THE TIMING OF SATAN

THE TIMING OF THE TEMPTATIONS

"Then," "Straight­way," "And "

In dealing with THE TIME OF THE TEMPTATIONS there are three significant words. Matthew opens the story with the word "then." (Matt 4:1) Mark uses in this connection a charac­teristic word of the Gospel, "straightway." (Mark 1:12) Luke opens with the word "and." (Luke 4:1) These words "Then," "Straight­way," "And " show the connection of the temptation with what had preceded it, and thus mark with great distinct­ness its time. "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit." When? Immediately after the baptism, with its Divine attestation of satisfaction. "And straightway the Spirit driveth Him forth." (Mark 1:12) Here the emphasis is yet greater upon the fact that the temptation followed immediately upon the baptism. "And Jesus . . . was led by the Spirit in the wilderness during forty days." (Luke 4:1) The "and” here marks continuity. Thus the first act of the new phase of service was that of the testing of the Servant, and His perfect victory over the foe. God had sealed, as ap­proved, the FIRST PHASE OF THE WORK. The anointing Spirit had indicated His preparedness for the future. His fore­runner had recognized in Him the King, of Whose coming he had spoken to the gathered crowds, on the banks of the river. The whole circumstances of the baptism must have been full of satisfaction to the heart of Christ, and now in the conscious strength of victory already achieved, He passes into the gloom and loneliness of the wilderness, that He may be tested, and through the testing prove His strength.