Behold, He comes, says Jehovah of Hosts‖ (Mal 3:1 LITV). Besides this, there are rabbinic traditions that
Messiah would reveal Himself from the roof of the Temple as mentioned in the section above. As a rule, the
Jews expected Messiah to be introduced with a blaze of glory, and a spectacular leap and miraculous
deliverance would precisely fill the bill.
3) The Potential Outcome: The most distressing possibility had Y‘shua failed this test is that the Jews
would have immediately hailed Him as Messiah. What would have been tragic about such an occurrence is
that the Kingdom would have been established on the wrong basis. The moral and spiritual foundations of
the Kingdom would have been completely over-shadowed by the spectacular and material elements.
4) The Principles: There are two principles brought to light by the response of Y‘shua to Satan‘s
scheme. First, there was the principle of hermeneutics, or biblical interpretation. Satan said, ―it is written‖.
Y‘shua responded, ―On the other hand (literally, ̳also‘), it is written...‖ (Matt 4:7 NASB). Satan had used one
passage, but he had ripped it out of context. Worse yet, he interpreted and applied it inconsistently with other
Scriptures. G. Campbell Morgan rightly comments, ―No one statement wrested from its context is a sufficient
warrant for actions that plainly controvert other commands. ... How excellent a thing it would be if the
whole Church of Christ had learned that no law of life may be based upon an isolated text. ... Every
false teacher who has divided the Church, has had, ̳it is written‘ on which to hang his doctrine‖. G. Campbell
Morgan, The Crises of the Christ (Old Tappan, New Jersey, Fleming H. Revell Co., 1936), pp. 181-82. In
other words, Scripture must be interpreted by Scripture.
Second, Y‘shua would remind Satan and every Believer that testing is not trusting. The 91st Psalm, which
Satan quoted from, speaks of the quiet confidence that the child of YHWH possesses. But divine protection
does not encourage presumption. Y‘shua‘s reply, again from the book of Deuteronomy, is that ―You shall not
tempt the Lord your God‖ (Deut 6:16).
The context of this quotation is the incident at Massah, where the Israelites demanded that YHWH provide
water. Submission and demanding are at opposite ends of the spectrum. YHWH was challenged to vindicate
Himself by acting in a specified way. This was putting YHWH to the test. We might say it was attempting to
force YHWH‘s hand. Real faith and trust delights in YHWH‘s manifestation of Himself in the ordinary. It is not
faith, but failure when we demand YHWH to prove Himself in the spectacular. Over and over in the life of
Y‘shua the Jews demanded a sign (e.g. John 6:30), but Y‘shua continually refused such requests.
4:8- 10 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain
―(8) Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of
the world, and the glory of them; (9) And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall
down and worship me. (10) Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve‖.
(5) ―And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in
a moment of time.
(6) And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto
me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
(7) If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
(8) And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve‖. (Luke 4:5-8)
The third temptation involved the sovereignty of YHWH. The devil showed Y‘shua the kingdoms of the world.
He promised to place them under Y‘shua‘s authority and give Him the glory of such power on the condition
that Y‘shua worshipped him.
According to Dan 7:13, only YHWH has the authority over His creation. He alone is the King of the universe,
and the authority of Satan is limited (Job 1:9-12). According to the Jewish concept of YHWH‘s sovereignty,
such a claim by Satan was based upon a false assumption. Satan cannot give what belongs to YHWH.
Hence, the real nature of this test was to deny the Lordship of YHWH and to enter into idolatrous worship of
the devil.
It may seem strange that Satan can tempt (or "bless") anyone, especially the Son of YHWH; but nonetheless
he and his "angels" (fallen) are given that ability. Ultimately, even their actions serve the purpose of YHWH.
The Third Temptation
- The Proposition: Having failed in his first two efforts, Satan makes one last attempt to divert Y‘shua
from His mission. Y‘shua has so frustrated Satan that all masks and facades have been torn away. It is here
that we see Satan at his worst.