The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 107

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1, 2 (first part).-Solitude and strugqle. We are not to suppose, even though we read tbis sta.tement as given by Matthew (iv. 1), that our Lord was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for the express purpose of being tempted by the evil one : to take that view would be to mistake the force of the Hebrew idiom. All that is intended is that Jesus was constrained (" driven," Mark says) to retire into the soli- tude of the wil,ierness where he would have to undergo the te111ptation which did actually befall him. He was led, by Divine direction, into retirement, and there, by Divine permission, into spiritual struggle. I. THE D1vurn DIRECTION. As Moses in Midian, e.s David around Bethlehem, as Elijah at Horeb, as John in the wilderness of Jud.rea, as (afterwards) Saul in Arabia, so Jesus prepared for his great work in the depth of" the solitary place." There we can well believe that he held much communion with God ; that he looked down into the secret places of his own soul and communed carefully with himself; and that he pondereJ long on the great work-the Father's 9'11,.~iness-which lay before him. We may be sure that this period of solitude produced very rich fruit in after-days, not only in the truth which was spoken, but in the .life which was lived and the sorrow which was endured. '!'his period should find its coun~art in our history ; if it does not find it by our consent, it may do so without any choice of our own. For: 1. God commend, such retirement to us. He does 1,0 by the way in which he led the greatest e.nd the wisest of his servants (see above); by the faculties of devotion, introspection, and fore- cast which he has given us; by the ex.ample of our Lord. But~ 2. God compels us to snch reLirement. He does so by his holy providence, when he lays us aside, when ho takes us a.way from the busy scenes of toil, from "the strife of tongues," from the excitements of society, and even from the distractions of the home circle; when be shuts the door upon us and draws round the curtain and leav~s UB alone with himself. Of that time, if we are wise, we shall make good use. It is a time for spiritual renova- tion ; then we may learn lessons we should never gather even in the sanctuary ; then we may enter on an upward path which otherwise we should never take, and so reach a goal we should otherwise never gain. It is a sacred opportunity, inciting to (1) review; (2) introspection or self-examination; (3) onlook; (4) prayer, including the solemn and determined rededication of our whole selves and our entire future to the service of our Saviour. II. THE D1vn."E PERMIB8ION. By the permission of God the evil one came to our Lord and tempted him (see following homilies). God allows the tempter to assail us even e.s he did hie "beloved Son." There are some temptations which are more likely to heset. us in the period of solitude than at any other time-temptations of the wilder- ness. They are: 1. A morbid sensitiveness a:i to (1) our own Cl1udiLion-1>. di6positioD cm. rv. 1--44.] TElE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 99