Jump Off the Temple
“Go ahead”, he said, “throw Yourself down from here – if You dare. For it is written that Your angels will catch You. And protect You”.
Of course, I’m paraphrasing a bit.
However, the third temptation of Christ, according to Luke 4, was just that.
The devil took Jesus to the pinnacle of the temple – the highest point – and “tempted” Christ to jump off – to throw Himself off- that point. To trust that His angels would “save” Him.
The devil, of course, again quoting scripture. Or, “mis-quoting” as the case usually is.
And, this time, he was quoting from one of my favorite passages, Psalm 91.
More specifically, that part that gives us assurances that Christ will give His angels charge over us.
”For He [The Lord] shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear [lift] you up, Lest you dash [strike] your foot against a stone.”
— Psalm 91:11-12
The devil was taking a passage meant to apply to us and twisting it to apply to Christ. Because, well, that’s how the devil quotes and applies scripture. He will twist it for his benefit as a deceiver.
So, what was Christ’s response to this temptation?
“And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt [or “test”] the Lord your God.’ ‘”.
— Luke 4:12
The devil has now tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. And, Jesus taught we shall not live on bread alone – inferring we should read God’s Word, the Bible.
Then, the devil offered Jesus all the kingdoms of the world – if Christ would bow down and worship him.
Christ taught we are to worship God, to bow down to Him and serve Him only.
Finally, the devil tempts Christ to throw Himself off the pinnacle of the temple – to attempt to harm Himself. And, Christ taught “don’t tempt God”.
By the way, did you catch that?
Right here, in this passage, at the end of His journey through the wilderness, with the last of the devil’s temptations and as Christ begins His “earthly” ministry?
Christ taught, “don’t tempt God”.
Right there, He refers to Himself as “God”.
From there, scripture records the devil left until a “more opportune time“, and Christ’s earthly ministry began. His earthly ministry that would ultimately lead to the cross.
Blessings
