The Three Tests Explained

Three Tests, Three Answers

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In the wilderness the devil tested Jesus three times. Each test looked different, but each one tried to pull Jesus away from trusting and obeying His Father.

Test one: stones into bread. “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:3). Jesus was very hungry after forty days without food.

What it was really about. Bread is not bad. The test was about using His power to take care of Himself instead of waiting for His Father to provide. It was a test of trust.

Jesus' answer. He quoted Deuteronomy 8:3, where Moses said “that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.”

Test two: the temple. The devil set Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple and said, “Throw Yourself down” (4:6). He quoted Psalm 91 to make the dare sound holy.

What it was really about. This test was about making God prove His love by jumping into danger on purpose. That is not trusting God. It is testing Him.

Jesus' answer. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God as you tempted Him in Massah.” At Massah, Israel had grumbled and demanded that God prove He was with them.

Test three: the kingdoms. From a very high mountain, the devil showed Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” and said, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me” (4:8-9).

What it was really about. This was a test of worship. The devil offered a crown without the cross. Jesus would rule over all, but God's way went through the cross first.

Jesus' answer. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:13: “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him.” Then the devil left Him.

The same pulls today. Many Christians see the same three pulls in our lives: wanting what our bodies crave right now, wanting God to prove Himself our way, and wanting to be great without obeying God.

One answer every time. Each time, Jesus said, “It is written.” He did not argue or try to sound clever. He trusted what God had already said.

What we learn. Every temptation is really a question: will you trust God and obey Him, or go your own way? Jesus trusted and obeyed every time.

What to do. This week, learn one of the three verses Jesus used. Say it out loud when you feel pulled toward doing wrong.

The three temptations in Matthew 4 each struck at a different part of Jesus' trust in His Father: His needs, His safety and His mission.

The setting (4:1-2). The Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, and after forty days without food He was hungry. The devil came when Jesus was at His weakest in body.

Test one: provision (4:3-4). The tempter asked Jesus to use His power to meet His own need. Jesus answered with Deuteronomy 8:3, where God let Israel hunger and fed them with manna “that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone.”

The Father's timing. The Son would not grab what the Father had not given. Philippians 2:5-8 describes the same mind in Jesus: He humbled Himself and became obedient.

Test two: presumption (4:5-7). Presumption means acting as if God must rescue you from a danger you chose on purpose. The devil quoted Psalm 91:11-12 but left out “To keep you in all your ways.”

Deuteronomy 6:16. At Massah, Israel “tempted the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’ ” (Exodus 17:7). They demanded proof instead of trusting the God who had just brought them through the sea.

Test three: worship (4:8-10). The devil offered “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” in exchange for one act of worship. God had already promised the nations to His Son (Psalm 2). The devil offered a shortcut around the cross.

Deuteronomy 6:13-14. “You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him.” The next verse warns, “You shall not go after other gods.” Worship and service belong to God alone.

Twisted truth. The devil quoted Scripture, but he pulled it out of its setting. Jesus answered, “It is written again” (4:7). Scripture helps explain Scripture.

Gegraptai (say: GEH-grap-tie). “It is written” is in the Greek perfect tense: written in the past and still standing today. Jesus stood on words that could not be moved.

Three pulls. The apostle John later warned about three things the world offers: what the body craves, what the eyes want and pride in what we have (1 John 2:16). Many Christians see the same three in Matthew 4.

Jesus did not use a secret power. He won with the same tools God gives us: the Holy Spirit, trust in the Father and the written Word.

Application. Memorize Deuteronomy 8:3, 6:13 and 6:16, and ask God to bring them to mind when you are tempted.

Standing Firm When You Are Tempted

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Jesus did not only win His own battle. He showed us how to stand when we are tempted, and He helps us do it.

Everyone is tempted. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Being tempted does not mean you are bad. Jesus was tempted too.

God gives a way out. The same verse promises, “But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape.”

Know the Word. “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). Jesus answered from memory. He knew Scripture by heart.

A sharp sword. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12).

Say no and mean it. Jesus said, “Away with you, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10). The Bible promises, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Stay close to God. James also says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8). Saying no to wrong goes with saying yes to God.

Put on God's armor. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11). Wiles means tricks.

Pray. Jesus taught us to pray, “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13).

Jesus understands. He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). You can talk to Him about anything.

When you fail. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Run to Jesus, not away from Him.

No need to fear. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The Holy Spirit lives in everyone who trusts Jesus.

What we learn. Jesus is our Savior and our helper. With His Word and His Spirit we can say no to sin.

What to do. Pick one temptation you face, like lying or being unkind. Find a Bible verse about it and learn it this week. Ask a parent to pray with you.

Matthew 4 is about Jesus' victory, and it also shows how every believer can face temptation with the help Jesus gives.

Temptation is common (1 Corinthians 10:13). Paul wrote this right after reminding the church of Israel's failures in the wilderness (10:6-11). Our temptations are not new, and God's faithfulness is not new either.

The way of escape. God “will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Sometimes the way out is very practical: leave the room, close the screen or change the subject.

The Word stored up. Psalm 119:11 links a heart full of Scripture to not sinning. Jesus did not open a scroll in the wilderness. The Word was already in Him.

The sword of the Spirit. Paul calls the word of God the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). Hebrews 4:12 adds that it is “sharper than any two-edged sword.” It is the only piece of the armor used to strike back.

Submit, then resist (James 4:7). “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” First we come under God's rule, then we stand against the devil.

Alert, not afraid. Peter warns that “your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8). Yet “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). The Holy Spirit lives in every believer and gives power to say no.

Our High Priest. Hebrews 4:15-16 says Jesus can “sympathize with our weaknesses.” Because He was tempted and never sinned, we can “come boldly to the throne of grace.”

Prayer. Jesus taught His followers to pray, “And do not lead us into temptation” (Matthew 6:13). Asking God for help before the battle is part of winning it.

Grace when we fall. 1 John 1:9 promises forgiveness when we confess. Shame tells us to hide from God, but grace calls us back to Him. A believer can know they still belong to God.

Romans 8:1. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.” Our standing with God rests on Jesus' obedience, not on our record.

Application. Pick one area where you are often tempted. Choose a verse that speaks to it, memorize it, and tell a trusted adult so they can pray with you.

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