Luke 4:1-13 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

Bible Comments

The Temptation (Mark 11:21.*, Matthew 4:1-11 *). In the order of the episodes Lk. follows a geographical (rather than a psychological) sequence, putting the Jerusalem incident last. The other divergences from Mt. are of no moment, but we may note Lk.'s stress on the inspiration of Jesus (Luke 4:1, cf. Luke 4:14), and the apt saying that the devil left Him only for a season (cf. Luke 22:28, Matthew 16:23; John 6:15; John 14:30). For a good study of the Temptation see Seeley's Ecce Homo, ch. ii.

Luke 4:1-13

1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

4 And Jesus answered him, saying,It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

5 And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.

6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.

7 If thou therefore wilt worship me,a all shall be thine.

8 And Jesus answered and said unto him,Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:

10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:

11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

12 And Jesus answering said unto him,It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.