Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said,
“If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say,
‘He will order his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’”
Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the Lord your God.’”
Matthew 4:5-7 New Living Translation
This second temptation concerns “the pride of life” (NIV), desire for power and glory, or “pride in our achievements and possessions” (NLT) (1 John 2:16-17). Eve “wanted the wisdom [the fruit] would give her.” (Genesis 3:6) Prove yourself, says Satan (“If you are the Son of God…). But Jesus refused to be tempted to abuse His power, forcing God to step in and rescue Him.
We are all tempted to prove ourselves – our worth – by pursuing achievements, possessions, money. But Scripture reminds us,
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The greatest temptations are not those that solicit our consent to obvious sin,
but those that offer us great evils masking as the greatest goods.
Thomas Merton
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Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man
who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation,
for when he has stood the test and been approved,
he will receive [the victor’s] crown of life
which God has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition