Jesus Gets Tempted in “Beat The Devil” by The Statler Brothers

Songs have deeper meanings that all of us can relate to, or they’re simply narrated stories that need to be told. “Beat The Devil” by The Statler Brothers is an example of that.

The Statler Brothers is an American country gospel band from Virginia. The group of four talented men, also called The Statlers, would open for country icon Johnny Cash in some of his concerts. Other gospel songs of The Statler Brothers include “O Happy Day” and “How Great Thou Art.”

“Beat the Devil” was written by member Harold Reid and was released by the group in 1975.

Meaning behind the song

“Beat The Devil” by The Statler Brothers tells how the devil desperately tried to tempt Jesus, not once but thrice, as narrated in Matthew 4:1-11 of the Bible. 

In the first attempt, as Jesus was hungry after fasting for 40 days, the devil appeared and told Jesus to turn the rocks into bread. 

In the second attempt, the devil challenged Jesus to throw himself down from the highest point of the temple and prove that he was indeed the Son of God. In the third attempt, the devil offered Jesus all the kingdom and promised that those would be his, but in exchange, Jesus would worship the devil.

And as expected, Jesus did not give in to any of the devil’s three temptations. In this song, Jesus becomes the example of spiritual strength. It sends the message that He was human and that he, too, can be tempted like us and that, like Him, we can choose to do what is right.  

Listen to “Beat The Devil” by The Statler Brothers here.