Sunday School Lessons: Luke Chapter 4

Luke Chapter 4

The Temptation of Jesus

Read Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12,13; Luke 4:1-13

The Gospel of John does not record the temptation of Christ because his purpose is to portray Jesus as the Son of God and emphasizes His Divinity.  God cannot be tempted.  However, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all emphasize Jesus as the God Man.  Jesus was tempted as a man “in all points as we were, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

4:1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness2 for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

Jesus was lead into the desert by the Spirit and He was full of the Holy Spirit.  This tells us that God had a purpose for the temptation of Jesus.  He was tempted for 40 days and during that time, he did not eat, so he was hungry. 

Who is the devil? When is the first time the devil shows up in scripture?  (Read Genesis 3:1-13)  What are some of his names? The devil has a name, Satan, because he is a fallen angel, a person (Jude 1:6, 2 Peter 2:4)  He is not simply a representation of evil.  He is real.  Before we talk about his temptation of Jesus, let’s make sure we understand who he is.

Satan is neither omnipresent, omniscient, nor omnipotent. (def.) He is only a tolerated rebel, as we are tolerated rebels. He was the first sinner (1 John 3:8), and was the originator of sin (John 8:44). He is the perpetual tempter of mankind (Revelation 20:2,8), but he shall be conquered by the Redeemer (John 12:31; Revelation 12:9), and may be conquered by us also through the grace of Christ (1 Peter 5:8,9; James 4:7); but is, nevertheless, dangerous (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:9). Jesus, therefore, teaches us to pray for deliverance from him (Matthew 6:13, R.V.). Jesus will destroy the works of Satan (1 John 3:8), and Satan himself shall suffer eternal punishment (Revelation 20:10). . . The devil is called slanderer because he speaks against men. (Revelation 12:10-12) and against God (Genesis 3:1-5).

The word "devil" is Greek. The word "Satan" is Hebrew, and means "adversary" (Job 2:1). Satan is referred to under many other terms, such as Beelzebub (Matthew 12:24); serpent (Revelation 12:9); prince of the powers of the air (Ephesians 2:2); Abaddon (Hebrew) and Apollyon (Greek), meaning "destroyer" (Revelation 9:11); Belial, meaning "good for nothing" (2 Corinthians 6:15); murderer and liar (John 8:44); prince of this world (John 12:31); god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4); and the dragon (Revelation 12:7). These terms are always used in the Bible to designate an actual person; they are never used merely to personify evil. (from the Four Fold Gospel)

3 The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 4 And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’

What was the first thing the devil said to Jesus?  What is the temptation that the devil lays before Jesus? In what way does this remind you of the serpent’s temptation of Eve? Read 1 John 2:15-17 How did Jesus respond to him.  5 And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” 8 And Jesus answered him, “It is written,

“‘You shall worship the Lord your God,
and him only shall you serve.’”

In this second temptation, the devil offers Jesus a short cut.  What is the temptation? Did the devil have any authority to offer this? Read John 12:31, John 14:30, John 16:11, Ephesians 2:2)  How does Jesus answer Satan this time? 

9 And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 10 for it is written,

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
to guard you,’

11 and

“‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

12 And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

This time Satan is tempting Jesus to test God.  This time it is Satan who is quoting scripture!  Read Psalm 91.  Does the section that Satan quoted as a way of proving that He is the Son of God make sense when you read the whole Psalm?  Why not  Satan is asking Jesus to prove He is the Son of God.  Again, how does Jesus respond? 

“When the devil had ended every temptation.”  Satan had tempted Jesus in every way, but Jesus did not yield.  He trusted God.  Notice that it says that he departed from him until an opportune time.  Satan will come back and tempt Jesus again in the Garden of Gesthemane.  He will again tempt Jesus to take the easy way out.  But Jesus continues to trust God and follow the path set before him—all the way to the cross.

Why was Jesus tempted? 

14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

After the temptation, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.  Everything Jesus did was in the power of the Spirit.  He went into the synagogues and taught.  Every town and village had a synagogue in those days.  The synagogue was locally the place where people were taught the Mosaic Law, where the Law was read before the people, and where prayers were said.  Synagogues came about during the time that the Israelites were in captivity.  The worship of God and the sacrifices for sin could only take place at the temple in Jerusalem.

16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Only Luke records this event.  Jesus returns to His hometown and stood to read the Word of God.  The people stood when the scriptures were read out of respect and reverence for the Word of God.  Jesus read a passage from Isaiah 61.  (Read Isaiah 61:1-2)What part did Jesus leave out?  Why did He leave that part out? 

22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph's son?”

These people were marveling at Jesus’ words.  They had seen Him grow up in Nazareth.  They knew Him to be Joseph’s son.  But Christ had just said at the ending of the reading of scripture that the Scripture had been fulfilled in their hearing.  Jesus had called Himself the anointed one.  They had no doubt that He was proclaiming that He was God’s promised Messiah.

23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.” 24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.”

Jesus is telling the people from His own hometown that they would miss out on the blessing if they did not believe He was who He said He was.  He says that in the days of Elijah there were many widows in need, but Elijah was sent to only one, a Gentile, because she believed.  Naaman was not the only leper in Israel, but none of the other ones were healed, only Naaman, a Gentile, because he believed.  He is telling the people that the blessings and gracious words of scripture were only for those who would believe.  (I Kings 17:8-16; 2 Kings 5:1-14)  This made them angry.

28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.

When they heard these things they not only rejected His words, they drove Him out of town and tried to throw Him off a cliff!  Apparently, the mob was able to lay hands on Him and bring Him to that place, but when it came right down to it, they could not do what they set out to do—kill him.  Why not?

31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, 32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. 33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. 36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 37 And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Another Sabbath, another day of teaching in the synagogue; this time in Capernaum.   The people were amazed because He taught as one with authority.  He proved His authority by rebuking the demon and casting him out of the man.

38 And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. 39 And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.

Jesus healed Peter’s mother in law, further proving His authority.  Notice that He rebuked the fever (DEF rebuke:  to turn back or keep down) and she was healed immediately.

40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. 41 And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.

The sun had set on the Sabbath day, but Jesus continued to minister to the people, healing them and casting out demons.  He healed every one that was brought to Him.  He worked through the night:

42 And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, 43 but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” 44 And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. 

The people wanted Him to stay, but He told them that He MUST preach the good news of the kingdom of God for He was sent for this purpose.  He continued to preach in the synagogues, teaching them about the Kingdom of God.  This is another one of the “I MUST” statements in Luke.

*These lessons are written for use with elementary aged students. You can find lessons for previous chapters here . All scriptures are taken from the ESV.

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