The Temptations Part 5: Throw Yourself Down (Luke 4:9-13)
The Third Temptation [0:01]
We now come to the third temptation of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Luke 4:9-13.
He next led him into Jerusalem, and, placing him on the parapet of the Temple, said, “If you are God’s Son throw yourself down from here, for scripture says – ‘He will give his angels commands about you, to guard you safely.’ And, ‘On their hands they will lift you up, otherwise you might strike your foot against a stone.’” (OEB)
This is the only scripture quoted by the Devil in the entire Bible.
But Jesus answered him, “It is said – ‘You must not tempt the Lord your God.’ When he had tried every kind of temptation, the devil left Jesus, until another opportunity.” (Luke 4:9-13, OEB)
How did he take Jesus from one place to the other? From the Mount of Temptation to a high place in the temple? Did Jesus hike down the mountain and walk to Jerusalem? Or, did the Devil transport Jesus in some kind of supernatural way? Did Jesus walk, or was he whisked away? Well, there are different opinions about that.
However Jesus got to Jerusalem, he finds himself on a high place in the temple. Here is his final temptation as recorded in Luke.
Psalm 91 [2:17]
One thing the Devil has seen is that Jesus is completely devoted to following the scriptures. He would not turn a stone to bread and eat because of a scripture. He would not bow down and worship the Devil because of a scripture.
So, since Jesus is so committed to following the scriptures, I will give him a scripture to follow! This is a completely different tactic. Jesus follows what the scriptures say, so I will give him a scripture to follow. Using the Bible to tempt Jesus. The very word of God!
From Psalm 91. If you are the son of God, throw yourself down.
I know the Devil literally says “If you are the son of God....” But a lot of times “if” really means “since.’
We do this in English. For example we might say, “Why are you returning to Ukraine if the war is not over?” What that really mean is: why are you going back, since the war is not over?
We have the same kind of thing in the Bible. For example: “If, then, any encouragement comes through union with Christ, if there is any persuasive power in love, if there is any communion with the Spirit, if there is any tenderness or pity, ... make my happiness complete... “(OEB Phil. 2:1)
Paul is not expressing doubt about whether the Philippians have encouragement through union with Christ. He does not doubt that there is power in love. Since these things are true, since you have encouragement and since love has power.... make my happiness complete.
Well, back to the Devil. So, when the Devil says, “If you are the son of God, throw yourself down,” I really think it is, “Since you are the son of God, throw yourself down.”
Why? Why throw myself down? Because you are covered by Psalm 91. Have you ever heard anyone say, “I am covered by Psalm 91”? Well, maybe not here in Ukraine. But in America it became quite popular with the rise of Covid. Reporters would stand outside of churches and ask Christians as they were leaving, “Why aren’t you wearing a mask?” And they would say, “I am covered by Psalm 91.”
Psalm 91 is everywhere. Posters, necklaces, pillows. Signs and t-shirts. On and on it goes. There is a Psalm 91 Security Company to protect your property. And Paula White Ministries asked people to send a $91.00 contribution to her ministry, to align with Psalm 91.
Why should Jesus throw himself down? Well, because he is the son of God. And Psalm 91 promises the Lord’s protection for the Messiah. A lot of protection. Like this: You need not fear...the plague that stalks in darkness, nor the pestilence raging at noon. (OEB, Ps. 91:5, 6). Oh, great, I don’t have to wear a mask.
I am covered by Psalm 91.
And I see here that one verse says you will tread on the lion and the cobra. (91:13) Can I turn this into a circus act? It will be great. In the big ring under the big tent, walking on lions and cobras. Well, of course that would not work. The promise would not cover a circus act with lions and snakes.
What else does it say? The angels will guard you [in your ways]. They will hold you up with their hands so that you will not even hurt your foot on a stone.” (OEB, Prov. 91:11,12)
So, there you go, Jesus. Since you are the son of God, you are covered by the word of God. The Lord has promised. The angels will hold you up. You will glide gently to a soft landing, like a CEO with a golden parachute.
You showed your trust in God to bring your hunger to an end. Now show your trust by throwing yourself down. Jump Jesus. Just do it.
The High Place [8:43]
Where is this high place in the temple? Well, there were a lot of high places. There was one on the top of a portico. The portico ran right up to the edge of the temple. And the temple was built on the edge of a mountain. From the top to the bottom of the Kidron Valley was 450 feet. One and a half American football fields. Josephus says that just looking over the edge would make a man dizzy because of the height. And you really could not see the bottom.
Or, it may have been the roof of the temple. That special building where there was the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. In which case Jesus would be jumping down in front of the place where worshipers would gather during burning of the incense while the daily lamb was sacrificed, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon.
Alfred Edersheim has a unique perspective. He says there was a special post, some kind of platform, for a priest to stand. Very high. And the priest would stand there in the morning watching for the very first glimmer of sunlight to come over the horizon. And at the first light, he would give a signal to the other priests and worshipers to begin the morning worship. From there, one could look down and see all the worshipers below. (Life and Times, 257).
Very interesting. If Jesus were to cast himself down in front of all of these worshipers, he would be recognized as the Messiah. The angels will give you a soft landing. And the people will know you are the Messiah. Edersheim even speculates that all of this may have happened during the morning sacrifice while the worshipers were gathered.
Maybe. Who really knows? Throw yourself down into the valley. Throw yourself down to where the worshipers are. As an interesting side note, the church historian Eusebius says that James, the half brother of Jesus, was martyred by being thrown down from a high place in the temple.
Do Not Test [12:00]
Now, let’s get to Jesus’ response. But Jesus answered him: “It is said — ‘You must not tempt the Lord your God.’” (OEB, Lk. 4:12) Do not put the Lord to a test. Do not tempt the Lord.
Since you are the Son of God, see if God really will send his angels to hold you up. Again Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy. Each scripture he uses to overcome temptations is from Deuteronomy. They all relate to the Jews who had come out of Egypt. The Jews were hungry, Jesus was hungry. The Jews made a golden calf to worship. Jesus is tempted to worship the Devil. The Jews tested the Lord, and Jesus is being tempted to test the Lord.
The attitude of the Jews was appalling. When they were hungry they complained about food. And God gave them manna. (Exodus 16). When they were in need of water, Moses split the rock and water flowed out (Ex. 17:1-7) Enough for all of the Jews and all of their animals. And from the Psalms we know that it continued to flow for a long time—like a river in the desert.
And when they saw the water flowing from the rock, they put the Lord to a test. “Yes, he split the rock and water came out. But can he give us bread. Can he give us meat? Can he give us a feast in the desert? They willfully challenged God, demanding the food that they longed for. (OEB, Ps. 78:18-20).
They willfully challenged God, and the Lord was furious.
It was a willful test to see what they could get from the Lord. He gave us manna from heaven after we complained. He gave us water from the rock after we complained. What else can we get? Maybe God is listening. Can he give us a feast in the desert?
The Beggar’s Test [14:54]
A couple of years ago my wife and I were in Chicago on a visa-cation. Do you know what a visa-cation is? There are vacations and there are visa-cations. That is what we call them. Over the years we have had to leave for another country or city to get a visa for Ukraine, or Kazakhstan, or Azerbaijan. We try to enjoy ourselves as much as possible while we are there and call it a visa-cation.
Well, we were on a visa-cation in Chicago for almost a week. One day we stepped out of the hotel and there was a twenty-dollar bill on the sidewalk. So, I picked it up. Of course.
Sometime in the distant past I found some money one day on a sidewalk in some city in some country somewhere. Not much. But there was a beggar woman a few feet away. So, I just gave it to her. And so from then on, whenever I found money, I would give it to the next person or so who looked like they could use it. Never a lot of money.
So, here we are in Chicago on a visa-cation. And it is a twenty-dollar bill. Well my wife said I should give four five-dollar bills to four different people. And so I did. But it took a couple of days. I don’t’ give money to just anyone.
Two people stand out in my memory. One was a man probably in his mid-thirties. Something like that. He asked for help as I was passing by, so I went over to talk to him. I asked him what will you do if I give you some money. And he said, “I would buy a tent, Sir.” So, I guessed he was homeless.
He said, “Sir, I don’t drink alcohol. And I don’t do drugs. I am clean. And I believed him. His eyes were clear. His head was clear. His speech was clear. So I gave him $5.00.
The next day we came walking by the same place in the morning. A lot of people were walking to work, and he was sitting in the same spot. Well, he saw me. There are not too many people walking around Chicago in a cowboy hat and cowboy boots. So he recognized me.
And the instant he saw me, he jumped up. He stood up straight as an arrow like a soldier. Really! His eyes were looking straight ahead and his chin was up. He pulled his hand up and maintained a salute.
“Good morning, Sir! It is a fine day. How are you today, Sir? And how are you, Ma'am?" In a very forceful voice.
Well, people were looking at him and they were looking at me and wondering what is going? Who is this person in the cowboy hat? Why is that man standing at attention and holding this salute?
Well, I went over and greeted him and I told him to calm down. And he was not expecting anymore money. He was just truly, truly thankful that I had given him $5.00. What if I had given him twenty dollars? Or, a tent? What would have happened? I don’t know.
And then there was another man. Sitting in front of a Starbucks on some kind of a chair. He was sleepy and looked like he could not stay awake. I think he maybe had some kind of health problem. And so, I walked over and I gave him $5.00. He reached out and took it and said nothing. He could have said thank you. He could have offered a smile. Something. But there was nothing.
I turned and took about ten steps to the Starbucks and he called out to me. I turned around and he put me to the test. “Hey, uh. You know I have not had my morning coffee today. Do you think you could uh, buy me a cup of coffee?”
Not with the five dollars I had just given him. Five dollars plus a cup of coffee!
I thought to myself, “Buy your own coffee. I just gave you $5.00.”
That is what the Jews did. The Lord gave us manna. The Lord gave us water. But can you give us a feast in the desert? We would like a feast!
Manipulation. The Jews were testing God.
Moses knew all of that. And so he gave them this commandment, now quoted by Jesus. You must not tempt the Lord your God. (OEB, Lk. 4:12)
Do not try to force God’s hand.
Depart from Me [22:09]
The Gospel of Matthew says that Jesus finally commanded the Devil to depart. (Matt. 4:10, 11). And he did. The Devil departed and angels came to minister to Jesus.
I am reminded of what James says about temptation. That would be James, the half-brother of Jesus who is said to have died when he was thrown down from a high place in the temple.
Here is what he said. Therefore submit to God. Stand up to the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (OEB, James 4:7,8).
Jesus submitted himself to God.
Jesus stood up to the Devil: “Depart from me.” And the Devil left him.
And God drew near to Jesus: The angels came and attended to him.
Now, Jesus can eat.
But the Devil will be back.
Rick Walker
Vinekeeper Bible Podcast
Vinogradar Church of Christ
Kyiv, Ukraine
Sophia Church of Christ
Guyana South America
