The Bible Study Podcast, episode 412. Today, the Bible Study podcast continues the study of the

gospel of Matthew with Chapter 4.

Welcome to the Bible Study podcast. I'm your host, Chris Christensen. We start chapter four with

Jesus going out in the wilderness to be tempted. Remember, chapter three ended with Jesus is

baptized by John and the Jordan River, and a voice comes from heaven and says, this is my son,

with whom I am well pleased. And that will be tested here in chapter four. Then Jesus was led by the

spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry.

The tempter came to him and said, if you are the son of God, tell these stones to become bread.

Jesus answered, It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him to the holy city,

and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. If you are the son of God, he said,

throw yourself down, for it is written. He will command

his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your

foot against a stone. Jesus answered him, it is also written, do not put the Lord your God

to the test. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain,

showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. All this I will give you, he said,

if you will bow down and worship me. Jesus said to him, away from me, Satan, for it is written,

worship the Lord your God and serve him only. Then the devil left him and angels came

and attended him. So Jesus is tempted. Jesus is intentionally tempted. We should not gloss over the fact

that Jesus is led by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted. That's a hard thing to hear because I don't like temptation.

I'm probably one of the reasons I don't like it is I don't always pass.

If I had a better grade point average, I may not mind temptation as much.

But sometimes God allows us to be tempted.

...