Luke 4:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."

NIV: The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."

NASB: And the devil said to Him, 'If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.'

CSB: The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."

NLT: Then the devil said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.'

KJV: And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

NKJV: And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

During this wilderness experience (Luke 4:1–2), Jesus will be tempted by Satan. Each temptation speaks to a particular temptation that comes with human nature. In each case, Christ will respond with a quotation from Scripture and reject the allure of sin.

This temptation could be phrased as "doing a good thing for a bad reason." At forty days of starvation, Jesus would be nearing the limit a human being can survive without food. The Devil's implication, here, is that if Jesus is really the prophesied "Son of Man" (Daniel 7:13), He has both power and privilege to make food when He wants it.

Satan is not suggesting that Jesus steal food, or murder for it, or eat something unclean. Food, itself, is not a sin at all. Rather, this temptation is about ignoring God's will in favor of what's easier or more pleasurable. The Spirit of God led Jesus into this fasting; God has some purpose behind it. To ignore God's call—even if the act would normally be a good thing—is a sin. Even hardship and suffering can be part of God's will for our lives.

Jesus' response cites Deuteronomy 8:3. In that passage, Moses reminds Israel how God provided for them during their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. True "life" requires more than just physical needs; it requires faithful obedience to God and His will. In rejecting this temptation, Jesus chooses to trust and obey God rather than seeking an easier path.

Luke 4:1–13 describes Jesus' temptation by Satan. During forty days of fasting, the Devil entices Him using offers of comfort, power, and prestige. In each case, Jesus responds with Scripture and a commitment to God's will. This series of events is also recorded in Matthew 4:1–11 and Mark 1:12–13. While Matthew's account implies an explicit order for these temptations, Luke's does not.

Jesus is taken into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit. While fasting there, He is tempted by Satan. These temptations share an element of ignoring God in favor of what seems easier or quicker. Jesus resists all of these, citing Scripture as He does. When Jesus returns, He preaches and heals to great publicity in Judea and Galilee. While His hometown responds with stubborn skepticism, others are eager to hear His teaching and experience His miraculous power.

Chapter 3 explained how John the Baptist preached to prepare others to receive Jesus Christ. Luke then provided Jesus' earthly ancestry. Chapter 4 begins with Jesus in the wilderness being tempted by Satan. He returns to preach and perform healing miracles in Judea and Galilee. Chapter 5 shows Him calling disciples and demonstrating further proofs of His authority.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.