Luke 3

Study Guide 101: Luke 3:23-4:44 OVERCOMING TEMPTATIONS Overview Matthew and Luke each paid careful attention to Jesus’ temptation by Satan. The Temptation is important to the theme of each Gospel. The King must rule: the perfect Man must possess self-control. Because Jesus has overcome, we can have complete trust in the Son of God. And, because He met temptation in His human nature, He has given us an example which reveals the secret of overcoming to you and me. This is our focus in this important study: the secret of victory over our temptations. TEMPTATION. The same Greek and He brew words are translated as “ test,” “ trial,” and “ temptation.” In the New Testament “ temptation” in every instance is peirazo or peirasmos. The Expository Dictionary of Bible Words (Richards, Zondervan) says “ a temptation is a difficult situation, a pressure that brings a reaction through which the character or commitment of a believer is demonstrated” (p. 593). James made it clear that temptations are not in themselves evil (James 1:13-15). God permits such situations to prove and improve our faith. The evil is not in the situations God permits but in responding sinfully to them. Temptations are not designed to trap, but to approve us. God even provides a way with every temptation to overcome it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Commentary I remember how trapped I felt in high school. It started well. I was running up a flight of stairs and bumped into our football coach. When he got up he said, “ I can’ t wait till you come out for football!” I went out for football. But I was clumsy. I fought it out for a tackle position with my friend, Kayle Craig, and lost. He was a good guy, and I was glad for him. But it was embarrassing when he’ d get his 5’ 2” frame under my 6’ 1” frame, and I’ d flop like a beached whale. So I went out for baseball, and discovered that whenever I did happen to hit a pitch, it popped softly 20 feet to the right of second base. Soon, in our practice game, seven guys on the other squad would be standing there by second, waiting for the putout. Fortunately, I got plantar warts on my right heel and was able to withdraw gracefully. I had similar successes in my social life. For one thing, I have very peculiar hair. It grows out a dozen different directions, and earned me the nickname, Bushman. I still had my personality, of course. But that didn’ t help much. I was so shy that I couldn’ t look a girl from my class in the eye. If I were downtown and saw one coming, I’ d cross the street, or look down, or find something interesting in a store window, just so I wouldn’ t have to greet her. Things didn’ t change much in college. I did learn to play Ping-Pong. And once I took a girl on a long walk on a winter night in Yellow Springs, Ohio. We went out to the city dump, where we threw snowballs at the jumble of cans, to hear the rats jump and scurry. After two years in college I joined the Navy. A lot of things happened there. After two more years I became a Christian, and joined a little church. I felt better. Before, I’ d gone to movies on 42nd Street in Manhattan — two or three triple features a day — and was very lonely. Now I had Christian friends, decided to study for the ministry, became president of our youth group, and just before discharge from the Navy, met a girl on Saturday night, proposed the next Wednesday, and a few months later married. It was a new beginning all right. But, living in our little house trailer in Saline, Michigan I discovered it wasn’ t all that different after all. My boyhood home had been quiet; we didn’ t get excited. My new wife felt things intensely, and expressed her feelings. When she did, I ran and hid, unable to help her. I felt afraid. Perhaps all of us feel that way at times. Boxed in. Trapped. Inadequate. Struggling for freedom from our faults and weaknesses; for the freedom to live successfully with loved ones and associates. When we do have those feelings, it is exciting to realize that Jesus promises us His eternal life, now. In fact, even before Jesus began to speak to the people of His day about the new life He offered, Christ gave them a demonstration of the power, and the freedom that He Himself had and that He came to offer to us all.

Christ’ s Ancestry: Luke 3:23-38Ancestry was very important to the Jewish people. They traced their lineage back to Abraham. Their whole identity as a people rested on the fact that God had given Abraham promises (Genesis 12:1-20; Genesis 15:1-21; Genesis 17:1-27) which they, as his descendants, had inherited. While Jesus’ sudden appearance in Judah was not supported at the time by genealogical evidence, both Luke and Matthew felt it was important to show that, on the human side of His nature, our Lord was both in the Abrahamic line of promise and in the Davidic royal line. He was qualified to take the throne that God promised to the Messiah. We need to note just two things about the genealogy before moving on. First, as is common to biblical genealogies, this one skips. It does not necessarily record each generation; a “ son of” someone, in Hebrew usage, might be a grandson or great-grandson. Only the notable in the family need to be mentioned. Thus we cannot estimate times or dates by using Bible genealogies. The second thing is that this genealogy differs in significant ways from the genealogy in Matthew. Why? Most Bible scholars believe that Luke gives the genealogy of Mary (who was also of the royal Davidic line), while Matthew traces the family of Joseph. Thus by both His mother and His earthly father, Jesus had a right to the throne of Israel.

Jesus’ Temptations: Luke 4:1-13It was important as Jesus launched His public ministry to establish His claim to be the Transformer. Jesus was One who would bring new life to people. But before Jesus offered others new life, He proved in a personal demonstration that a new life was possible!Jesus showed His own freedom from the inadequacies and the sin which trap you and me. In proving that freedom is possible, Jesus gives each of us hope. The first temptation (Luke 4:1-4). Jesus was led by God after His baptism into the desertlike country where no one lived (Luke 4:1-2). He was there for 40 days, without food. Jesus had to prove that new life was a reality in Him. Those were hard days for the 30-year-old Nazarene. He ate nothing, and the Bible says that afterward He was hungry (Luke 4:2). Physically, Jesus was drained of the natural resources inherent in our bodies. It was then that the devil came to Him with the first temptation. There are several things to note about it. “ If You are the Son of God. . . .” Satan initiated his attack, not by asking a question, but by making a statement. There are a number of uses of if in every language, but the Greek language usually makes it clear the kind of if that is meant. One if means doubt: “ Well, if you think so, but I can’ t see it myself.” Another if means since. Suppose an employer comes home every evening from work and complains about a particular secretary. She’ s inefficient. She comes to work late. She misfiles things. Finally his wife gets so upset she blurts out, “ Well, if you’ re the boss, why don’ t you fire her?” This if says since. Because you are the boss, act like the boss! This is the kind of if that Satan uses here. “ Since You are the Son of God, act like God and command these stones be made bread!” “ Man does not live on bread alone.” Jesus’ response is a thrilling one. He quoted this Scripture, and in selecting the particular verse Jesus identified Himself fully with us. “ Man” does not live on bread alone. In choosing this verse Jesus told us plainly. Jesus did not meet the testings of Satan in His deity; Jesus met each test in His human nature as a true man. In this we find hope. If Jesus had responded to temptation in His divine nature, there would have been no help here for you and me. Jesus’ victory would have proved nothing but that God is greater than Satan. But Jesus was born into our world to live as a human being, and to be hungry and tired, misunderstood and hurt, as we all have been. So Jesus met every temptation as a man, and in His victory He showed us the possibility that we will win victory too. What Jesus did as a man, using the resources available to every believer, we can do. The principles on which Jesus’ victory was based are principles by which you and I can live too. “ It is written.” The next thing to note is that, to find victory, Jesus went to Scripture. And He used God’ s Word in a particular way. As a young Christian, I was told that the Bible would give me victory over sin. Yet I was often gripped by a particular temptation. I’ d quote a verse that I thought was appropriate — but as soon as I stopped quoting, I found I surrendered to the temptation! Why? I was using the Bible as something like a Hindu prayer wheel, saying words over and over by rote as though there were something magical in the words themselves. Jesus’ use of Scripture was very different. He went back to the Old Testament, saying in effect, “ Here is a principle to live by . . . and I will live by it.” Jesus chose to act on what God’ s Word revealed to be God’ s will. So it always must be with the Bible. God’ s Word is given us to be lived. We are to be hearers, but not only hearers. We are to do what it says (James 1:22). It was in doing God’ s Word that Jesus found His victory, and it is in doing God’ s Word that we shall find ours. What then was the principle on which Jesus acted? This particular temptation of Satan was focused on Jesus’ physical nature. Christ, after fasting for 40 days, was hungry. In response to the temptation, Jesus recalled, “ Man does not live on bread alone.” Christ had been led into the wilderness by the Spirit. He had been led to fast. Now He would not let His physical needs or urges dominate: Jesus would choose instead to continue to do the will of God. The physical is one avenue of temptation for all of us. Some are ruled by gluttony. Others are firmly in the grip of sexual appetites. One young man and his wife felt led by God to go to a Texas seminary. They arrived, and settled into a small seminary apartment in August, as the temperature hovered over 100 degrees. Within four days they decided God hadn’ t called them to this school, after all. It was simply too hot. Yes, you and I do have physical needs. And it is all right to satisfy them. But we are more than our bodies. We are more than our sensations. Life for us is far more than the satisfaction of bodily urges and needs. For all of us who feel trapped in a pleasure-seeking society, dominated by our desires, Jesus’ victory offers us new hope. The physical need not dominate in our lives, either!With God’ s help, we can choose to live by the Word of God. The second temptation (Luke 4:5-8). Then Satan approached Jesus from a different direction. He showed Christ all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and offered them and their glory to the Messiah-King, if He would only bow down to Satan. Some have felt that this temptation involves worldliness — and have defined worldliness as a desire to possess things, and as the pride of possession. Yet there is more involved in this test than that. First, we have to realize that authority over all the kingdoms of this world is Jesus’ destiny. He is King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15) and to Him one day every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Phi 2:10-11). Certainly what God has planned for Jesus cannot be, in itself, a bad thing — or worldly. We have to believe also, that it would be a good thing for us if Jesus were to rule. Would there be wars and killings today if Jesus were in charge? Would there be sickness or cancer? Would there be crime, or discrimination, or injustice? Of course not! For the Bible says that “ of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’ s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness . . . forever” (Isaiah 9:7). The history of the world would have been very different if Jesus had surrendered to Satan’ s temptation — there would have been peace. There would have been good things. But this was just the strength of the temptation! It was compelling, because what it seemed to offer seemed so very good! It’ s not strange when we think about it. The most powerful temptations are those that involve good things. Not many of us would be tempted if someone said, “ Hey, let’ s go out and commit murder.” Or, “ Let’ s have a drunken orgy.” Or, “ Let’ s go worship Satan.” Oh, no. It is the good things that tempt most of us, not the obviously evil. When Marv was invited to move to Illinois from California, he was troubled by one thing. He had no winter clothes for his three young children, and no money to buy any. Could he move and expose his children to the cold? Marv’ s temptation involved a good thing. Shouldn’ t he have considered the welfare of his children? Oh, yes, it is good desires that make our testings most painful. How did Jesus respond to His temptation? He again returned to Scripture, and drew from it a principle on which He was willing to stake His life. “ Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only” (Luke 4:8). Jesus would not worship Satan. And Jesus would not serve the good! God’ s will alone was to determine!Choosing God’ s will was costly. Yet, God intended and still intends to give Jesus the kingdoms of this world. But the pathway to the crown led Jesus by way of the Cross. Suffering preceded glory. Knowing this, Jesus turned His back on the “ good,” and chose to live by God’ s will. You and I know, of course, that the Cross brought a greater good. Jesus might have brought peace to earth as King, but as dying Saviour Jesus brought us peace with God, and eternal life. All the suffering was worth it! God had our greater good in mind as He directed Jesus toward the scourgings and the thorny crown; toward the brutal pain of nails driven into yielding flesh. It is always this way. God’ s will brings us the greater good. Marv chose to bring his toddlers to Illinois, even though they had no money, because he felt God wanted the family there. And the warm clothes came — as a gift. We can never lose by choosing God’ s will. And we can never gain by selecting what seems “ good” if it is not in God’ s plan and purpose for us. Are you confronted by a good thing that attracts you? Then find freedom in following Jesus’ example. Like Jesus, determine to do the right thing, determining that in every situation you will worship God, and Him only you will serve. The third temptation (Luke 4:9-13). The third temptation is particularly subtle and difficult to understand. Perched on the pinnacle of the temple with Jesus, Satan challenged Him to leap off, reminding Jesus that “ if You are the Son of God” angels would appear to save Him from even dashing His feet against the stones below. “ If You are the Son of God.” The key to understanding this test is found in realizing that the if in Satan’ s challenge of Luke 4:9 is not the since of Luke 4:3 — and in remembering that Jesus faced each temptation as a human being. As a human being, the 40 days of hunger, capped by the appearance of Satan to test Him, must have struck Jesus with wonder. And perhaps even with doubt! Picture a similar situation. Suppose you feel led by God to go to the nearest airport, and buy a ticket to Arizona. You get off in Tucson, and the Lord seems to lead you to a taxi. You get in, and head out of town. Finally you feel led to get out, and you walk down a deserted lane. There, surrounded by scrub and sand and cactus, you sit down. Expectantly. This has been the most unusual experience of your life! How often does God lead a person the way He has just led you? He must have something exciting in mind! And so you wait. And you wait. Night comes. Then another morning. And still you wait. Another night. And another day. Hungry, and alone. And nothing happens! How long will you wait until you begin to wonder. “ Now, did God really lead me here, or was it my imagination?” How long before you yearn for some proof that God has been directing you and is still with you? It was at just such a moment that Satan addressed Jesus. “ If [and here we have the if of doubt] You [really] are the Son of God, throw Yourself down.” What the passage implies is the question, “ Why not settle it?” God won’ t let His Son come to harm. Prove to Yourself the relationship You claim, once and for all. “ It is written.” It’ s difficult to even suggest this interpretation of the third temptation. One hesitates to believe that, even in His human nature, Jesus might have had doubts. But look at the passage the Saviour then quoted. He turned back again to the Old Testament, to Deuteronomy, and said, “ You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16, NASB). But the Deuteronomy passage also has a reference. It looks back to an even earlier day when God’ s people, led out of Egypt and given demonstration after demonstration of God’ s power, ran out of water. At that moment of pressure they forgot all God’ s goodness, and cried, “ Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7) In questioning God’ s presence and His love, they “ put God to the test.” It was this very thing that Satan urged Jesus to do. Make God prove Himself! But Jesus would not. “ Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Luke 4:12). Relationship with God must always rest on faith, and on confidence in God’ s trustworthiness. How subject you and I are to this avenue of temptation. How quickly, when troubles or pressures come, we begin to doubt God and to question His love. How quickly, when we’ ve made a decision and things don’ t seem to be working out, we cry, “ Is God still here? Did I make a mistake?” When you and I are under pressures like this we need to remember the principle that Jesus Himself applied. We do not need proof. We can trust God. We are not to test Him. In our relationship with God too, faith is demanded. LINK TO LIFE: YOUTH / ADULT Cover the temptations in a minilecture, so your group members will understand each one. Then put the chart on a chalkboard or overhead. Work together with the whole group to list a number of typical temptations that come through each of these avenues. The temptations of Jesus were now over, for a little while. Yet throughout Christ’ s life on earth, Satan would attack Him. But our Lord had demonstrated, and would continue to demonstrate, that while He felt the same pressures from testing situations that you and I feel, Jesus never fell under their sway. The power of a unique life was His. And that same power can be ours as well. For new life is exactly what Jesus offers to all who choose to follow Him.

Temptations Study Sheet Avenue of TestingProblems in This AreaHow Can I Apply Victory Principles? The Physical Physical instincts Desires Needs The “ Good” Letting something besides an appeal to God’ s will determine our choices Doubt Failure to trust God when things are difficult Rejection: Luke 4:14-44As Jesus moved out to teach and minister in the power of the Holy Spirit, there was initially great enthusiasm (Luke 4:14-15). People across the tiny country began to talk about Jesus with great admiration. Nazareth (Luke 4:14-30). We don’ t know how long it was before Jesus made a visit to Nazareth, His hometown. But certainly all there had heard about His successes. As a mark of courtesy, the ruler of the synagogue even asked the young Man to read the Scripture. Jesus unrolled the heavy scroll, and read from a place in Isaiah which His listeners knew described the Messiah. “ The Spirit of the Lord is on Me,” Jesus read. “ He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor . . . to proclaim the year of the Lord’ s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Then Jesus told them, “ Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” This was the clearest possible claim that the Carpenter who had been their neighbor was in fact the long-promised Messiah, the Son of God. This claim seemed to stun the listeners. They were drawn to Jesus’ “ gracious words” (Luke 4:22), but over and over they kept saying, “ Isn’ t this Joseph’ s Son? We’ ve known Him as a Child, a Youth, a young Man moving among us. Are we now to suddenly see Him as Israel’ s Deliverer?” People today are faced with this same dilemma. Many have thought of Jesus as a teacher, as a good man, or a tragic historical figure who was killed because He was too far ahead of His time. But when we meet Jesus in Scripture, and hear His claims, we realize that Jesus calls on us to see Him as the living Son of God. Jesus’ neighbors were confronted with a decision they did not wish to make, and a claim they did not want to hear. The Bible says they “ were furious” (Luke 4:28), and that they tried to kill Jesus (Luke 4:29). In this reaction, this choice, we see a cameo portrait of Jesus’ whole ministry. The scene in Nazareth was reenacted over and over during the next three years. In the end the furious anger Jesus aroused expressed itself in implacable hatred, and led to the Cross. How important that our reaction to Jesus never parallel theirs. When we see Jesus, when we come to recognize Him as Son of God, we must reject either ourselves — or Him. We may choose ourselves, and surrender to every temptation we feel. But if we do we will never experience the new life Jesus came to bring. Or, we may choose Jesus. And if we do choose Jesus, then we must also choose to respond to our temptations just as Jesus responded to His. We must take our stand on the Word of God, determine to practice that Word, and do it all in the confidence that Jesus, the Son of God, will bring us the victories for which we yearn. The promise of power (Luke 4:31-41). Where will you and I find the strength to overcome our temptations, and to validate our choice of Jesus by obedience to His Word? Luke now tells us a series of stories. He shows us Jesus, casting out evil spirits (Luke 4:31-37). And he shows us Jesus, reaching out to heal and to strengthen the sick. Surely the One who personally overcame temptation, and who used His power to bring health and wholeness to the sick of His day, will heal our hearts and give us the power to live new, and better lives. LINK TO LIFE: CHILDREN How do we know Jesus will help us when we need Him? Use the same chart suggested for adults (above) but help the boys and girls fill in their temptations. Talk about how Jesus overcame by choosing to do God’ s Word. Ask: “ What makes it hard to do the right thing when we are tempted?” Encourage the children to talk. Then read aloud Luke 4:38-41, while the children listen for proof that Jesus can help them win over their temptations. (He is able to heal sick people, cast out evil spirits; He is the Son of God.)

Teaching Guide Prepare What are your greatest temptations? From which avenue do they come? How are you dealing with them? Are you able to overcome them?

Explore

1. Go around the group and ask each person to complete the sentence: “ Temptations are. . . .”
2. Give a minilecture in which you explain the nature of the temptations which Jesus met and overcame. Use illustrations provided in the commentary of this study guide.

Expand

1. Put the “ temptations” chart on the chalkboard or overhead. You may want to duplicate a full-page chart to give to your group members. Begin by asking pairs to list as many temptations as they can think of that trouble Christians and others in our day. Make a master list of temptations. Then analyze them, seeing how each relates to the sources of the three temptations with which Satan tried to defeat Jesus. Make this study one in which you explore not only temptations, but also how they might be overcome through living God’ s Word.

Apply Ask each person to identify one temptation which he or she faces regularly. Each is to privately determine its source, and a principle to live by to overcome it. Then, without sharing the specific temptation, ask pairs to pray with each other, for each other, that Christ’ s strength may enable the other to win a spiritual victory.