Luke 4:2-4 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungry.… 1. That we might see the horrible rage and senseless madness of the devil against God and our salvation. 2. That we should know how fit it is there should be trials of ministers before they enter into their functions. 3. That ministers might know who will be their special adversary they must conflict with in their ministry. 4. That we might see how fit it is that ministers and men of great callings should be fitted and prepared for the good discharge of them by temptation, and by their own experience might learn to relieve others (2 Corinthians 1:4). 5. To give us warning to look to ourselves. If Satan durst set upon Christ, who was as green wood, and had abundance of moisture to quench the heat of his fire, what then will he do to us that are dry, and quickly set on fire? 6. To overcome our temptation with His as He did our death with His. For as death lost his sting lighting on Christ, so also Satan's temptations, and the foil He gave Satan was for us. 7. That by suffering that which was the desert of our sins, his love towards us might appear the more. 8. That there might be some answering to the Israelites being forty years in the desert in many trials and temptations. A day answering a year, as there was before in Christ's going into Egypt. 9. That our Lord might the better know how to pity, and tender, and relieve us with comforts, when we are in temptation. They pity us most in our sicknesses, that have felt the same themselves. (D. Dyke.) Parallel Verses KJV: Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. |
    |