The tempter came to [Jesus] and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:2-4
Temptations
We don’t know how many temptations the devil flung at Jesus in the wilderness. But both Matthew and Luke record three.
First, we see the devil picking up exactly where he left off with Adam. Even the three temptations that are mentioned are echoes of the way the devil had once tempted Eve: “The woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food” (Genesis 3:6). Now the devil pricks at Jesus’ need for food by tempting him to command “stones to become bread.” Perhaps Jesus’ hunger was the most obvious weak spot to begin with. But rather than listen to his stomach, Jesus listened to God’s Word. And although Jesus is truly God, he didn’t speak a new Word. He simply used what had already been written through Moses, “Man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 8:3).
Food isn’t the only important thing we need, nor should it be at top of the list. A person who starves but who has faith in Jesus will live forever. But a person with a full stomach and no faith will die in eternal torment. When we focus on God through his Word, God promises to bless us. Few of us know someone who is genuinely starving for food. Do you know people who are starving for the Word?
Feed them!
Prayer:
Lord God, increase my spiritual appetite for your Word and satisfy my hunger with its promises and blessings. Help me see opportunities to share the bounty of your Word with others that many more may be fed and filled with the abundance of its truth. Amen.
