… and he began to teach them.
Summary: Jesus’ role as a “son” defines him in an entirely different way from who he is as a God, Creator, and King.
God, Creator, and King are three radically different roles for one person to occupy. Even with just these three aspects to consider, the implications are staggering. Yet we have only begun to explore the various roles that Jesus fills. Of those that are left to discuss, his role as “Son” is perhaps the most important.
When Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai, the first four commands were about how we love and respect God. The fifth was about loving and respecting our parents. God said:
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12)
Jesus did both. He honored his mother and was obedient, even when it wasn’t convenient for him (John 2:1-12). He also honored his Father (Luke 2:41-51, 4:1-13). In doing so, Jesus sets an example for us.
How far should our obedience go?
In the beginning days of his ministry, Jesus is baptized by John (Matthew 3:13-17) and then immediately is told to go into the wilderness. Jesus does not have time to make preparations. Instead, he obeys immediately, heading out alone into a dry, rocky place.
Time passes.
Slowly.
One day, two, seven, twenty. Twenty days without food. Then thirty. Eventually, forty days pass, and as Luke records, “at the end of them he was hungry.” (Luke 4:2)
I have trouble dealing with temptation even when I am prepared, well-rested, and fed. Even then, I get distracted. I am prone to be guided by impulse. Yet Jesus, tired, hungry, and weak from being without food for over a month, is focused on his father’s will. The only thing on his mind is doing what his Father wants him to do (John 6:40).
In Luke’s telling of the story, the devil comes to Jesus and says, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” (Luke 4:3)
Notice how the devil slides the knife in without being obvious about it. He suggests Jesus is not God’s son. He implies that Jesus is just a guy with a big ego. He hints, maliciously, that going without food is a waste of time. All these suggestions are wrapped up in the statement, “If you are the Son of God…”
Then, the devil twists the knife: he offers Jesus a false choice. He suggests that if Jesus does a miracle, then he would prove to the devil that he is the Son of God. But not just any miracle! The “miracle” the devil suggests not only serves the lie that Jesus can “prove” he is God’s son, but it serves the flesh that Jesus occupies. After all, what is bread for if not to eat?
Any human I know would have had to think about this. We would have to sort out what the devil was suggesting. We would have to consider turning the rock into bread and whether that would “prove” anything. Then, having considered that, we would also consider our own hunger, and our attention would be torn away from our father’s will to our own wants.
Jesus, human as he is, is not distracted from his mission. He doesn’t have to consider what the devil is suggesting because he knows what his Father wants, and he will not vary from that for a second. His response is instantaneous and classic:
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.’” (Luke 4:4)
Matthew’s telling of the story adds, “but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
What is he saying? It sounds to me like he is saying that the words of his Father are more important than physical life itself.
There is no hesitation in his voice, no pause to think about it. Only total devotion to his Father’s will.
Application: Learn God’s will and then live it.
Food for Thought: If Jesus had stopped to think about what the devil was saying, what would that mean?
If Jesus, had stopped to think about what the devil was saying, what would that mean?
It would mean the words of satan were worth considering, when in fact they were not.
Ron, Thanks!
Great point!!
It’s a good question. There is just so much to meditate on in Matthew 4:1-4 (and all of Matthew 4:1-11). Just the reference by Satan to bread and stone, and later Jesus identifying Himself as the bread of Life, and the prophesies and fulfillment of the Messiah being the cornerstone. Jesus being the Word, who became flesh, and we have life through the Word. All makes me believe that there is so much more going on in this encounter than what is obvious in the text.
If Jesus had stopped to think about what the devil was saying, what would that mean?
I believe it would have shown a susceptibility to sin that just wasn’t present in Jesus. Jesus knew who He was, and He obeyed God faithfully. True faith; 100%. It is a hard thing to really grasp there. That Jesus was fully God, and fully man, yet although potentially He had the ability to sin, He also had the power to fully reject it. Jesus gave Himself to God, and trusted Him completely. He was not worried about His own provision, safety, or power, and was unwilling to betray that faith by trying to “help God along” in a mindset where “the end justifies the means.” It is tempting then to conclude that Jesus had it “easier” in dealing with sin, but I don’t think that is the lesson here. I believe what Jesus is showing us is that in faithful obedience to God’s Will, we too can reject sin. Jesus demonstrated exactly what “take captive your mind” means. His answers were Scripture, He did not use the words of Man to reject Satan, He used the Word of God.
Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
Chris,
Thank you. Your point is excellent. Like Ron’s point, you show us how Jesus sets the example for total devotion to God’s will.