Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
After fasting for forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (See Deuteronomy 8:3.)
Matthew 4:1–4
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” (See Deuteronomy 6:16.)
Matthew 4:5–7
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” (See Deuteronomy 6:13.)
Matthew 4:8–10
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Mark 14:38
Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.
Galatians 6:1
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
James 1:13–14
Temptation is not sin, but it encourages you to peep over the fence!
The Pharisees created a practice called the “hedge around the Law”; they added a plethora of secondary laws to ensure that the Mosaic Law was not infringed.
Similarly, the Society of Friends developed what is known as the “Quaker Hedge”, the plain customs of speech, dress, and life that created a quarantine or buffer zone between the holy and the worldly, to ensure they did not fall into sin. Modest dress, “custody of the eyes” (basically minding one’s own business!), and avoiding some centres of leisure where there will be a lot of alcohol consumed and raucous, bawdy behaviour are normal; they are all measures we might put in place to guard against temptation. For we know too well that we are but frail and human, and can so
easily make mistakes we later regret.
In our study passages, we see some of the weapons against temptation
identified: Jesus’ intimate knowledge of the Scriptures safeguards him from the wiliness of temptation; Jesus urges his friends to keep watch in prayer as a defence against temptation; Paul reminds us that a humble attitude will be a shield against the temptation to self-righteousness when we have to sort out situations arising from someone else’s sin; and James says what should be obvious but so often is not – the mess we get ourselves into is not God’s fault!
We take refuge with you, O God our redeemer and our rock. You who made us and understand us know so well that we are weak-willed and a lot less clever than we think. Help us and protect us, we pray; strengthen us and hold on to our hands, that we may not lose our footing as we walk the straight and narrow way of eternal life. For we ask it in Jesus’ holy name; Amen.
