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Commentary on "Jealousy"
Day 6: Thursday, March 3, 2011 - Jealousy Toward Jesus
Overview
In today’s lesson we are looking at the cause of the jealousy expressed by the Hebrew religious leaders that was directed towards Jesus during his ministry here on earth.
It is suggested that we read the first eleven chapters of Matthew which is an excellent idea. However, we will confine ourselves to chapter four where Jesus is tempted by the devil, since the root cause of all misguided jealousy is revealed by what the devil is asking Jesus to do.
Observations
Notice; in verse one, that the Spirit led Jesus in to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. This means this whole incident was planned and orchestrated by God. The devil was never the one in control. The devil’s temptation was an action of his but was simple foolishness since God cannot be tempted, that is, fall in sin, James 1:13.
Since the devil is the prince of this world (John 14:30, Eph. 6:12) he had full authority to offer Jesus “the kingdoms of the world”, Matt. 4:8-9, if Jesus would only fall down and worship him. Jesus responds in the next verse by telling the devil to “be gone” and reminds him that you “shall worship the Lord your God” and no one else, Ex. 20:4-5.
God is a holy jealous God who desires our worship. Satan is a sinful being whose jealously is founded upon his desire to be worshiped in place of God. Having been rejected, the devil turns to his subjects who ‘act out’ his evil motivated jealousy towards Jesus.
Summary
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