Matthew 4:8, commentary and pictures

The devil took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them in the wilderness, as the third and last crowning temptation of love of the world and display. Satan offered to give Him all the power, dominion, wealth and glory shown without suffering or the cross if He would fall down and worship him, claiming the world had been delivered to him as prince and god of this world through Adam's fall. Jesus refused to dally or look, affirmed that the Lord God alone is to be worshiped and served, and with divine authority commanded Satan to depart, so Satan fled humiliated and conquered while angels came to strengthen and feed Him. He met as Redeemer and second Adam on the ground where Adam fell, and overcame by the written Word alone without controversy or human reasoning, laying the foundation of salvation in complete victory where Adam failed. The same offer still comes to every person as money, gain, power, honors and success on condition of yielding integrity and worship, and it must be instantly rejected as Jesus rejected it, overcoming through faith, prayer, and standing on Bible ground.

Wilderness Setting and Display

The devil took Jesus up into an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them during the wilderness temptation. The display was offered in exchange for worship, with Satan claiming the world's power had been delivered to him and proposing to give it if Jesus would acknowledge his supremacy, while Jesus rejected the offer and remained faithful to worship and serve God alone. Beneath the outward beauty Jesus saw the world's sin and misery apart from God, caused by turning from God to worship Satan, and he longed to redeem the lost, restore more than Eden's beauty, and bring people into favor with God so they could overcome. He faced this as Redeemer on the ground where Adam had failed, enduring the same kind of test far more severely, faint and exhausted yet unyielding, and refusing to obtain earthly dominion without suffering.

It was the third and last, final and crowning effort, one of three great leading temptations of appetite, presumption, and love of the world, honor, display and glory from which others grow. Into it Satan threw all his beguiling power with serpent charm and fascinating power to bend Christ's will, staking his own destiny and rule. Christ in weakness laid hold of God, with divinity flashing through humanity, and stood revealed as Commander of heaven speaking with all power in commanding Satan to depart and declaring God alone is to be worshiped and served. That summary dismissal gave undeniable proof he was the Son of God, leaving Satan with no power to resist and forcing him humiliated, enraged and conquered to withdraw, so Christ's victory was as complete as Adam's failure had been. After passing through these temptations Christ fainted and appeared to be dying, and then angels strengthened him and gave him food, fitting him to proclaim truth with power.

The display was a magnificent panoramic, attractive, alluring and dazzling presentation in a moment, set before him in greatest possible glory and attraction, not as in ordinary life. Templed cities, marble palaces, prosperous fields, vineyards, fruitful lands, the cedars of Lebanon and the waters of Galilee gilded by sunlight appeared in unsurpassed loveliness, prosperity and bewitching beauty, while signs of evil were hidden and concealed. This beautiful abundant scene contrasted with Jesus' recent desolation and his life of sorrow, hardship, conflict, poverty, homelessness, gloom and humiliation with nowhere to lay his head, making it the most alluring temptation. Jesus rested his eyes on the scene only a moment, refused to look, dally or concede, turned resolutely away, and when homage was demanded rose in divine indignation. Beyond what is thus shown, the specific scene of the mountain and kingdoms is left without further explanation of details.

It belongs after baptism when the heavens opened and the Spirit rested on him, before public ministry and the beginning of his mission. Led by the Spirit of God into the desolate wilderness, he did not invite temptation by presumption but withdrew alone to contemplate his mission and brace himself by fasting and prayer for the path before him. Receiving great blessings does not prevent severe trial, for temptation is a combat, and being sorely tempted does not mean abandonment by God. He prayed for strength to face the conflict with the devil, and came as Son of man to stand loyal, disprove Satan's claim, set free all desiring deliverance, and recover Adam's lost dominion. It came at the close of forty days and nights, nearly six weeks, eating and drinking nothing, when weakened by hunger, fainting, emaciated, apparently dying on the field of battle, in physical suffering, mental anguish and loneliness with no human sympathy. Satan attacked while he was thus weakened, hoping to exploit physical weakness after the long fast, yet Christ answered each test with Scripture and Satan's attacks found no foothold.

He was apparently alone with his heavenly-war foe, with no human voice, surrounded by demons pretending to be angels from heaven with most seducing attractions. They presented wily insinuations against God as to Adam and Eve to undermine confidence, destroy faith and trust, and kept the mind on constant strain to catch one unspoken thought to allure into controversy, just as with Eve. Their surely aimed fiery darts through forty days and forty nights of severe mental suffering found no lodgment, for all the great leading temptations wherewith man is beset were artfully presented point by point and Christ gave no word to lead on, answering each test only with It is written. Satan had real power to bear Christ to the summit and display the kingdoms and their glory, showing his fall did not destroy his powers. Though fallen he remains strong, subtle and formidable, with power to present attractive and dazzling appeals, tempt people, affect bodies, entice and pervert the senses of those not protected by divine power. His power over weaker and less wise humans is especially effective when they depart from what is right and venture onto his ground, and the present generation is even less prepared to face him than Jesus was.

Satan's Offer and Claims

Satan offered to give Jesus all the power, dominion, wealth and glory shown on the mountain if Jesus would fall down and worship him. The demand was for worship, homage, allegiance and loyalty due to God alone, and for acknowledgment of Satan's supremacy and superiority. It was the final wilderness temptation, one of three leading temptations, presented in attractive light while Jesus was faint and exhausted. Jesus rejected the exchange and affirmed worship and service belong to God alone.

In making the offer he claimed the power had been delivered to him and the world was his dominion by right through Adam's fall. He styled himself prince and god of this world, rightful ruler and owner with authority to bestow its kingdoms on whomever he chose, as though he had created earth's riches. Through control of men he held dominion and thought to establish his empire here, displaying prosperous cities and lands in panorama as that claimed dominion. He proposed to relinquish his claim if Christ would acknowledge him as supreme.

Through the demand he sought the homage he had failed to obtain in heaven. There his ambition to be first and equal with God and to have absolute authority led to rebellion and expulsion, and Jesus had refused him there. He sought now to buy Christ's homage to the principles of evil and to win the first place he had tried to seize. He knew that if he could not overthrow Christ he would lose all he had tried to gain.

The offer presented a way to obtain earthly dominion and kingship at once without suffering, peril or death. It would turn Him from humiliation, sacrifice, the cross and His Father's appointed path of obedience, suffering and death to become lawful heir. Through the appointed way He would instead receive the kingdoms of earth as an everlasting possession. The same plea to avoid the path of suffering was later echoed through Peter and through the multitude seeking to make Him king after the loaves.

What he offers is not his to bestow and is soon to be wrested from him. Promised advantages gained by submitting to his will are a mirage, bought at the loss of what is good, holy and pure. While he allures with dominion, riches, pleasures, honor, happiness and success he gains dominion over souls for the service of self. In return he beguiles men of their title to the inheritance of the sons of God, so any departure even slightly from God's word for such gain is wrong and unprofitable.

Beneath outward grandeur Jesus saw the true condition of dominions under a tyrant where humanity suffered and earth was defiled by sin and misery apart from God. The beautiful display concealed evil, caused by humanity turning from God to worship Satan. He longed to redeem what was lost, restore the world to more than Eden's beauty, and bring people into favor with God. Only saving souls bound under Satan's power was before Him, and everything else sank into insignificance beside it, so not even all the kingdoms inviting acceptance would turn Him a step from the path leading directly to the cross.

The offer was a real, severe and fierce bribe in most attractive light, exploiting His weakened condition and supposing that in His humanity He could be easily overcome. It was Satan's most successful temptation of intense worldliness, by which earthly things eclipse the heavenly so men will commit any sin for worldly advantage. Jesus treated it as unseen, refused to look upon it, to dally or to concede even a word or action, and would not be bought.

Satan's Aims and Deceptions

His purpose in showing all the kingdoms of the world and their glory was to prevent redemption and thwart salvation, for he knew prophecy foretold a kingdom established on earth by the Prince of Heaven that would embrace all kingdoms, end his power and glory, and bring punishment upon him for the sin and misery he had introduced. He knew that Christ's death to redeem humanity would after a time end his power and lead to his destruction, so he sought to defeat the plan by bribe and flattering inducement, believing if it failed he would retain the kingdom he claimed and might still reign in opposition to God. He presented the kingdoms in their most attractive light and offered to relinquish his claimed possessions, power, honor, riches and glory without suffering, peril or death if Christ would yield his claims, acknowledge his supremacy and worship him, seeking the homage he had failed to obtain in heaven where ambition to be first and equal with God led to rebellion and expulsion. Though Christ was brought to weakness, exhaustion and great physical suffering he did not yield even for a moment or on a single point but stood firm in moral power, and on that firmness hung the salvation of the race; had he yielded the plan would have failed and humanity would have remained in hopeless misery and bondage with the world forever under Satan's sway. His victory laid the foundation of salvation, caused joy in heaven when Satan left conquered, and gives fallen man the key to overcome in Christ's name through divine grace and strength from the Father, while the same adversary continues to the end of time and all must individually overcome through the all-powerful name of the great Conqueror.

It was his crowning, third and last effort, into which when alarmed by Christ's steadfastness he threw all his beguiling power with the charm of the serpent and all his satanic strength, staking his own destiny, rule and future on the result. He threw off disguise as an exalted messenger from heaven and openly avowed himself Prince of Darkness claiming the earth as his dominion, taking Jesus up into a high mountain and setting before him in panoramic view templed cities, marble palaces, fruitful fields, vineyards, the cedars of Lebanon and the waters of Galilee gilded by sunlight in unsurpassed loveliness and prosperity after gloom and desolation. The offer was directed against the Commander of heaven and was a humiliating assault and degradation to the spotless Son of God, questioning his dignity, disputing his authority, assailing his allegiance to his heavenly Father and showing superiority over him, whose life was one of sorrow, hardship, conflict, poverty and homelessness with nowhere to lay his head. In weakness Christ laid hold of God, rested his eyes on the scene only a moment, refused to dally, turned resolutely away, then rose in divine indignation and with divine authority commanded Satan to desist and depart declaring God alone is to be worshiped and served. Divinity flashed through humanity giving undeniable proof he was the Son of God which had been questioned, leaving Satan with no power to resist so that he retired humiliated, enraged, conquered and writhing with baffled hate and rage, and the victory was as complete as Adam's failure had been. Though he put forth his strongest efforts and most powerful, sorcerous delusion and prevailed nothing, the defeat left him disappointed yet not without hope of future success in Christ's ministry, so he withdrew to counsel with his angels to blind the understanding of the Jews, fill hearts with envy, jealousy, hatred and unbelief that Jesus is Messiah and Redeemer, prevent faith, make his life bitter, discourage his mission and secure agents to carry out his purposes.

He pressed the temptation concealed as an angel of light, a heavenly friend sent from heaven, a beautiful young man resembling a monarch rather than a fallen angel, and an exalted messenger who knows and quotes Scripture, hiding his true character as humanity's enemy while appearing noble, friendly and righteous. He used Scripture while tempting and Christ answered with Scripture, testing fidelity and steadfast trust in God while Christ was in weak, suffering condition and human nature, trying to turn him from trial and suffering by an easier way to achieve his purpose. Clothed as an angel of heaven he pressed with manifold temptations to rob him of integrity as Son of the Infinite, and only at the last threw off the disguise to avow himself openly. He has like power to appear as when appearing as Samuel to Saul.

As soon as the long fast began he came enshrouded in light claiming to be one of the angels from God's throne sent on an errand of mercy to sympathize with Christ and relieve his suffering condition. He tried to make Christ believe God did not require him to pass through self-denial and anticipated sufferings but only designed to prove willingness to endure, that he was only to set his feet in the blood-stained path but not travel it, like Abraham tested to show perfect obedience. He claimed to be the angel that stayed Abraham's hand when the knife was raised to slay Isaac and had now come to save Christ's life, saying painful hunger and death from starvation were unnecessary and offering to help bear part of the work in the plan of salvation. The Son of God turned from these artful temptations and was steadfast in purpose to carry out in every particular, in spirit and very letter, the plan devised for redemption, while Satan flattered himself his assumed heavenly character could not be discerned, feigned to doubt Christ's divinity because of emaciated appearance and unpleasant surroundings, and thought he would succeed because Christ had humbled himself as man, having manifold temptations prepared to try another if one failed. He came not as hideous monster with bat's wings and cloven feet but as beautiful angel of light as if just from God's presence, and with strong, wily, determined personal contact sought to draw Christ from allegiance and undermine principles, causing mental anguish, grief and torture of mind. The offer of all kingdoms rested on claims he knew were false and could not be sustained unless he overcame Christ, for if he succeeded there he would be conqueror and prince of the world, and the assault fitted to Christ's exalted character aimed to secure him on all the rest by victory in the first, its depth and force only partially comprehended unless God reveals it.

The tempter was once an angel next to Christ in majesty and glory in the heavenly courts, exalted because of beauty, who wanted Christ's place as one with the Infinite God and becoming jealous wished to change God's government. Originating sin by secret rebellion, falsehood for truth, and seeking to draw Christ from allegiance, Lucifer was expelled from heaven after working in secrecy and deceit. After expulsion he sought to seduce the whole human family into disloyalty and rebellion like his own to establish a rival kingdom in opposition to Christ's kingdom with laws in defiant opposition to God's laws, and as one stronger Christ interposed, measured weapons with the prince of darkness in the wilderness and overcame him. In the wilderness Christ was apparently alone with him with whom there was war in heaven, yet not alone for angels were round him as commissioned to minister to those under fearful assault, and the victory cost forty days and nights without food or drink in conflict so severe he was fainting and apparently dying until angels from light ministered and strengthened him with food.

He could speak some truth while mixing it with falsehood to deceive, and could present Scripture while seeking to deceive so as to win confidence before misleading. His display of earthly glory illustrates power to deceive and morally blind those who do not trust and obey God. He uses the world's glory to make temptation attractive but failed with Christ, and later uses appearance of heavenly light to deceive those not firmly grounded in Bible truth.

He attacks when weakest because it brought many victories, and his fiercest temptations came upon Jesus in great weakness hoping to exploit hunger, fasting, distress, poverty and perplexing circumstances to shake confidence in God's love. He approached while Christ was fasting, weakened, suffering and alone, hoping for great victory, but Christ answered with Scripture and remained faithful under severe trial, giving those facing trial reason to trust him for help. His example shows standing for right under pressure can bring conflict, and teaches not to distrust, take oneself in hand, manifest Satan's attributes and channel doubt to others instead of waiting submissively.

He sought throughout to draw Christ away from loyalty to God and allegiance to his Father's will into questioning plans and law and an independent position, claiming dominion yet knowing the prophesied kingdom would not come by earthly triumph, worldly honor or display. He tried to turn Jesus from his Father's will by offering earthly kingdoms, whereas Jesus would become lawful ruler only by giving his life in the appointed way and then receiving them everlasting while Satan is destroyed. No one else has been called to live a holy life amid so fierce a struggle, with relentless conflict from earliest years by every means to overcome and ensnare, yet Jesus remained faithful, continued the work he came to do, would not swerve a hair's breadth and remained pure. The same pressure returned throughout life urging avoidance of Jerusalem death.

After failing by direct personal effort he withdrew and met in council with confederate angels and matured plans by strategy to oppose Christ's ministry and thwart his work. The plan was to still further blind minds of the Jewish people, God's chosen people, so they would not recognize their Redeemer, to work through human agencies in the religious world by filling them with his own enmity, envy, jealousy, hatred and unbelief, to lead them to reject Christ, prevent faith, make his life as bitter as possible in hope of discouraging his mission, and leaders in Israel became his instruments in warring against the Saviour. He thus tried to turn people to unbelief and mislead Jews to expect prophecies fulfilled by a mighty worldly king, keeping them waiting for a Messiah rather than recognizing Jesus.

The desert display was part of unbroken personal warfare from Bethlehem to Calvary and Gethsemane in which Satan himself conducted the assault to keep souls of men, for in his councils it was determined Christ must be overcome and issues were too great to entrust to confederate angels. All energies of apostasy were rallied against the Son of God, Christ made the mark of every weapon of hell, meant in every possible way to prevent perfect childhood, faultless manhood, holy ministry and unblemished sacrifice by leading into sin, discouraging and driving from the work he came to do. From desert to Calvary the storm of wrath beat upon him, but the more mercilessly it fell the more firmly he clung to his Father's hand and pressed on in the bloodstained path, and every effort to oppress only brought out spotless character in purer light while he blessed others knowing angels joined. His wilderness victory prepared him to free the possessed and shows how people may overcome.

The same evil spirit that tempted Jesus in the wilderness later confronted him in the possessed man in the synagogue at Capernaum though assuming another form, and in the two tormented men. Satan seeks his object by various devices, at times openly resisting and at times cloaking opposition in piety and learning, appearing in one form in the wilderness and another in the demoniac and in those who rejected Christ. For him to lose ground was to give Jesus another renewed victory, as in the deliverance at Capernaum which was a renewed face-to-face meeting with the arch-enemy conquered in person in the wilderness.

He works the same tempting work ever since the fall as begun in Eden, working to weaken and destroy by words of deception, afflicting bodies then relieving them to take glory, confusing judgment and weakening faith through every divided heart, unchristlike trait and tendency to wrong, and misconstruing Scriptures to serve his purposes. His methods and plans confuse minds seeking to understand God's Word and draw them from truth, and men in own wisdom cannot discern his falsehoods or arts. The verse means his temptations are overcome only through faith in Christ, for to oppose in human strength is to fall prey to his devices.

The controversy renews that commenced in heaven and broken off by expulsion, now resumed as soon as Christ came in humanity to subvert or destroy him, showing at the beginning of ministry the opposed kingdoms of Satan and God. In showing the kingdoms Satan claimed possession of the world as its prince on ground he had caused the fall of man whom God created, and tried to bribe Christ to acknowledge supremacy. The fierce conflict endured before public ministry belongs to this conflict.

The same bribe will be repeated at the last great conflict when with laws of nations in hand he presents the same spectacle of worldly power and glory to people in exchange for worship and rule under him. He will promise reward and threaten withdrawal of protection unless men worship him, falsely claim heavenly authority, present entrancing views of God's kingdom while falsely claiming they are views of his own, and present false views of God's kingdom as his own.

Christ's Refusal and Victory

Jesus rested His eyes upon the display only a moment, refused to dally or look with desire, resolutely turned away and rose in divine indignation. He affirmed that the Lord God alone is to be worshiped and served, and with divine authority commanded Satan to depart. In His weakness He laid hold of God, divinity flashed through humanity, and He stood revealed as the Commander of heaven speaking with all power. That summary dismissal gave undeniable proof that He was the Son of God, leaving Satan with no power to resist the command and forcing him humiliated, enraged and conquered to withdraw.

He refused to receive the kingdoms from Satan's hand, choosing instead suffering and death in obedience to His Father's appointed way. Through that way He would become the lawful heir to the kingdoms of earth and receive them as an everlasting possession, while Satan would ultimately be destroyed. Had He yielded, the kingdoms could not have become God's and Christ's, and the work of redemption to end Satan's power would have been prevented.

Though faint, exhausted and suffering keenest pangs He did not yield for a moment, even while Satan implied He could obtain earthly dominion without suffering if He would yield worship and homage. After passing through the conflict He fainted and appeared as dying upon the field of battle. Then angels from light came and ministered to Him, encircling Him, resting His head, giving Him food, strengthening and sustaining Him in the sufferings He endured and pouring divine consolation into His soul. This fitted Him to go out and proclaim the truth with power.

He overcame by the written Word alone, repeatedly answering It is written and Thus saith the Lord. He never used human words, argument, reasoning, tradition or speculation, never repeated Satan's words, refused controversy or railing accusation, and met temptation using only the weapons justifiable for human beings to use. That Word armed Him to resist the tempter and set a limit to Satan's power. His humanity was united with divinity and fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, yet His sophistry found nothing responding and not even by a thought did He consent to sin.

His victory was as complete as Adam's failure had been, redeeming Adam's failure and leaving Satan conquered. It laid the foundation of the plan of salvation and was the first manifest defeat of Satan, where the Prince of life conquered the prince of darkness amid heaven's rejoicing. It fulfilled the warfare of good and evil, truth and error, light and darkness, and gives fallen man the key to overcome in Christ's name through divine grace. His victory benefits each person only as that person also gains victory individually.

All heaven watched the conflict with intense interest, with angels standing on guard ready to act in His behalf if Satan passed his prescribed limit, burning with love and sympathy for their loved Commander as He appeared in the power of His foe. The heavenly universe and heavenly intelligences looked on to see which would triumph, and unfallen worlds watched too, with darkness also watching the heel that could not touch the head. Man's salvation was at stake on whether Satan or the Redeemer would come off conqueror, as He contended single-handed with the prince of the powers of darkness and disputed almost supreme authority. Satan and his host watched as Christ appeared to be dying, and Satan left the field conquered.

Satan's presumptuous boldness in bearing Christ to the mountain summit and demanding homage exposed his character and revealed the malice behind his conflict. With bearing Him to the pinnacle of the temple and urging Him to cast Himself down, and with hunting Him from place to place and stirring priests and people to reject Him, this belonged to his cruel warfare upon the Redeemer. This warfare unmasked the great deceiver before angels and the whole loyal universe, exciting their amazement and indignation and uprooting him from their minds and affections.

Satan may distress and cause agony, but he cannot control the will or force anyone to sin without that person's consent. He can cause agony but not defilement, he may distress but he cannot contaminate the soul that resists. No one is overcome without his own consent, and God cannot save man against his will from Satan's artifices. Christ's fierce and subtle temptations were repulsed in every conflict, and those victories won on humanity's behalf make it possible to conquer and give courage and strength to all who seek it.

Bearing the test in the wilderness, together with the sure word of prophecy in regard to the Coming One, proves His veritable coming and that He is the Son of God. Having met and conquered Satan in that earlier encounter, He gained victories soon before He presented Himself in His true character at Nazareth. Because He had already met Satan and conquered him, He did not flee when demons confronted Him but stands calmly before them.

Representative Decisive Battle

He met the display on the mountain as Redeemer and second Adam, passing over the same ground where Adam fell through disobedience and enduring a test of the same kind but far more severe. This was the third and last temptation in the wilderness, the final crowning effort and one of the three great leading temptations by which all are beset, and He refused to serve the tempter and overcame. His victory was as complete as Adam's failure had been, redeeming Adam's disgraceful failure and fall and making it possible for followers to overcome through Him. Man's salvation was at stake on whether Satan or the Redeemer would come off conqueror, and angels watched the trial of their loved Commander with intense interest while divinity clothed in humanity contended single-handed with the prince of the powers of darkness. By that steadfastness He rescued humanity, sympathized as merciful high priest, and became author of salvation.

Unlike the first Adam, who when assailed stood in the strength of perfect manhood with full vigor of body and mind, surrounded with the glories of Eden and in daily communion with heavenly beings, yet believed the lie and did not reach above his humanity for divine power, Christ met the tempter after four thousand years of decreasing physical strength, mental power, and moral worth. Having taken upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity in order to rescue man from the lowest depths of degradation, He endured hunger, thirst, and weakness yet without sin or evil propensity and would not become the enemy's bondslave. The world about Him was ruined and cursed by rebellion, where Satan had corrupted men and misrepresented God by claiming mercy, goodness, and truth for himself while attributing his own evil to God, and under far more trying circumstances Christ withstood, exposed the falsehoods, and gave no response to encourage Satan.

He endured it in real human nature and overcame on humanity's behalf, for had He resisted by divine power for Himself He would have been tempted as God rather than as man. In that humanity He had real free will, the same as Adam had in Eden, and He could have yielded as Adam yielded, His human nature being like ours and without angelic powers. His nature was fallen but not corrupted, without sinful corrupt propensities, and the divine joined to the human made Him capable of yielding, yet He would be corrupted only by receiving Satan's words in place of God's. He kept His will ever on God's side in perfect obedience, meeting the tempter at every point with It is written, showing Adam could have resisted by believing God and doing His word and showing crucifixion of the will is possible. To deny that He could yield empties His example and removes Him as perfect pattern, emptying the most eventful part of His humiliation of instruction and help, for His very purity and holiness were assailed and keenly felt.

The temptation was stronger than any ever brought or ever to be brought upon the race, a hundredfold stronger than what assails humanity, endured through forty days and forty nights of severe mental suffering with no human voice and with demons pretending to be angels with seducing attractions. Satan's wily insinuations against God as to Adam and Eve were presented point by point to undermine confidence, destroy faith, and catch even an unspoken thought for controversy, with surely aimed fiery darts that found no lodgment. Christ gave him no word to lead on, answering each test only with His own inspired words, repelling the foe on every point and coming off victor. Bearing the pressure of Adam's guilt and that of his posterity without failing, He came off more than conqueror of the powers of evil and proved a tried stone who never disappoints trust.

It was the central conflict between the Prince of Light and the leader of the kingdom of darkness over the dominion of the world, with mighty issues at stake. Satan claimed the earth after tempting man to sin, styled himself prince of this world, held dominion through control of men, and thought to establish his empire here, and the showing of all the kingdoms and their glory was the display of that claimed dominion. Led by the Spirit after Jordan not to invite temptation but to be alone to contemplate His mission and brace Himself by fasting and prayer, Christ came as Son of man to stand loyal to God, dispute an authority become almost supreme, disprove complete control of the race, set free all desiring deliverance, and recover the dominion Adam lost through sin. As One stronger than the prince of darkness He interposed to help the family, measured weapons with him in the wilderness, and overcame at cost of forty days and nights without food or drink until fainting and apparently dying, when angels from light ministered and strengthened Him with food.

The whole battle turned on every single point and would have been lost if He had failed once, but He held the ground and gained the victory. In that wilderness conflict the destiny of the human race was at stake, and when the tempter left for a season Satan spent the three years of ministry preparing to return for the last fearful conflict in Gethsemane. Everything was at stake for Satan in that return, for if he failed there his hope of mastery was lost and the kingdoms of the earth would finally become Christ's, who would bind the strong man and cast him out.

When Satan's power over mankind had to be broken He met enticement not in brightness of divine glory with royal robe and kingly crown, which sinners could not have stood before without being destroyed. He clothed divinity with humanity and came to live as man among men in humanity's most sinful and corrupt form, so that with human arm He could reach man while with divine arm He grasped the throne of the Infinite. Resting wholly upon power from above in answer to earnest prayer, He met the enemy with the sword of the Spirit, God's Word, declaring again and again It is written. He pitied human weakness knowing man would be overcome and perish without help, and His merits elevate and ennoble humanity so that through His name, grace, and exalted divine nature man can overcome degradation from the fall and be linked to the Infinite.

After humbling Himself to take human nature in a body like ours He bore one of the heaviest temptations, acquainted with human necessity and suffering in every respect what man suffers and very much more, with the sins not of one but of the whole world laid upon Him. He conquered by resisting suggestions and enduring humiliation, reproach, suffering, and death, that man may learn from Him how to be a conqueror, for victory in human strength is impossible and none must yield for a moment. He faced it as a poor man without using divine power to spare Himself poverty, trial, or the conditions people endure, so none can claim He did not understand.

His wilderness victory in behalf of the fallen race to redeem Adam places the family on vantage ground, manifests love to save from ruin, and with His merits gives even the vilest pardon and heaven through obedient life. As representative of fallen humanity He resisted every device against His human nature and succeeded where Adam stumbled, gaining a victory for humanity that provides example, self-denial, and safe pattern rather than indulgence. Satan knew everything depended on success or failure there, that if Christ bore the test Adam failed the plan of salvation would be fulfilled, his power taken away, and his destruction certain, yet though his temptations most effectively degrade human nature, Christ as representative endured the severe conflict to be a perfect example. The same worldly appeal in most attractive light still draws people from God, but His followers can also resist.

The fierce conflict endured before public ministry prepared Him to free the possessed and shows how people may overcome temptation.

Worship Obedience and Truth

God who made the world is the only object to whom human beings should bow, for the Creator alone is to be worshiped and no finite person may claim the homage due to God alone. Finite man is not to be placed where God should be, not to be honored as a god, and not to be bowed down to, for God has given no human being power to claim homage or to become an object of worship. This condemns the worship of the man of sin in the person of the pope and his representative the cardinal, who is only a man acting out that character and representing in his claims the power and authority Satan claimed, since God has given no such power to pope or prelate. Christ rejected the offer of worldly rule in exchange for acknowledging Satan's supremacy and drove the tempter away, but the same temptation led the church to seek worldly gains, honors, and the favor and support of powerful earthly rulers, and by rejecting Christ to yield allegiance to the bishop of Rome as Satan's representative, whose claims to supreme authority and divine titles repeat Satan's demand for homage.

The bribe of the kingdoms and their glory is repeated in pressure to follow human religious authority rather than obey God, so that accepting Sunday in place of the seventh-day Sabbath is yielding to Satan's offer. The same choice arises when keeping the Sabbath requires giving up business profits, for choosing gain, status, or favor with those who transgress God's law rather than obeying God is like bowing to Satan and refusing God's claims. The lesson is to worship God by keeping His commandments and to choose what is right even when doing so makes a person stand apart from the multitude.

Gaining the whole world with its pleasures and glory at the cost of the soul is eternal loss and no profit, for the kingdoms and glory of the world represent attractions that draw people away from heavenly treasure and separate them from God. Overcoming temptation as Christ overcame, even through self-denial and suffering rather than yielding to appetite or taste, is infinite gain, and heaven is cheap at any cost and worth any sacrifice. Though the kingdoms appeared in bewitching loveliness and richness, their splendor could not outweigh holiness and an uncorrupted heart. The temptation thus exposes the choice between devotion to earthly gain and worship of God alone, for yielding to such inducements means giving attention and devotion to what separates the heart from God, as when Satan uses worldly prosperity and advantage to entice people to compromise Sabbath observance for profit.

That controversy over intense worldliness, by which hearts and minds are engrossed with worldly attractions so that earthly things eclipse the heavenly and men will commit any sin for worldly advantage, vindicated the honor of the law and settled it forever not for this world only but for heaven and the universe. Christ felt the strength of the temptation yet stood unmoved and conquered it in behalf of humanity using only the weapon justifiable for human beings, the written word of God, while heavenly angels and unfallen worlds and the confederacy of darkness seeking triumph over the divine and human Substitute watched with intense interest. In it Satan reached only the heel and could not touch the head, and his defeat and true character were fully revealed at the death of Christ when heavenly beings and created worlds stood wholly with God and his future influence with them was cut off. Christ's outward appearance did not provide a basis for faith in Him, for people were to recognize Him as Messiah through His character and the evidence of prophecy, not through visible splendor or personal attraction, with marks of distress remaining on His countenance.

Temptation Repeated Toward People

The same lure that failed with Christ is pressed upon every person, and with far better success, on condition of acknowledging Satan's supremacy, yielding integrity, blunting conscience and indulging selfishness. It comes as money, gain, land, power, honors, riches, business advantage, wealth and success promising happiness, the love of the world, lust for power and pride of life, everything that draws away from worship of God. It is presented as worldly honor, wealth and pleasure in return for worship, whispering that success requires serving him and not being particular about truth and honesty, and obeying that counsel is worshiping him instead of God and brings only misery and ruin. Satan designs by worldly attractions to fill minds and hearts so completely that there is no room for heavenly things, controlling through love of the world until earthly attachment eclipses the heavenly and men, dazed and charmed by glitter and tinsel, will commit any sin for worldly advantage. A moment's yielding decision in that direction can fix condition forever.

Devotion to worldly interests with greatest anxiety and labor while eternal things are secondary gives Satan the very homage he asked of Christ. It leaves the door open to impatience, self-love, pride, avarice and overreaching with his whole train of evils, charming and alluring on to ruin, and if heart and life yield to worldliness he is satisfied. By love of worldly possessions, self-glorification, seeking applause, and choosing vanity and worldliness over sobriety, purity and godliness, professed Christians give him the devotion God claims, breaking the command to have no other gods. Corrupting faith, weakening moral power and drawing from God, the temptation works so that the more riches are loved the less the divine nature is shared. The showing of all the kingdoms and their glory is an offer of the whole world with all its pleasure at the price of the soul, and to take it is eternal loss, while to overcome as Christ overcame is infinite gain and heaven is cheap at any cost.

The appeal feeds greed, weakens spirituality, and eclipses love for Jesus, love for truth and the immortal inheritance with fleeting prospects of worldly gain. Success in ventures can make men greedy, lose love for truth and die spiritually, revealing weak points of character and demanding choice between serving Christ and following and worshiping Satan, with precious victories for resistance. It distorts judgment, weakens sense of right and fairness, and leads into selfishness and covetousness. It draws even beginners from obedience, absorbs in temporary affairs and the affairs of this life until sight of the spiritual and eternal is lost, and can leave spiritually dead, attracting to worldly power and treasure to love and worship the world instead of Jesus and His service.

It comes through earthly prosperity to selfish covetous natures made vulnerable, through apparently profitable ventures, speculation diverting resources from God's work, and dishonest business methods promising wealth for carrying out his will. Loving wealth overcomes love for God and truth so that men grasp earthly treasure, worship mammon, abandon honesty and benevolence, compromise principle, put self first and trade spiritual and eternal interests for temporal gain, falling into idolatry. Resistance lies in overcoming covetousness, placing possessions at God's service, giving cheerfully where means advance truth and help need, and laying up treasure in heaven.

Displayed in most attractive light, the offer requires surrendering integrity and dulling conscience, degrading faculties and bringing into captivity to sin. Accepting it means sacrificing heaven and acknowledging supremacy, for all honor, position and influence with the world fascinates when motives are not right and the eye is not single to God's glory. To be overcome is to be more anxious for position and worldly honor than to deal justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God, sacrificing spirituality for position or praise and selling the birthright for a mess of pottage. Deliverance requires humbling the heart, seeing danger, and making strong determined effort for everlasting life, durable honor, enduring riches and exaltation through Jesus Christ by complying with conditions and walking as He walked.

The kingdoms represent vast reward enticing neglect of spiritual life and risk of soul for compromised loyalty, splendor, wealth and power in exchange for disobedience, concession to darkness and life without God. No honor, favor or gain compensates for one hour or act of disobedience, yet many still accept in fatal deception bringing dishonor and disaster to themselves, while fearing the Lord and keeping commandments brings wisdom and great reward. Instant rejection as Jesus rejected is required, for beholding and studying ambitious plans and projects makes one favorable to worldly methods, willing to listen to the enemy, take bribes and unite with the world. Uniting thus blinds as the world is blind so Jesus and the beauty of truth cannot be discerned.

Under different guises it still comes to ministers to seek to be rich and use money for display and pride, knowing the beguiled prove false to trust, for it is not God's will for ministers to seek riches and acceptance would have left the world unransomed. It tells workers not to be carried away with whimsical liberality but demand high pay, not work hard without being well paid, sacrificing eternal interests for temporal things instead of holding God's work near the soul with self-sacrifice. The same temptation to seek large wages and treasure presses overcomers toward riches, selfishness and covetousness, with one acceptance bringing stronger ones and leading others by example. Followers must refuse to imperil souls for revenue, be bound to be righteous not rich and represent the Redeemer, repelling with worship and service to God only.

Jerome's steadfastness when offered brilliant prospects for abandoning opposition to Rome followed his Master's refusal of worldly glory. His disguised coming to draw from right is copied by men professing new light as reformers who gain influence over honest souls desiring higher standard yet lead farther from right, and by claims of sanctification turning from law proving disobedient, since God rejects willful imperfect obedience. The offer is used as comparison for ending a church controversy by yielding to another's terms. It connects with danger to a physician facing fierce temptations especially when isolated, exhausted, misunderstood and betrayed. Resisting the same display of the kingdoms and their glory requires a heart filled with Christ's pure, unselfish love.

Example and Strength to Overcome

Christ conquered the powers of darkness on humanity's behalf in the conflict to which this display belongs, remaining steadfast while weakened by hunger and fasting where humanity had failed, and thereby making rescue from the Fall possible. He vanquished the mighty foe upon every point and came off victor in every contest through obedience and self-denial, gaining a priceless victory in behalf of man that will not benefit any unless he also gains victory on his own account. With Adam's disobedience as warning to shun and Christ's life as example to copy, man has advantage over Adam and is without excuse if he stumbles, but to him that overcomes is granted to sit with Christ in His throne even as Christ overcame. Faced in humiliation in behalf of fallen humanity with all heaven watching and angels on guard ready to act if Satan passed his prescribed limit, He would not be called from allegiance to the Father, and by conquering left Satan a conquered foe and placed the human race on vantage ground with God. As humanity's substitute and surety His victory makes it possible for every descendant of Adam to overcome, return to allegiance, render obedience to God's law, and through faith be made complete with moral power despite weakness, degradation and sinfulness, because He gave His life to rescue them from Satan's power.

He came as a man taking the nature of man with all its possibilities, to prove to angels and men that man may overcome and that in every emergency the powers of heaven are ready to help, so there is nothing to endure that He has not endured. His humanity was united with divinity and He was fitted for the conflict by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and He came to make us partakers of the divine nature so that so long as we are united to Him by faith sin has no more dominion over us. God reaches for the hand of faith to direct it to lay fast hold upon the divinity of Christ that we may attain perfection of character, every promise in God's word is ours, and by every word proceeding out of the mouth of God are we to live. When assailed, looking not to circumstances or weakness of self but to the power of the word gives all its strength, for the word hid in the heart keeps from sin and by the word of His lips keeps from the paths of the destroyer. His resistance after the forty-day fast shows temptation and bondage of appetite can be overcome through strength from Him, so no one is beyond hope when the living Saviour is ready to help, and divine power can help Christians withstand and regain what was lost through Adam's fall. Enduring the last climactic humiliation in behalf of fallen humanity, allowing dignity questioned, authority disputed, allegiance assailed and Satan to show superiority by the offer, He gave evidence taunts could not call Him from the Father, commanded Satan to depart because only God is to be worshiped, and as Captain of salvation overcame so that by partaking of the divine nature man can resist satanic agencies, keep God's law and become victor over darkness, after which angels encircled Him, rested His head, gave food and poured divine consolation. His victories on humanity's behalf make it possible for followers to overcome sin and Satan and give them courage and strength to seekers, for Satan may distress and cause agony but cannot control the will or force sin without consent.

He overcame the test of worldly ambition and love of the world, making it possible through His imputed righteousness for people to obey God's commandments. He did so as true human being with complete humanity, not with power impossible for man to have, not giving obedience of a lesser God to a greater or revealing what God can do, but as man obeying God's holy law to show what man can do through faith in God's power to help in every emergency. As man He could lay hold of divine power, because no man can overcome without divine power combining with human effort, and His imputed grace and power is given to all who receive Him by faith to be partakers of divine nature and overcome every temptation. It was not God as God who was tempted, but the Majesty of heaven become man humbled to human nature, keeping the commandments as humanity can keep them with the same obedience required of man, so every son and daughter of Adam is to serve God in the redeemed human nature they now have.

His victory in that crowning effort, into which Satan threw all beguiling power with serpent charm to make Christ yield His will, was as complete as Adam's failure had been, for in weakness Christ laid hold of God with divinity flashing through humanity and stood revealed as Commander of heaven commanding Satan to depart and declaring God alone to be worshiped, giving Satan undeniable proof Jesus was Son of God and forcing him humiliated and enraged to withdraw with no power to resist. That victory is foundational to salvation and shows fallen people how to overcome in Christ's name, yet it benefits each only as that person also gains victory. Pressed with manifold temptations to rob Him of integrity as Son of the Infinite and bribed with honor, riches and glory to acknowledge Satan's claims, though brought to great physical suffering He refused to yield on a single point and stood firm in moral power, on which firmness hung salvation of the race. His victory over the fallen chief caused joy in heaven, laid foundation of salvation, and gives fallen man the key to overcome in Christ's name through divine grace and strength from the Father, while the same adversary continues as man's adversary to the end with the same temptations, which all must individually overcome through the all-powerful name of the great Conqueror.

Overcoming as He overcame makes eternal life and reward possible, and requires being shielded by grace every moment, closing and guarding soul avenues against evil without hesitation or argument, refusing to call evil good and good evil, with long persevering effort, sore discipline, stern conflict, self-denial and perseverance proportionate to infinite value. His victory gives another trial and through His merits makes it possible to overcome, bringing moral power to break slavery to habit and perverted appetite and to stand as morally responsible before God.

Satan sought to overcome Him through appetite, the weapon by which he brought ruin on Adam and Eve and descendants, and Christ faced these temptations as humanity's representative. His wilderness trial was a test of self-denial and appetite whose victory showed sinfulness of indulgence and won humanity opportunity to overcome, with divine power joined to humanity gaining infinite victory on humanity's behalf. His resistance shows bondage of appetite can be overcome through strength from Him with no one beyond hope, and by refusing indulgence shows divine power can help Christians withstand and regain what Adam lost. Left as example of self-denial, His long fast and victory convict men of sinfulness of things professed Christians indulge in, for salvation hung in balance to be decided by this trial; His victory on appetite gives man chance to overcome, whereas Satan's victory would have bound man in chains of indulgence he could not break, and though Christ's humanity alone could never have endured, divine power combined with humanity gained infinite victory as man's Representative raising humanity in moral value with God.

Satan comes as angel of light seeking to weaken people physically and morally especially by appetite, so impaired faculties hinder duties to God and others and blur discernment of eternal things. He works to bring men into physical and moral weakness to overcome them and triumph over ruin, succeeding by tempting to indulge appetite regardless of result. Intemperance of any kind violates laws of being, benumbs perceptive faculties so eternal things are not discerned, subjects higher faculties to animal appetites and passions, and makes discharge of obligations to God and men impossible, the brain being the body's capital dulled so perception fails. Those who would have clear minds to discern devices must keep appetites under reason and conscience, for vigorous action of higher mental powers is essential to perfection of Christian character, and mind's strength or weakness bears on usefulness and final salvation. That victory gives light on temperance.

His wilderness trial in which He overcame and came off victor in every contest was example of obedience and self-denial making it possible for humanity to overcome, with divine power joined to humanity securing victory on humanity's behalf. Tested after forty days and nights of fasting He did not yield but remained loyal and defeated Satan by the Word, a weapon available to everyone, opening the way to overcome through Jesus. His victory is example showing people can overcome through Christ, yet does not benefit unless each also gains victory. Tempted with kingdoms and glory, the temptation of love of world offering flattering prospects to draw from principle, He resisted giving example strengthening people against it. Tempted by apparent worldly good including pleasures and appetite, His resistance teaches followers how to resist and in His name gain complete victory. Assailed in great weakness, the lesson is Satan exploits weakness and meeting as Christ did makes victory possible.

Those battles fought in behalf of humanity make it possible to conquer sin and Satan, for Christ gives strength to all who seek it, and none can be overcome without own consent since tempter has no power to control will or force soul to sin; he may distress but cannot contaminate, cause agony but not defilement. That Christ conquered should inspire courage to fight manfully, for all seeking to follow Jesus will conflict with this foe, and the more nearly one imitates the Pattern the more surely he becomes mark for attack, especially those unveiling deceptions and presenting Christ. This temptation was part of great battle showing what He overcame as example for seekers to overcome as He did.

Satan offering kingdoms and glory to gain allegiance still tempts people today, but those looking to Jesus in faith and accepting His virtues can overcome rather than sin. Faced as real fierce temptation, His victory shows people may resist worshiping god of this world and trading eternal life for present pleasures, with help He received available to tempted.

He faced ground humans must travel and overcame, preparing way to overcome through trust in God. Conquering Satan, His victory shows how to overcome, and followers are also to resist and overcome as they carry salvation forward.

His temptations are to be studied as example of facing trials and gaining victory, teaching resistance and following His way to overcome and be prepared for God's kingdom. Confronted yet not made to fall, He conquered and left example for followers, to whom God gives power to stand victorious in conflict between Christ and Satan. Facing temptations point by point He came out conqueror, knows their strength and can help tempted resist. Amid tempting offers He resisted and continued steadily in obedience because He came to seek and save the lost. Conquering Satan in wilderness shows how to overcome temptation. Overcoming Satan and all temptations after going before through temptation and danger, He guards followers so they can also overcome.

Victory gives hope because people cannot overcome by own strength; they resist continually by joining weakness to Christ's enduring might and relying on His name, overcoming as He did. Ever since the fall begun in Eden He works to weaken and destroy by deception, afflicting then relieving bodies to take glory, confusing judgment through divided hearts and unchristlike traits, misconstruing Scripture beyond unaided wisdom to discern, so temptations are overcome only through faith in Christ and to oppose in human strength is to fall prey. He faced Satan because people could not overcome the powerful enemy alone; by resisting He made it possible to overcome through His name.

He gained victory through power from above in answer to prayer and met enticements with God's Word repeatedly declaring It is written. In battle every person must face He was not overcome, meeting temptations with God's word rather than using power for self. Seeing the wile of the offer of the whole world for worship, He refused to swerve from allegiance, taking stand on foundation of truth and refusing to move even for that offer till end of test, and tempted souls are to meet the same temptation by standing firm on Bible ground rather than held under his reasoning. Meeting temptation by holding to affirmative is best way to face opposition rather than repeating opponent's arguments. Had He not held to affirmative He would have lost what He desired to gain. Keeping always to affirmative truth allows even opposer to carry words home and be converted by truth reaching understanding.

The Word must be treasured abiding in soul so when hell seeks to destroy, wiles are discerned with sharp perception and met as Christ met him. Victory comes when weakness is felt and dependence rests on Christ not self, then unseen agencies work for tempted and lift standard against enemy, saying to satanic agencies how far they may go and no farther. Scripture is barrier against ungodliness, and early familiarity with truths enables children to meet temptation same way. God's Word equips to recognize wiles and resist, with victory through dependence on Christ rather than self-confidence.

Using the Word as Sword of Spirit He conquered on every point, showing spiritual victory comes not by carnal weapons but spiritual weapons held firmly day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute with no release, with example of firm hold upon Christ, watching unto prayer and resisting manifold temptations so as not to be overcome. The kingdoms and glory illustrate enemy advances to be met by faith in Word with It is written, requiring fighting good fight of faith step by step relying on Christ rather than self.

The contest was recorded for help of God's people, in which He worked no miracle and gave no sign but depended only on God and Word, showing conquering power comes from Word through Spirit's working stronger than miracles or anything else. When Satan comes with great power by signs and wonders bringing fire from heaven to deceive if possible the very elect, those standing firm on everlasting God's Word will meet him with same weapon Christ used and conquer. In wilderness He performed no miracle in response to insinuations nor used divine power to satisfy unbelief or pride.

Facing Satan without entering controversy, His weapon as Redeemer was It is written, showing Word is defense against false theories, so believers keep close to Word and let Jesus and messengers testify because testimony is true rather than engaging unprofitable controversy. Appealing to Scripture not controversy, He gave tempter no word to use against Him and no advantage, keeping to affirmative without repeating Satan's words, leaving no opportunity to misinterpret and misrepresent Him. Meeting every temptation with God's Word without railing accusation shows Word is believer's defense against deceptions. In weakness under Satan's full power through forty days He did not argue but met temptation only with Bible saying It is written, teaching none should frame own words but take Bible to know how to meet temptations.

Safety is found making Christ first in everything, feeling weakness and dependence, seeking strength and wisdom from above daily, keeping God in all thoughts, thus meeting Satan as Christ did with simple It is written and Get thee behind me, Satan, against wiles betraying into sin and neglect. Satan watches to stir passions and prompt words causing loss of vantage ground and standing on enemy ground overcome by wiles, hurting confidence between brethren; Jesus met tempter always with It is written speaking nothing else, and looking to Jesus and speaking only such words is safety, uttering not one word when feelings stirred even to provoking question.

Meeting as He did prevents defeat while parleying gives advantage, for Satan assailing in weakness exploits it to tempt, discourage and shake trust. Giving Satan no place, He remained exact in principle, upright in conduct, wide-awake to discern tempter, as Pattern to copy in walk and work requiring strictness in all transactions with believers and unbelievers and learning from Him to become tender, charitable, meek and lowly. He endured fierce temptation for humanity with attacks through ministry and agony on cross.

Resisting deceptive temptations He continued toward rescuing world perishing in sin. The mountain offer could not allure from duty, as no threat could intimidate, no peril awaken fear, no hardship exhaust endurance.

His resistance of evil is highest education: through human nature united with divine people receive power to follow teachings. Though display of kingdoms was powerful sorcerous delusion, He made path plain through it, and His life in such temptation is given as pattern of character to be attained. His conflict teaches self-sacrifice, patience under affliction and solemn consecration for sacred work.

Satan changed temptations while Christ met them through dependence on Father. Christians need continuing prayer for light and strength to withstand them.

Facing Satan without Satan's methods, Jesus spoke only words of truth and righteousness.

Followers, especially rescuers from Satan, may face severe temptation not meaning abandonment; through Jesus' grace standing firm and resisting by God's Word they overcome, then Satan leaves and angels minister as to Jesus. Preachers likewise can overcome when exhaustion makes vulnerable, for after long fast weakening Him Satan sought advantage but Christ resisted, drove away and conquered. Followers may be buffeted for season as He was forty days followed by relief and angelic ministry, with resisting followed by grace and strength through angels.

Satan makes fiercest assaults on weakest defense and makes self-trusting easy prey, while Christ met tempter with It is written standing securely in Thus saith the Lord barricaded by Scriptures' assurance to doers of will. Tempted soul bears victory following that example, realizing weakness, looking to God, trusting power higher than self so Satan has no power, but self-sufficient acting as knowing more than Lord and rejecting guidance places self unbidden on enemy ground where Christ imparts no power nor saves from wounds, so fall is before him.

He was tested on vulnerable points of assumed human nature to resist impulse to use power for self-deliverance from danger, facing temptation on humanity's behalf.

His wilderness suffering endured on man's account to show overcoming way and bring divine help without which man perishes stands with Gethsemane and Calvary as hardship, trial, conflict and self-denial to save man. Those winning eternal life must not complain of hardship nor follow inclinations but accept privation, weariness, toil, anxiety and sacrifice, counting prize costs everything and choosing Jesus over world.

His sufferings and victory gained for men belong to true standard greatly strengthening Christians earnestly comparing lives with it. It contrasts with church socials, festivals and picnics tempting appetite to overindulgence and amusements leading to levity and forgetfulness, turning those understanding godliness and atonement away in disgust and giving those indulgences no sanction, for Christ Redeemer is only safe pattern to copy to overcome as He overcame.

Meeting strongest temptations with It is written and overcoming shows power of God's word; its failure to change hearts comes from choosing disobedience not lack of power.

The sacred work He carried forward is to be studied and meditated so Word principles are brought into labors, bringing all powers under God's control and exercising faculties according to light to meet in closing days deceptions met in early experience.

It instructs preparing worldwide people to stand before God by neglected duty to appeal directly to wealthy men and women, great men and rulers, holders of means in banks or speculation entrusted with Lord's goods and earthly treasure, to use wealth advancing God's work and giving gospel to all nationalities.

Verses 8-11 show Satan may tempt in many ways to act presumptuously, warning not to put life in danger since people belong to Lord and should not deliberately place themselves in peril.

Carried to another high place after first failure to press doing what God has not commanded to please Satan, the verse means trust in Father's care does not permit going where He does not send or doing what He forbids, and mercy and readiness to forgive do not make disobedience safe. God forgives all seeking pardon and turning from sin, but those choosing disobedience He cannot bless.

Tempted with kingdoms and glory, the temptation of worldly prospects, He resisted on humanity's behalf, and His example strengthens weak purposes to remain faithful, while yielding can draw others down through influence. His forty days' test upon appetite redeems Adam's failure and gives Christian standpoint for temperance. Satan used artful deceptive attacks to undermine trust and draw into controversy.

Tempted with deceitful offers He failed not in purpose to be drawn, yet Satan uses deceptive temptations to mislead and draw people from God. Beguiled in wilderness He overcame, His victory pattern for overcoming through constant watchfulness and humble dependence. Appearing in attractive forms with apparent cures and powers to win worship, Satan continues setting deceitful temptations to lead from God. Tempting Son with kingdoms and glory He failed to draw Jesus from God.

Presenting kingdoms and glory as flattering inducement to acknowledge claims, Satan met refusal without yielding integrity. Tempting with apparent good to be gained, He offers inducements suited to circumstances, but people may resist devices and gain victory in Christ's name. Pressed as angel of Heaven with manifold temptations to rob integrity and bribed with honor, riches and glory, though in great physical suffering He refused to yield single point and stood firm in moral power. Presented with honor, riches and glory of earthly kingdoms to acknowledge claims, He kept integrity despite offer, His victory part of salvation giving fallen people through His name and strength way to overcome.

His sophistry found nothing responding; He did not consent even by thought but stood firm in moral power amid great physical suffering.

Meeting darkness as Captain of salvation made perfect through suffering to sway back enemy and make man perfect overcoming sin, principalities, powers and spiritual wickedness, He faced Satan pretending angel of light offering earthly kingdoms for worship meaning accepting something besides truth. Same choice remains to accept Satan's terms or have truth as in Jesus and be one in truth, for enemy wars against truth to close of history earnest to keep believers from unity in truth, with no unity in error except to tear down truth.

In wilderness He bore every test imposed, enduring Adam's guilt and posterity's pressure without failing, coming off more than conqueror proving tried stone never disappointing trust.

Facing Satan in human nature in ruined cursed world where Satan corrupted men and misrepresented God's character claiming mercy, goodness and truth for self and attributing own evil to God, tempted hundredfold severer than Adam under far more trying circumstances, He withstood, met and exposed misrepresentations as false, redeemed Adam's fall and saved world, giving hope to all coming and receiving Him as personal Saviour.

Seeking to hinder God's work, Satan was withstood by reliance on God's word, and believers overcome by same word and strength. Resisting devil, Jesus shows believers expected to resist as He did. Meeting temptation by relying on God's word applies example to those facing temptations.

Coming deceptively as angel of light calls for remaining morally independent of world and trusting Lord to complete work. Concealing devices beneath heavenly light as he tempts Christ, same enemy approaches people as heavenly guest, so they need watchfulness and prayer to resist as Christ resisted.