Satan is a Cunning Tempter

At the outset of his ministry, Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness fasting (Matthew 4). At the end of that time, Satan showed up on the scene to tempt Jesus to abandon his mission. Satan is cunning. He used three different approaches to appeal to Jesus.

The first thing the tempter did was appeal to Jesus' biology. Jesus had not eaten for 40 days and he was hungry (v. 2). Verse 3 reads, "And the tempter came and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loves of bread.'" He appealed to Jesus' physical desires, in this case the desire to eat. 

The appeal to biology is still a primary way we justify sin. Particularly regarding sexuality, people talk about how they have certain biological drives which impel them to engage in sexual sin. The feelings of arousal or attraction are seen as permission. Although sexuality is the most obvious area people appeal to biology, they could talk about biological underpinnings of anger, gluttony, laziness, you name it.

The second thing the devil did was to appeal to the Word of God. In verse 6, he quoted two passages of Scripture to Jesus, taken grossly out of context to encourage Jesus to abandon his messianic mission, yet Jesus did not lose sight of what God had called him to do.

Taking the Word of God out of context remains all too common. People preemptively decide what they want to believe and then look for Scriptures that can be used to support that perspective, which is called proof texting. One of the best examples I heard of this came from Greg Koukl who tells of a woman who left her husband for another man when she read a verse that said "put off the old man." Clearly, this is an extreme example, but if we leave out the grand story of the Bible, it becomes too easy to twist Scripture to justify whatever we want. Rather, we should let the whole counsel of God, all of Scripture, shape who we are becoming, rather than vice versa.


Finally, Satan appeals to worldly desire. In verse 8, he basically says to Jesus "I will give you everything you see. These are the things the world says are good, and right, and important." Jesus responds, "be gone!"

This appeal to what the world says is good remains pervasive. We hear messages that it is okay to be dishonest so long as it gives you riches. It's okay to sleep with whoever you want because that is what the world says is good and right. It's okay to abort your child because the world says it is fine to do so. 

Satan tempted Jesus by appealing to biology, Scripture, and worldly desire. He continues to do so today. He will do or say anything to tempt us away from following God. We must remain attentive to these temptations and run to Christ who not only recognized them, but overcame them on our behalf.

Look for the hook

Temptation is nothing more than bait on a hook-Thomas Brooks

Two summers ago, I had the opportunity to fish Lake Michigan with some good friends of mine. I was amazed at the skill of the captain. He had a knack for knowing how to attract fish and he set the hook quickly when they would strike. When the fish were not biting, he would switch to different baits to find what would tempt them.

When Jesus called his first disciples, he told them he would make them "fishers of men" (Mark 1:17). I fondly recall singing in Sunday school "I WILL MAKE YOU FISHERS OF MEN!!! FISHERS OF MEN!!! FISHERS OF MEN!!!! IF YOU FOLLOW ME!!!" Until today, I had never really made the connection that Satan is also a fisher of men. He masterfully conceals the hook of sin in an attractive lure of temptation. Mark Driscoll made the point that Satan never attracts us with obesity, he attracts us with cake. He never attracts us with lust and marital failure, he attracts us with pornography. What Satan presents is appealing, but contains within itself something deadly (Romans 6:23). When the bait isn't working, he may switch it up (Hebrews 4:15). He is "the deceiver of the whole world" (Revelation 12:9).

In first Peter 5:8-9, we are reminded to "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." He watches for the slightest weakness, hoping to gain advantage--hoping to set the hook. Thankfully, I Corinthians 10 provides a promise, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Look for the hook--and look for the way out--your life depends on it.