Evening star., 1922-10-21
Sunday School Lesson

pathized with mans need OF Dread
He knew that the Jews were looking
feed and clothe them. crush the Ro-
man power and reduce their heavy
taxes. His mission was to be the
Messiah. who would continue to
please His Father. Jesus detected
the fact that deep below the surface
Of the Satanic suggestion was a dis.
trust OF His Fathers purpose and
power. He had Identified Himself
with men as the Son Of God to live
as the Son of Man a life of depend
ence upon the Father.
The appeal to mans appetite would
be popular. but Christ determined not
to establish His kingdom through HIS
power to turn stones into bread. yet
He Is doing 1t daily. The stones. dis
integrating in the fields, make posi-.
Bile our wheat harvest, whence comes
our hour. He turned aside the
tempter's suggestion by a quotation
by ~ bread d alone" lone: He He sa revealed led His HIS
faith in the Scriptures and demon
strated His loyalty to Jehovah by
declining to prove His Messiahship
by material means. He took an un-
popular position. but the only one
that promised q permanent power for
He made the spiritual first and theE
the material in His program. He
sought to establish the rule of God
In the hearts OF men and through
them In the affairs of the world. Men
have failed whenever In their politi-
placed the material wants Of men be-
fore their spiritual needs. BY obedi-
ence to Gods word and exercising
faith Christ conquered Satan.
The second temptation was an open
proposition to give the kingdom Of
the world to Christ for q word. The
devtl sought to tempt Jesus to grasp
means. He offered Jesus immediate
control and freedom from the strug-
gle Of the centuries II Christ would
worship Satan. It was an effort to
buy the Master. offering Him the
kingdom OF the world without the
tried to win out through compromise
The passions, prejudices and power
of men would be overcome if Jesus
would compromise with evil and ac-
cept Satan's assistance in carrying
out His program. No follower OF the
with the evil one. Our Savior felt
the force Of that temptation, which
appealed to His ambition to estab-
lish the kingdom of God among men,
He refused to take the short course
to the throne whom He turned upon
the tempter. tore Off his mask and
defeated him in his efforts to secure
a compromise. refusing to worship
Satan. because Gods word COM
manded. Thou shalt worship the
Lord. thy God. and Him only shalt
thou serve"
The attitude of Jesus to the Scrip
lures led Satan to open his final
effort to master Christ with a quota
ton from the psalms. He omitted
in all thy ways" and was careful
not to quote the next verse, which
refers to the victory of the righteous
man over the devil. One can never
trust Satan or his tools when they
attempt to quote Gods word They
usually misquote it when they try
to make out that apparently they are
supported by the Bible. Satan tried
His faith in God by a spectacular
display that would prove His SON
ship and reveal Gods keeping power.
He urged the Master to seek the sup
port OF the Jewish nation by the
exercise Of miracles. This temptation
was the opposite Of the first, and
again Jesus turned to the Scripture
fnr weapon of defense with which
he mastered Satan. The DEVILS false
use Of the Scriptures was answered
by the true. The Master refused to
adopt the use of miracles as a means
OF winning men. The needless test OF
Gods fdelity to His promises is ex-
pressly forbidden. Christ recognized
that the only way to win men for
HIS cause was by methods that re-
that defied the moral and natural
order Of life would have been sin.
He did not rest His sonship on mira
cles or compromise His principles by
any sort OF compact with Satan.