Bible Study - Luke 4.1-13

Bible Study – Luke 4.1-13
The Testing of Christ in the wilderness

Before turning to Luke, have a look at Deuteronomy 8, which gives useful background to the wilderness testing of Jesus.

Q1 In what ways did Israel fail to heed the warnings of Deuteronomy 8?

Q2 Do you think Deuteronomy 8 was significant to Jesus, in the way he understood himself and his mission?

Now let’s read Luke 4.1-13, and spend a few minutes thinking about the whole passage before answering the following questions.

Q3 Who must have been the source of this passage in Luke’s gospel?

Q4 Is it important that we believe there is a personal devil? Can this passage make any sense if we do not?

Q5 Who caused Jesus to go into the desert and why?

Q6 Why did Jesus increase his vulnerability by fasting? Is this something we should copy? Is fasting something you have found helpful?

Q7 Why do the devil’s temptations begin with ‘if you are the Son of God?’ What is at stake?

Q8 Why would Jesus have been wrong to turn a stone into bread? How did he resist the temptation? Can you think of any similar temptation you or I might face?

Q9 The second test (v5-8) offers Jesus a shortcut to achieving his goals. How and why does he reject it? When you are offered a shortcut, how do you decide what to do? Is the hardest way always the right way?

Q10 Jesus answered the first two temptations with Scripture. In the third test, the devil quotes scripture back at Jesus. What is wrong about the devil’s use of Psalm 91 (Lk 4.10-11)? How and why does Jesus refuse the devil’s test?

Q11 What kind of ‘desert’ experiences do we face in our lives? What resources do we need if we are to survive and even grow spiritually through these experiences?

Q12 How well do you understand God’s plan for the world and for you personally?