NT 260: Part OnePrimjer

Jesus is tempted three times by the devil. The temptations provide easy ways to accomplish some positive outcomes: satisfying hunger, proving that God keeps His promises, and giving Jesus control over the entire earth. The results would have been good, but the methods of getting there would have been wrong. In each situation, Jesus resists the temptation by quoting from the Bible. Jesus then begins His ministry in the area around the Sea of Galilee.

Things that tempt us are usually shortcuts to a seemingly positive outcome: stealing so I can have what I want without working too hard; lying so I don’t have to suffer the consequences I deserve; gossiping so I can make myself look better than other people. The way to overcome these temptations is to know and obey God’s desires, not by pursuing shortcuts to an easier outcome.