- Satan knew Scripture well. Just because someone uses Scriptures does not mean they are handling the word of God correctly.
- Jesus quoted Scripture. He knew how to rightly interpret it and apply it based on the greater context of God’s nature and character.
- The Scripture that Jesus knew and memorized and his knowledge of the Word are what helped him to protect himself from deception.
- Jesus rebuked the devil and told him to leave. The devil did leave. But only for a time. The battle is ongoing.
- Satan waiting until an “opportune” time to return. Satan is searching for those opportune times.
- Satan was always trying to get Jesus to prove himself. Jesus knew who he was. So he didn’t have to.
- We don’t see the Father speaking to Jesus, just Satan. It did not mean God was not present. He may or may not have spoken. But there’s an old truth that may be worth remembering – The teacher is always silent during the test.
- Jesus knew desire – the desire for food, the desire to prove himself, and the desire to take a shortcut to suffering. But his obedience to the Father was greater than the strongest of desires of the flesh.
- The power of Christ was greater than the power of the devil, which is why Jesus told him to leave. As Christians, we carry Christ within us. It is why the Scriptures say that the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). We should not be passive about the works of the devil.
- After the test the angels came and tended him. Sometimes the care we want is not during the test, but when it is finished.
