We find another such incident in Matthew 4. Three times Satan tempted Jesus, yet upon closer examination, the first requests didn’t seem all that big of a deal.
Matthew 4:3 (NASB) 3And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”Jesus, in fact, is the Son of God.
Satan was not asking Him to admit to a bogus identity.
Jesus could have easily proven Himself, but chose not to make bread out of stones.
Eating was not a matter of gluttony in that Jesus had already fasted for 40 days. Jesus was understandably hungry.
What was the big deal here?
In verse 1 of Matthew 4, Matthew writes that Jesus was lead up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil. The purpose of this was not fasting, but the tempting.
Jesus replied, "It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’"
Jesus didn't even rely on His own authority, but referred that authority to the Father, siting scripture. He put the Word ahead of wheat.
What does that say about our behavior when asked to prove ourselves?
Matthew 4:5 - 6 (NASB) 5Then the devil took* Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said* to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’”Satan now uses the scripture in his attempt to get Jesus to admit His identity. If scripture can be used by Satan, then certainly man’s understanding of the scripture (theology) can be used to motivate us to admit our identity.
What is behind all of Satan’s cloak and dagger?
Matthew 4:8 - 9 (NASB) 8Again, the devil took* Him to a very high mountain and showed* Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”Looking at the three in a nutshell, Jesus was going to reveal His identity anyway, why go hungry? What is wrong with taking in nourishment?
Secondly, Jesus came on a mission, sent by His Father Who would fulfill His Word prophesied thousands of years ago. Surely, the Father would send angels to guarantee His Son’s safety.
One tangent thought, this is the ONLY Biblical example of 'taking a leap of faith'. I don't want to go into this now, but I will only say that the concept of "Leap of Faith" is satanic ... period.
Finally, Satan’s last temptation was out right desperate.
True, Satan wants worship, but the glory of this world which could have been immediate does not compare to the glory set before Jesus and is yet to come. Jesus had to suffer many things before all this could take place. Furthermore, being aware of Who Jesus is, Creator and owner of all of creation, Satan sought to give what wasn’t really his to give.
One must see his diabolical nature and skill at deception in these verses in order to be on guard against him. I think the answer to this complex interchange between Satan and Jesus can be found in First Peter. Jesus could have eaten, but it was Satan commanding it. Jesus could have been protected, but it was Satan's contrived circumstances. Jesus had the whole world in His hands in the beginning, having created it and held it together by His power. What Satan offered Him ... Jesus already had until a quiet night in Bethlehem when "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us."
1 Peter 5:6 - 9 (NASB) 6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.Out of this passage we see elements of a coming series, “Who Am I," with the same elements woven into Matthew 4. Jesus humbled Himself, allowing His identity and His exaltation revealed by the Father at the proper time. On the more practical note, perhaps we try to prove ourselves before the Father’s time has come. In proving ourselves, are we not putting ourselves in front? Would defending ourselves fall under this as well? Jesus did say to turn the other cheek. We also fret about our clothing and our sustenance when the Father cloths the lilies of the field and feeds the birds of the air.
For me, one of the most disturbing passages in the scripture is Matthew 7:21-23 and its connection with the title of this article:
Matthew 7:21 - 23 (NASB) 21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22“Many
will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your
name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many
miracles?’ 23“And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ Some will say this verse has to do with those who believe in Salvation through works, that it has nothing to do with Christians. Well, this may be true to a degree, but notice Jesus’ phrase, “…but he who DOES the will of My father who is in heaven will enter.” Hardly restricted to the law keeper, this verse should be disturbing to everyone in the church as well. Note He is including those who call Him LORD, those who prophesy in His name, those who cast out demons and those who, in His Name, performed many miracles. Jesus is NOT exclusive about the Jewish Law keepers. He is NOT exclusive about those who call Him Lord and obey Him. He is talking about those who are living the dream of salvation and are refusing to admit that their failures and weaknesses are rooted deeply in rebellion. The Great Dreamweaver has sung these guys to sleep. Cradled in a bed and breakfast of false security, they are surprised to awaken to the words, “I never knew you.”
What exactly is the Will of My Father?
I would think humility would rank high on the list (see 1 Peter 5:6-9), but first let’s look at the connections.
“…he who does the Will of my Father who is in Heaven will enter.”
“… I never knew you; depart from Me
Doing the Will of the Father seems to be connected to His statement, “I never knew you…” in that only those who do the will of My Father…may enter. Furthermore, I never knew you is connected to “depart from Me”. At least the result of not knowing and not doing the Will of the Father is the same. So, all things being equal, I think it is fair to assume the connection exists.
Secondly, the word knew or know denotes a relationship beyond the casual knowledge of someone. There are many people we know, but few people we can call close in association, submission or intimacy. By intimacy I do not mean in a sexual context. Although submitting to one another is understood, total strangers can be sexually intimate, submitting to one another and yet remain complete strangers. For this reason, marriage is not a good example, especially in this country’s culture. After years of marriage, couples have found themselves strangers after the kids grow up and move away, spending less time together because their focal point has moved out.
Better examples of this intimacy is found in an organized group like a football team or a military SF (Special Forces) team. One must have more than a passing knowledge of the team roster if expected to perform with top efficiency. Top notch performance as a team requires regular and consistent practice (something lacking in the modern church). Each member must be able to perform their own assignment, but know the other team assignments well enough to adapt given one member is injured or situation takes a radical change. Radical changes can occur quickly, leaving little or no time to reissue detailed directives. The group must act in reflex. Personally, I love the imagery of a law enforcement dynamic entry team (SWAT). They are so closed-in they can touch one another. When the point man moves, the whole team knows to move without vocal queue.
But, how does knowing Jesus in this close and intimate way connect to the will of the Father, and what does this have to do with salvation?
The tie between Jesus and the Father is common throughout the New Testament. I can’t KNOW the Father without KNOWING the Son. I can’t SEE the Father except I go through the Son.
- If you receive me, you receive the Father Who sent Me. (Mark 9:37)
John 4:34 (NASB) 34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.”
(Does this passage help establish a connection between Matthew 4 and Matthew 7?)
- I am the Way…no one can come to the Father except through Me (John 14:1-6). We see Matthew 7 again and a reference to salvation.
- If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father. (Denotes solidarity)
- I and the Father are one. (John 10:25-30)
- I do not act on My Own… (John 5:30) John 5:30 - 32 (NASB) 30“I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 31“If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. 32“There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.
The whole of John 14 really captures the depth of this whole question.
Now, reconsider 1 Peter 5:6-9. I think perhaps until we humble ourselves before the Father, thereby doing His Will, we can forget hearing, “Enter into my rest, good and faithful servant.”
Hebrews 3:4 - 15 (NASB) 4For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. 5Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; 6but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. 7Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, “Today if you hear His voice, 8 Do not harden your hearts as when they provoked Me, As in the day of trial in the wilderness, 9 Where your fathers tried Me by testing Me, And saw My works for forty years. 10 “Therefore I was angry with this generation, And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart, And they did not know My ways’; 11 As I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” 12Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, 15while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.”Knowing someone intimately is found in the heart. Verse 10 connects heart with knowing. Entry is impossible without them (verse 11) If I think I will see God absent a heart submitted to God, void of loving Him without hypocrisy then I am building my salvation upon a dream of human invention.
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One closing thought for those who think I am building a case for salvation through works…think again.
Matthew 7:24 - 26 (NASB) 24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.Both gentlemen built. Built works apart from Christ is based upon sand. Likewise, profession of Christ without obedience is hypocrisy.
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