Bread..Tasting & Tempting

Previously Posted:

Feb. 4, 2019

Introduction...

The Word ..."Bread"... is mentioned 330 times in the Bible ... referring symbolically ... to many valuable foundational keys ... to understanding the Holy Scriptures:

"Bread"

[G740]

= loaves of bread

= food made of grain

= food of any kind

...So... can also refer to:

= doctrine 

(Matt.16:11-12)

Jesus shows us in this Scripture that He intends doctrine to have every aspect of it 

... based on His Holy Word 

... doctrine especially NOT to be a product of tradition ... in any way.

= Jesus' Body 

(Matt. 26:26...Jn.6:35)

= spiritual power

(Mark 7:27)

= spiritual food

= /Word of God

(Luke 4:4)

= sincerity and Truth

= /Word of God

(1Cor.5:8)

Considering the "Body of Jesus":

..."Bread"... represents everything His "Body" represents.

We understand this first as He referred to Himself ... as "the Bread of Life." (Jn.6:35)

His physical Body was then offered as a sacrifice at the cross ... after Jesus instructed the disciples at the last supper... to remember that the "Bread" represents His Body and the Wine His Blood.

We can reveal how the Bread connects to everything else Jesus is ... by listing all things that are equal ... beginning with ... and ending with ... "Jesus" in this equation:

Jesus = Bread = Word of God = Spiritual Food = Nourishment/Power via Holy Spirit of the Word = Truth..Way..Life = Jesus

Truly ... Jesus is the Bread ... and ... the Bread is the Body of Christ.

But ... also interesting to note:

= believers

(are Body of Christ)

(1Cor.10:17)

... in a sense ... genuine believers are also the "Word of God"... carrying the Word of God in their hearts 

... giving the Word ... giving of themselves ... by sharing the Word ... and serving others as prompted by the Holy Spirit of the Word of God ... taking the role ... in the world ... as "walking Bibles," if you will.

[...All of the above references also found elsewhere throughout the Scriptures]

..."Taste"...

When considering "Taste"... as it pertains to "tasting" the Lord ... Who is ... our "Bread of Life"... as well as "seeing"... the Lord 

... it becomes evident in the following verse ... that "Bread" is an unmistakable reference to God ... as His goodness is being defined ... and experienced.

Therefore ... we are being encouraged to acquaint ourselves with His Word ... to experience the benefits of His goodness ... and ... thereby ... be motivated to put our trust in Him. 

If we just "taste"... we are assured that we will "see" how good God is 

... and be able to receive all the blessings associated with ... putting our trust in Him.

Therefore . . .

"tasting"... is an invitation.

Psalm 34:8:

O taste

and see

that the LORD

is good:

blessed is

the man

that trusteth

in him.

"taste"

[H2938]

= try..perceive..eat

= partake of..digest

= satisfy cravings

= sustain life..health

= acquire strength

= recognize

= ascertain..recognize

"see"

[H7200]

= look at..behold

= enjoy..perceive 

= think about

= inspect..observe

= visualize..consider

= regard..watch

= give attention to

= learn about

= discern..distinguish

"blessed"

[835]

= happy

[833]

= go straight..walk

= go on..advance

= make progress 

= to lead on

= be guided

"trusteth"

[H2620]

= seek refuge

= flee to for 

   ...protection 

= confident in

= hope in

[H982]

= to feel safe

= cause to trust 

= make secure

"Tasting" is foremost... a submissive response ... to God's invitation ... to discover the blessings ... He desires to bestow .... upon those who are obedient ... to His Word ... as put forth in this verse.

HOWEVER...

..."Tempt Not"...

... because ...

"tempting" involves 

presumption ... a very strong ... and rebellious ... character flaw of the devil 

... as played out through Jesus' encounter with this evil one 

..."thee Tempter"... in the wilderness:

v.1

Then

was Jesus

led up

of the Spirit

into

the wilderness

to be tempted

of the devil.

"wilderness"

[G2048]

= solitary..lonely

= desolate

= uninhabited

= deserted by others

[G5490]

= empty expanse

"tempted"

[G3985]

= try whether a thing

   can be done

= attempt..endeavour

= make trial of for

   purpose of

   ascertaining how 

   God will behave

= to test craftily to

   put to the proof of

   God's feelings or

   judgments

= to solicit..invite to sin

= to inflict evils upon

   to prove character

= by wicked conduct

   to test God's patience

= to challenge God to

   prove His greatness

...Also men tempt God by exhibitions of distrust ... to try to prove that He can or cannot be trusted.

By considering these differences between "tasting" God and "tempting" God ... it becomes clearly evident that "tasting" is from a position of submissive yielding ... and willingness to be taught by the Holy Spirit ... what God says about Himself in His Holy Word.

...BUT...

... on the other hand ... 

"tempting"... comes from an attitude ... and  ... position of an unsubmissive rebellious desire to control God ... by pressuring Him to yield to one's own self-determined test.

v.2

And when

he had fasted

forty days

and

forty nights,

he was afterward

an hungred.

"hungred"

[G3983]

= in need of food

= desire for food

= to suffer want

[G3993]

= poor (without)

= in need..afflicted

Take note ... the devil sees the advantage in waiting until Jesus is at a disadvantage ... physically weak ... after fasting for 40 days.

This is when the enemy appeals to the flesh to try to take control ... to lead in the wrong direction.

v.3

And when

the tempter

came to him,

he said,

If thou be

the Son of God,

command that

these stones

be made bread.

"command"

[G2036]

= speak..say..tell

[G4483]

= to make to do

("use Your power, Jesus")

[G5346]

= to declare

[G5457]

= manifest light/power

[G5316]

= cause to appear

= create

While the Tempter is acknowledging Jesus' power as Creator ... recognizing that all Jesus has to do is simply "command" the stones to turn into bread 

... at the very same time ... the slick devil ... is cleverly trying to interject himself into the equation ... in an attempt to become ..."the commander"... of ..."Thee Commander"

...which ... of course ... is an attempt to steal authority from Christ.

Here we see an excellent example of the sin behind the sin of "tempting God"

... which solely rests upon the attempt to tell Jesus what to do ... to try to command 

..."Thee Commander."

In essence ... this self-serving maneuver to try to get God to prove Himself to man or yield to the desire of man to see God perform ... is the sin that lurks behind every attempt to test and tempt God.

v.4

But he answered

and said,

It is written,

Man

shall not live

by

bread alone,

but by

every word

that proceedeth

out of

the mouth of God.

Jesus provides the perfect response and example for us through His response to this temptation and the rebellious attempt of the Tempter to try to steal Jesus' authority by putting Him to his own deceitful ... self-designed "test."

Very similar to Jesus' discourse with Nicodemus in John: 3 

... about the two dimensions that exist ...

Jesus is now reminding the devil ... and us ... that there is:

(1)..physical "Bread"

... and there also is ...

(2)..spiritual "Bread."

Jesus makes the distinction clear 

... the physical bread we physically eat is not the only type of "Bread."

... The reality we must face ... is that ... to survive ... to maintain life ... we also must have the Spiritual "Bread" ... which "comes out of the mouth of God"... the "Bread" that exists to spiritually keep us alive forever ... found in the form of the written Word of God.

This is not an option.

If we want to maintain life ... we must also "feed on"... "eat"..."digest"... devote time and effort to assimilating the written ... Word of God.

v.5

Then the devil

taketh him up

into the holy city,

and setteth him

on a pinnacle

of the temple,

v.6

And saith

unto him,

If thou be

the Son of God,

cast thyself down:

for it is written,

He shall give

his angels charge concerning thee:

and in their hands

they shall

bear thee up,

lest at any time

thou dash thy foot against a stone.

The devil is a relentless being ... quick to mock ... and minimize the vital importance Jesus is placing on our need of every Word God has spoken

... so he pulls out of context ... the Word "written"... to mockingly try to prove his point ... and legitimize his effort to "tempt" Christ

... and in essence ... tells Jesus not to worry about being put to the "test"

..."see ... your own Word guarantees that you won't get hurt because the angels are there to protect you."

BUT ... the issue is not about Jesus' survival 

... it's about His authority. 

No one has the authority to tell God what to do ... our position must always remain one of submissive request ... preceded by diligent searching of His written Word.

So. . .

v.7

Jesus said unto him,

It is written again,

Thou shalt

not tempt

the Lord thy God.

v.8

Again,

the devil

taketh him up

into an exceeding

high mountain,

and sheweth him

all the kingdoms

of the world,

and the glory

of them;

v.9

And saith unto him,

All these things

will I give thee,

if thou wilt

fall down

and worship me.

And ... again ... the devil does not give up ... but digs His heels in even deeper ... by admitting ... "yes ... this is really about 'worship'... (authority and submission)" ... "so just worship me then."

"worship"

[G4352]

= an expression used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank

= showing submission to by bowing to ... etc.

v.10

Then saith Jesus

unto him,

Get thee hence,

Satan:

for it is written,

Thou shalt worship

the Lord thy God,

and

him only

shalt thou serve.

Jesus definitely has the authority ... and uses it ... at this point to command Satan to leave ... reminding him one last time that God alone ... is to be worshipped ... and served.

"serve"

[G3000]

= menial (humble) hire

= lowly work

= minister to

(as under authority)

"Serve"... is also an interesting Word Jesus uses to establish the true context of what it means to "worship."

For the Christian ... all work becomes a service in the Name of Christ ... regardless the type of work in which one is engaged. 

But would prohibit

engaging in certain types of "work" that would not be honoring to God or in harmony with His Holy Word.

The specific definition of the Word in this case in the Greek ... refers to ministering to the humble needs of others  

... foremost in the body of believers 

... but also serving ... even in the world ... for wages 

... at an independant position where Christ can also be seen and glorified ... not where the world ... and devil can steal the authority and glory 

... but through the Body of believers ... individually ... and/or collectively ... working with/or without wages

... meeting lowly needs of fellow humans.

Since the devil didn't want to think about humbly serving others ... but about enjoying a position if authority ... "lording it" ... even over God Himself 

... the Word "serve"... added to the Words ..."worship God alone"... were sufficient Words to motivate him to leave ... and so he did.😊

v.11

Then the devil

leaveth him,

and, behold,

angels came

and ministered

unto him.

Therefore. . .

"Bread" is "manna."

[G3131]..(Jn.6:31)

[H4478]

[H4100]

= "manna" defined as asking...the questions:

..."What is it?"

..."What does it mean?

The Word, "manna," meaning: 

"What is this?"

... or ... 

"What does this mean?"

     "Manna" is an interrogative pronoun ... addressing everything we ever would want to ask:

what?..how?..why?..whereby?..by what means?..because of what?

Instead of "testing"... we need to be "tasting"

... submitting our questions ... asking all of our questions ... as we look to Jesus:

..."Manna"

..."Bread of Life"

..."Written Word of God" 

... for the answers to the everyday challenges we face.

* * * * *

If you are seeking answers to the questions you have about issues you are facing in your life today

... scroll to the top of this page ... click on the gift wrapped in gold and follow the directions ... with all your heart engaged.

Then begin diligently and prayerfully studying God's written Word.

...You will not be disappointed.

... God is faithful ... and waiting 

... for you to ask Him for the "Bread of Life."

              ♡♡♡