The Testing of the King: Part 1 

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:1-11

  Directly after the baptism of Jesus and the divine confirmation of His Sonship, we have the narrative of His temptation. Jesus is about to enter publicly into His ministry of the Kingdom breaking into time. The question facing Him was how to go about fulfilling this mission.
  The word tempt as used in this scripture is the translation of the Greek word peirazein. It has the basic meaning "to test". Jesus had His mission tested with the choice between His Father's Kingdom or Satan's. The testing of the King is the exhibition of His full obligation to His Father. As the enemy was the intermediary in the testing, the choice was as much as to ascend or to fall.
  The scripture tells us that He was actually driven by the Spirit into the wilderness for this testing of His messianic calling. Jesus had just come from the Jordan River. Between the Jordan and Jerusalem is a large wilderness area. It is a desert like setting, quite empty with intensive heat. Here as He walked alone, meditating over His mission, He was assaulted by the enemy with the proposal of surrogate plans to reach His purpose. Satan's proposals were self serving plans. Jesus' answer and way is sacrificial love which led to the cross.

Discussion:

1. After reading Matthew 4:1-11 discuss the need for testing in our lives. Why does it occur? What kind of fruit does it bear?

2. Read Genesis 22 and the testing of Abraham. Do any other biblical tests come to mind? Does testing necessitate dying to self?

3. How have you overcome or got through your testing times? Hebrews 4:14-16; James 4:1-8; Revelation 12:10-11.

4. When we are done with a certain test, can we be tested again in it? Do our daily choices play a role? Genesis 12:13; 18:13-15; 20:13.

5. Our choices play a major role in our times of testing. Genesis 39:7-10; Numbers 22:7-18; 24:12,13;  1 Samuel 26:5-25; 1 Kings 13:7-9.

6. Describe how you believe you make the best choices. Deuteronomy 30:19,20; Joshua 24:15-18; 1 Kings 18:21.

Discovery Section:

  In this narrative of the testing of the King we discover one of the most personal accounts of Jesus' life. Since the King was alone this is His personal narrative as told to the disciples. It reflects not only a dynamic mind, but a spiritual strong tower. It is His spiritual autobiography discovered and reveled for all time.
  Testing is a necessary part of life to show the true nature of a human being. There is an old saying; "The Holy One, blest be His Name, does not  elevate a man to dignity until He has first tried and searched him; if he stands in temptation then He raises him to dignity". We discover more about our own nature, as we learn more about our King and His nature.