people are those who slave to relieve the burden of suffering humanity — that the followers of God are under an obligation to construct organisations to relieve the hungry and destitute of mankind. Advocates of this philosophy among us often point admiringly at other religious bodies who devote their entire energies to this line of action.
If the relief of human hunger and suffering is so virtuous, why would it have been wrong for Jesus to use the power of God to satisfy the hunger of the Son of God? Surely, of all the human race in need, God would have been most approving of His power being used to succour His own Son? The fact is, God is far more interested in the response of men to spiritual food, and the response He wants is faith and obedience. Jesus displayed both those characteristics by refusing to indulge himself. We must join Jesus in his mission to satisfy the spiritual hunger of men. We are well aware of the good Samaritan — however, he came upon the destitute man by chance, and did not form an organisation to patrol the road. Nor did he advertise himself by saying “Thank God for the Samaritans,” as some do today through the modern media.
Jesus taught by example that, in times of destitution, we should not trust in our own power, but call upon God. “Ask, and it shall be given you . . . what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?” (Matt. 7:9) God did not leave His son with a stone as the reward of his faithfulness. When his temptations were completed, we are told that the “angels came and ministered unto him.” (Matt. 4:11) 1 feel certain that they gave him some bread. Truly, as the psalmist says. “Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” (Psalm 37:25)
Pride “Enslaves” God To Human Want
The next temptation occurs on the pinnacle of the temple, where Jesus considers the following proposition — “If thou be the Son of God cast thyself down for it is written ‘He shall give His angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone’.”
The challenge is contained in the context of “If thou be the Son of God.” If he had any doubt that he was the Son of God, it would have required a suicidal impulse to Make him jump off the temple, So obviously the thrust of the temptation here is an appeal to his VANITY. He is confronted with the vain thought that God would not permit his death to occur. This must have appealed to the sense of self-importance which is part of every one of us. If he had succumbed to this temptation, what would have been his reaction when confronted with the cross? Perhaps the desire to call upon those twelve legions of angels would have overwhelmed him, and we would have been left with no saviour.
Jesus answers, “It is written, ‘Thou shalt not tempt the lord thy God’.”
If he had thrown himself down, Jesus would have been tempting God. He would have been requiring God and His angels to act as his servants, when he, in fact, was born to serve God.
“In the volume of the book it is written ‘I come to do thy will, O God’.” (Heb. 10:7)
SELFISHNESS, the desire to have everybody pandering to our wants and needs, with no reciprocal consideration of their needs, has its basis in pride, vanity, and feelings of self-importance. He would have been requiring the angels to do unnecessary work on his behalf.
How often do we give in to feelings that Godshould be forever doing things for us? We ask in prayer for things which we shouldn’t. We are resentful towards God when things happen to us which we feel a loving God should not allow. These setbacks are often sent to drain us of the pride that causes the “God should do this for me” mentality. This was the pride that Jesus resisted.
The next temptation is a desire to acquire all the kingdoms of the world, an inheritance which was to be his, but not at that time. He is confronted with the lust for power, the temptation David was presented with, when he beheld King Saul asleep beneath his sword. Jesus had probably learnt from the example of David that God will perform His promises in His own good time.
What good is it having a king ruling a kingdom if he cannot rule his own desires? There have been many men in history whose lust for power has far exceeded their capacity to wield it wisely. Jesus dismisses the temptation with a curt, “It is written, thou shalt serve the lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve.” He would wait obediently for God to give him the kingdom.
With 12 legions of angels and the unlimited power of God at his disposal, he could easily have conquered the world.
Reflections on the Potter and the Clay