“Divine Paternity Tests” | Luke 4:1-13 Bible Study | The Temptations of Jesus

• Introduction
• Context
  • Numbers Christ-Crossed? | Matthean Order
  • Numbers Christ-Crossed? | Lukan Order
• Commentary
  • Divine Paternity Test #1: Food (Lk 4:1-4)
  • Divine Paternity Test #2: False Worship (Lk 4:5-8)
  • Divine Paternity Test #3: Testing God (Lk 4:9-13)
• Bible Study Audio
• Bible Study Video
• Conclusion
• Live Stream Recording
• Bible Study Slideshow
• Bibliography

Introduction

(Originally streamed on 1.27.21. Posted on 4.23.22)

What looks more tempting? A carrot… or a cake…? What sounds more tempting, working out or eating out? What’s sounds more tempting: running on a treadmill or sleeping in a bed?

In many yoga classes, the teacher ends by saying “Namaste”. But many other people say, “Namast’ay in Bed”!

We know that things that are tempting look pleasing to our eyes. We know that things that are tempting sound pleasing to our ears. But a godly life is not primarily about our pleasure, but about serving at the pleasure of our Father.

Life isn’t about doing what’s pleasing in our sight, but about doing what’s pleasing in God’s sight.

Many times, we can’t trust our intuition. We can’t trust our feelings. We can’t trust our heart. As we’ve said, Jeremiah 17:9 says the heart is deceitful above all things. So, as Proverbs 3:5 says, we must trust in the LORD with all our heart.

We know that our feelings are not infallible. Have your feelings always led you to say the right things? To think the right things? To do the right things? I know mine haven’t.

We know our feelings can change from day to day. And, this is why putting our trust in the LORD – who does not change like shifting shadows (Jas 1:17; Heb 13:8) – is a much safer bet.

Putting our trust in God’s word, which does not pass away (Mt 24:35; Is 40:7-8) is much more solid ground.

On Sunday (in a recent sermon), I mentioned that my wife and I recently adopted a new kitten named Taliyah.

When we first got her, she was very timid and wouldn’t even let us touch her. The people are PetSmart told us that she was very shy. They said she might not ever be one of those cats that cuddles up in your lap.

And I said to myself, “Challenge Accepted.” I said, “I’m going to make her like me.” I just have to be persistent with this kitten. Just like I was with Kristin.

But in any case, thanks be to God, she’s less of a scaredy cat now. She’s come out of her shell and she loves when we pet her. How did we do it?

We presented her with things she likes. We gave her food that she likes, we gave her litter that she likes, we gave her toys that she likes.

Now if I want her to jump up on her cat tree, I can put her food on the cat tree – and I know that she’ll jump. If I want her to jump up on the bed, I’ll play a YouTube video with mice – and she’ll jump. If I want her to jump around and get some exercise, I’ll swing her toy on a string – and she’ll jump.

My brothers and sisters, if someone knows what you want, by presenting you with what you want, they can manipulate you. They’ll say, “Jump!” And you’ll say, “How high?”

Understand then, that Satan will try to manipulate us by tempting us with things that we like. If the devil walked around with a monstrous face, horns, and a pitchfork, he likely wouldn’t tempt as many people.

Instead, ever since Day 1, he’s been tempting people by presenting them with what is pleasing and desirable.

As we read in Genesis 3:6, when Satan was tempting Eve, it says:

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Gen 3:6, NIV)

You see, Satan can use our pleasures and our desires to tempt us to disobey our Father.

God has made a wonderful world that has much to be desired. But if we desire anything more than God, our desires are out of order. And we can be tempted by what we desire more than a relationship with Him.

And when we yield to our temptation, we fracture our relationship with our Father. And this is what Satan tries to do to Jesus. He tries to fracture Christ’s relationship with the Father – with temptations.

With tests. Satan is testing the divine Father-Son relationship between God the Son and God the Father. In other words, these are Divine Paternity tests. Divine Paternity tests.

Context

And Satan is going to try to do so by taking Scripture out of context. As we always say, it’s always important to read Scripture in context.

So let’s examine the context of this passage in the Gospel of Luke.

Earlier in Luke 1, the angel Gabriel has already told Mary that her son, Jesus, would be the Son of the Most High. As we read in Luke 1:32-33:

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Lk 1:32-33, NIV)

Later, in Luke 2, while at the temple as a boy, we see that Jesus’ first words are about are His divine Father-Son relationship.

As we read in Luke 2:48-29:

48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:48-49, NIV)¹

Even as a boy, Jesus was about the Father’s business (cf. Lk 2:48-49, KJV).

Later in Luke 3, after His baptism, God the Father confirms that Jesus is His Son.

As we read in Luke 3:22:

and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” (Lk 3:22, NIV)

Right after that, Luke traces the ancestry of Jesus all the way back Adam. The genealogy ends in Luke 3:38, which says:

the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. (Lk 3:38, NIV)

So, in the first three chapters of Luke, in several ways, it has been made abundantly clear that Jesus is – in fact – the Son of God.

Nevertheless, the devil is going to try to test the obedient relationship between the Father and the Son.²

But, as we’ll see, unlike past “sons” of God, the Son of God (with a capital S) passes the Divine Paternity test. He succeeds where Adam and Israel failed.³

As we mentioned during Sunday’s sermon on Joshua 1:7-9 – the keys to success are reciting, meditating on, and obey the instructions of the LORD.

Here, Jesus succeeds by rightly citing and obeying Scripture; He cites Deuteronomy three times (Dt 8:3, 6:13, 6:16)⁴

And this is Christ’s final preparation – the final test – before He begins His public ministry (Lk 4:16f).⁵

Numbers Christ-Crossed? | Matthean Order

Now if you read the parallel passage in Mathew 4:1-11, you’ll notice that the order of the tests are slightly different.

Whereas in Matthew, the account climaxes when the devil offers Him the kingdom of the world after taking Him up on a mountain, in Luke it climaxes when the devil takes Him to the top of the temple.⁶

As we’ve said, there are many important biblical events that take place on mountains.

In the Old Testament, mountains are often places of divine revelation.⁷

For example, Moses saw the burning Bush at Mount Horeb/Sinai (Ex 3:12). The Ten Commandments were given at Mount Sinai (Ex 19:23f.). Moses saw the glory of the LORD at Mount Sinai (Ex 24:23-34).⁸

Elijah defeats the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18).⁹ Elijah hears the “still, small voice” on Mt. Horeb/Sinai.(1 Kings 19).¹⁰

In Matthew, Jesus gives the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), is transfigured on a mountain (Mt 17:1-13) and finally gives the Great Commission on a mountain (Mt 28:16-20).¹¹

Numbers Christ-Crossed? | Lukan Order

In Luke, however, there is a great emphasis of Jesus accomplishing His mission in Jerusalem – a fact that is repeated several times.

Luke emphasizes Jesus’ mission that would be accomplished in Jerusalem – which he mentions over ten times (between Lk 9:31 and 19:28).¹²

For example. Luke 9:30-31 says:

30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure [ἔξοδος | exhodos], which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem (Lk 9:30-31, NIV)¹³

Also, Luke 9:51 says:

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem (Lk 9:51, NIV)¹⁴ (cf. Lk 19:11)¹⁵ (also see Lk 10:30;13:4, 34)

In Luke 13:33b, it says:

surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem! (Lk 13:33b, NIV)(Evans, 65; Edwards, 126[/note]

And in Luke 18:31-33, it says:

31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; 33 they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” (Lk 18:31-33, NIV; cf. 13:22, 17:11, 19:26)¹⁶

So, whereas Matthew ends this account on a mountain, Luke ends the account in Jerusalem – the location of the climax of Christ’s mission.¹⁷

And at the end of Luke, there is actually still an emphasis on Jerusalem. As we see in Luke 24:50-53, which says:

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. (Lk 24:50-53, NIV)

You see, it’s not uncommon for the gospel writers to rearrange the order of events to emphasize certain themes.

That being said, it is interesting that Luke follows the order of temptations mentioned in Psalm 106.¹⁸

(1) Food (Ps 106:14-15; cf. Num 11:4)¹⁹

(2) False worship (Ps 106:19-20; cf. Exodus 32)²⁰

(3) Putting the LORD to the test (Ps 106:32-33; cf. Num 20:2-13)²¹

In any case, the theme that runs throughout these three temptations is that they all test the Divine Father-Son relationship. They are Divine Paternity tests.

Bible Study Audio

Bible Study Video

Conclusion

In conclusion, as we’ve said, temptations are… tempting. Especially when we are vulnerable.

When we are hungry, angry, lonely, and/or tired, we are often more susceptible to give in to temptation. Let’s not be surprised if Satan tries to attack us when we’re vulnerable.

And What seems pleasing or convenient to us can be contrary to the will of God. Life is not about living in ways pleasing in our sight, but pleasing in God’s sight.

With all our hearts, we must trust in the LORD – the only one worthy of our trust, our worship, and our service.

Jesus succeeds where Adam and Israel failed – concerning food, false worship, and testing the LORD. Christ passes all of the Divine Paternity tests.

In doing so, Christ demonstrated His faithful obedience and loyalty to the Father, confirming that He truly has the qualities of God’s Son.²²

And Jesus uses God’s word to combat the devil’s tests. Led by the Holy Spirit and armed with the Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17)²³ we, too, can resist.

Yet, distorting God’s word is diabolical.

All of the tests were intended to disrupt Christ’s relationship with the Father. And, the devil also wants to disrupt our faithful relationship with the Father (cf. Eph 6:12)²⁴ – by tempting us to be unfaithful and independent.

Every day, we need to declare our dependence on God.

We see that nothing is more important to Jesus than doing the will of God. And nothing should be more important to us than doing the will of God – which entails self-denial and self-sacrifice (Lk 9:23) – to the glory of God.

Because of the sacrifice of God’s one and only (unique) Son (Jn 3:16) all can become sons and daughters of God by believing in His name (Jn 1:12).

As we see in John 1:12, which says:

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God (Jn 1:12, NIV)

And the primary characteristic of a child of God is obedient faithfulness to God.

As our Father’s children, we should be chips off the old block.

Children resemble their Father; do we resemble God? Children of God should be godly.

As we read in 1 Jn 3:9-10:

9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (1 Jn 3:9-10, NIV)

If one is living in unrepentant sin, one should be careful calling oneself a child of God.

Furthermore, in John 8, Jesus tells His opponents who their real Father. Starting at verse 37, He says:

37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you are doing what you have heard from your father.”

39 “Abraham is our father,” they answered.

“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. 40 As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. 41 You are doing the works of your own father.”

“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”

42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!” (Jn 8:37-45, NIV)

So, the question is who is your Daddy? Who is our Father? The Satan or the Savior? If the devil tempts us, will we pass the Divine Paternity test?

Brothers and sisters, children of God should resemble their Father. So, let’s be godly. Let’s trust and depend on Him for everything. Let’s live on the food He puts on our table and the words that come from His mouth.

Let’s worship Him and serve Him only. And let’s never put God to the test. For we know that God is With Us.

May the LORD bless you and keep you.

Live Stream Recording

Bible Study Slideshow

Luke 4_1-13 Bible Study Slides 1-27-21

Bibliography

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• Arnold, Clinton E. (Mark Strauss’s Chapter on Luke in) Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke. 1. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002.
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• Bock, Darrell L. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1994.
• Bock, Darrell L. Luke. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1996.
• Bock, Darrell L. Luke: 1:1–9:50. 1. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1994.
• Edwards, James R. The Gospel according to Luke. Edited by D. A. Carson. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015.
• Evans, Craig A. Understanding the Bible Commentary Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1990.
• Garland, David E. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: . Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012.
• Green, Joel B. The Gospel of Luke. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997.
• Johnsson, William G. Jesus of Nazareth: His Life, His Message, His Passion. 1 & 2. Silver Spring, MD: Biblical Research Institute; Review and Herald Publishing Association, 2015.
• Keener, Craig S. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993.
• Knecht, Frederick Justus. A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture. London; St. Louis, MO: B. Herder, 1910.
• Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. New York: United Bible Societies, 1996. [LN]
• Marshall, I. Howard. The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text. New International Greek Testament Commentary. Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978.
• Marshall, I. Howard. “Luke.” In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 4th ed., 978–1020. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.
• Morris, Leon. Luke: An Introduction and Commentary. 3. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1988.
• Schreiner, Thomas R. “Luke.” In Evangelical Commentary on the Bible, 3:799–839. Baker Reference Library. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995.
• Silva, Moisés, ed. New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014. [NIDNTTE]
• Stein, Robert H. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
• Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.