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20
S.D.A. Bible Commentary Vol. 5
Before His sight the tempter held the kingdoms of the world. As
Satan saw them, they possessed great external grandeur. But Christ
saw them in a different aspect, just as they were—earthly dominions
under the power of a tyrant. He saw humanity full of woe, suffering
under the oppressive power of Satan. He saw the earth defiled by
hatred, revenge, malice, lust, and murder. He saw fiends in the
possession of the bodies and souls of men (
Manuscript 33, 1911
).
10 (
Luke 4:8
). Command Compelled Satan
—Jesus said to
this wily foe, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt
worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Satan
had asked Christ to give him evidence that He was the Son of God,
and he had in this instance the proof he had asked. At the divine
command of Christ he was compelled to obey. He was repulsed
and silenced. He had no power to enable him to withstand the
peremptory dismissal. He was compelled without another word to
instantly desist and to leave the world’s Redeemer (
The Review and
Herald, September 1, 1874
).
11 (
Luke 4:13
). A Council of Strategy
—Although Satan had
failed in his most powerful temptations, yet he had not given up
all hope that he might, at some future time, be successful in his
efforts. He looked forward to the period of Christ’s ministry, when
he should have opportunities to try his artifices against Him. Baffled
and defeated, he had no sooner retired from the scene of conflict
than he began to lay plans for blinding the understanding of the
Jews, God’s chosen people, that they might not discern in Christ
the world’s Redeemer. He determined to fill their hearts with envy,
jealousy, and hatred against the Son of God, so that they would
not receive Him, but would make His life upon earth as bitter as
possible.
Satan held a council with his angels, as to the course they should
pursue to prevent the people from having faith in Christ as the
Messiah whom the Jews had so long been anxiously expecting. He
was disappointed and enraged that he had prevailed nothing against
Jesus by his manifold temptations. But he now thought if he could
inspire in the hearts of Christ’s own people, unbelief as to His being
the Promised One, he might discourage the Saviour in His mission
and secure the Jews as his agents to carry out his own diabolical
purposes. So he went to work in his subtle manner, endeavoring to