“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1)

Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness did not catch His Father by surprise. The Son was specifically “led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.”

The word translated “tempted” is from a morally neutral term that means “to test.” But sometimes, as here, the context clearly indicates that the testing was aimed at enticing one to do evil.

That the devil was going to present certain temptations to Jesus thus justifies rendering the word “tempted”—it gives us the negative connotation of Satan’s sinister intentions.

God sometimes uses Satan’s temptation toward evil as part of His larger plan to test believers for good (cf. Job). Whereas the devil wanted to lead Christ into sin and disobedience in the wilderness.

This is God’s plan for all His saints (cf. James 1:2-4, 12-13)—that Christ’s righteousness be revealed in us. Joseph’s severe mistreatment at the hands of his brothers in the Old Testament and his subsequent “misfortunes” in Egypt could have driven him to despair and sinful bitterness, but by faith he recognized God’s sovereign hand in it all (Gen. 50:20).

Whether God tests us directly or uses Satan to challenge us, He will always use the situation to eventually produce good fruit in us.

John MacArthur

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End notes:

[1] John MacArthur, Daily Readings From the Life of Christ [Chicago: Moody, 2008], January 10.

See also:

DRAWING NEAR

A GIFT FOR CHRIST

THE SHADOW OF HIS CROSS