Jesus' quoting of Scripture shows that the proper response to temptation is to return to the Word of God.
In the wilderness, after forty days of fasting, Jesus answered Satan with "It is written" rather than yielding to physical hunger. Les Feldick teaches that when Satan attacks, believers must go to the Bible and draw strength from the Word of God. The repeated use of Scripture in Jesus' responses establishes the Word as the one way to defeat the evil one.
Matthew 4:4 — Jesus' first recorded answer to the tempter is the key Scripture He quoted, showing that life depends on every word from God.
Matthew 4:10 — Jesus' second recorded quotation commands worship and service of God alone, showing His response to the temptation of worldly power.
In Matthew 4, the record shows that Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. After He had fasted forty days and forty nights, the tempter came to Him and said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Jesus answered, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." The tempter also came to Jesus with the offer of all the kingdoms of the world if He would fall down and worship him. Jesus replied, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." The Bible's account shows Jesus meeting temptation not with miraculous power or human reasoning, but by quoting what was written in God's Word.
Les Feldick teaches that Jesus' quotation of Scripture in the wilderness is the lesson for every believer: when Satan attacks, we go to the Book and take strength from the Word of God. He stresses that there is only one way to defeat Satan, and that is with the Word. He points out that Satan came to Jesus at His weakest human point, after forty days without food, knowing exactly where Jesus was vulnerable. Les also emphasizes the daily need to feed on Scripture. He says a believer cannot live on material, physical things alone; the spiritual Word must be taken in every day. The temptations of Jesus covered the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and in each case Jesus answered by returning to what was written. Had Jesus given in to Satan, He would have lost everything He had to accomplish for our salvation.
Les Feldick explains that Jesus was totally human and totally God. From His human side, after forty days of fasting, Jesus was genuinely hungry. Satan knew this and attacked by appealing to that physical need. Les says that had Jesus given in to Satan, He would have lost everything He had to accomplish for our salvation. Rather than turning stones into bread, Jesus answered with "It is written," showing that the Word of God was the weapon He used.
Les teaches that God's Word is the spiritual nourishment every believer needs. He says we cannot live by material, physical things alone; we must feed on the Word every day, even when we are busy. He also encourages keeping priorities straight, so that spiritual things temper our physical appetites. The lesson Jesus demonstrated is that the spiritual Word is far more important than satisfying immediate physical desires.
Les Feldick shows that the Lord Jesus faced the same three categories of temptation that all mankind faces. He identifies these as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Satan had to hit Christ in all three categories, and Jesus answered each temptation by returning to what was written. This connection shows biblical consistency in the pattern of temptation and the pattern of victory through Scripture.
According to Les Feldick, the practical lesson is that there is only one way to defeat Satan — with the Word of God. He encourages believers to be saturated with the Word every day because Satan knows exactly where we are weak and where our blind side is. When Satan attacks, Les says, "we go to the Book, we go to the Word of God for our strength."
The Setting in the Wilderness
Les sets the context for the temptation: Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, fasted forty days and nights, and was afterward hungry, explaining why the temptation came when it did.
The Only Way to Defeat Satan
Les clearly states that had Jesus given in to Satan He would have lost everything for our salvation, and that the only way to defeat Satan is with the Word of God.
The Word as Our Strength When Satan Attacks
Les explains that when Satan attacks, believers must go to the Book and use the Word of God for strength, just as Jesus did when He quoted Scripture.
The Need to Feed on the Word Daily
Les emphasizes that believers cannot live on material things alone and must feed on the Word every day; he also notes that Satan has to hit Christ in all three categories.
The Fasting as a Setup for Temptation
Les observes that the forty days of fasting created a perfect setup for the devil to tempt Jesus, and he highlights the strength of the word "If" in Satan's attack.
The Three Categories of Temptation
Les connects Jesus' wilderness temptations to the same three sets of circumstances that the world faces: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
Tempering Physical Appetites with Spiritual Priorities
Les draws the lesson that physical appetites must be tempered with spiritual things and that believers need to keep their priorities straight.
Jesus' Humanity in the Temptation
Les explains that Jesus was both totally human and totally God, so He was truly hungry after fasting, and Satan knew exactly where to strike.
Matthew 4:1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
This opening verse provides the setting for all of Jesus' temptation and shows it was part of God's purpose.
Matthew 4:3: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
The tempter attacked Jesus by appealing to His hunger and questioning His identity with the word "If."
Matthew 4:4: But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
This is the first Scripture Jesus quoted during temptation, directly answering the appeal to physical appetite.
Matthew 4:6: And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Satan himself quoted Scripture in his second temptation, showing that the Word can be twisted in an attack.
Matthew 4:10: Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Jesus answered the temptation to worship the devil by quoting Scripture that demands exclusive worship of God.
Les teaches that Jesus quoted Scripture because the only way to defeat Satan is with the Word of God. Jesus answered "It is written" instead of yielding to Satan's conditions, and this example shows believers that God's Word is the answer when temptation comes.
Yes. Les says Satan knows exactly where we are weak and what our blind side is, and that is where he will always hit us. Just as Satan knew Jesus was hungry after forty days of fasting, he aims at our weakest points.
Les says the lesson is that physical life cannot be sustained by material things alone; we need the spiritual nourishment of God's Word. Believers must feed on the Word every day and keep priorities straight, using Scripture as strength when temptation comes.
Watch the Teaching: Jesus' Three Temptations — Why Satan's Attacks Still Matter Today