Man Shall Not Live by Bread Alone

As our journey through Lent continues, I thought I’d create a Red Letter Meme with Christ’s answer to the devil’s first temption.

Very interestingly, according to Luke 4, as Christ, the Bread of Life (John 6), comes to the end of His 40-day journey through the wilderness, He quotes a passage from Deuteronomy 8 as the Israelites come to the end of their 40-year journey through the wilderness.

The setting is the Israelites have been freed from bondage in Egypt and fled to the promised land – a relatively short journey. Inbetween, they found themselves roaming in the wilderness for 40 years.

In a strikingly similar manner, after John baptised Jesus, the Holy Spirit took Jesus into the wilderness for a 40-day journey which led to the beginning of His ministry and, ultimately, His death, resurrection and ascension back to our “promised land”.

At the end of His 40 day journey, as He was hungry, the devil tempted Him telling Jesus to turn a stone into bread. That’s when Christ answered saying it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God. In the same way, God commanded the Israelites saying to them they shall not live by bread alone but by every word of God.

It’s important to note here, in both instances, God is not saying we ought to give up eating bread. But, rather, in addition to bread, it is important to listen for, listen to and study God’s word – the Bible. A great way to begin one’s journey with Christ.

Blessings.

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