Sometimes we can’t see the obvious, especially about the person of Jesus.
For example, did Jesus have best friends? After all, while He was completely divine, He was also completely human. Jesus was close with many people. Three of the closest were Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, who lived in Bethany.
Did Jesus have a favorite book? After all, you and I do. We even do this with books of Bible.
If you were going to pick the book that Jesus loved you would have several choices. The four books of the Old Testament that are most quoted in the New Testament are Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, and Deuteronomy.
Jesus loved the Book of Deuteronomy. How do I know this? Look at what He quoted and what ministered to Him in time of need.
Jews and Christians love the Book of Deuteronomy as well. Jews recited the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) twice a day.
When Jesus was asked what is the greatest of the commandments (the Pharisees recognized thousands of commandments), He replied with part of the Shema: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:27).
Maybe the most convincing reason Jesus loved this book was how it ministered to Him. When Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, Jesus answered each temptation with Scripture–all from the Book of Deuteronomy.
Satan does not read our minds, but he does know where we are most vulnerable. Satan tempted Jesus with His life work and His reason for being on earth.
Satan first tempted Jesus with feeding the poor and hungry–an even greater need in that day than our own. Jesus replied with Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man shall not live by bread alone, by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
When Satan tempted Jesus with receiving the popularity of the common people by jumping from the pinnacle of the temple and being rescued by God’s angels, Jesus responded with Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not tempt the Lord your God” (Matthew 4: 7).
Finally, when Satan tempted Jesus with kingdoms of the world by worshiping Satan, Jesus replied with Deuteronomy 6:13: “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10).
Was Deuteronomy Jesus’ favorite? I don’t know, but I know that Deuteronomy ministered to Jesus in time of temptation.
God’s Word can do the same for you. “I have laid up thy word in my heart that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11).
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