So, we are coming to the end of lent. A co-worker and I were talking about lent the other evening. I was telling him about how lent is loosely based off of Jesus 40 days in the desert being tempted by Satan. He hadn't heard about it before and trying to explain how Jesus could be tempted and what happened without having my bible at hand made me realize how little I've actually studied these particular passages in scripture. Mom and I have been studying Matthew, so I'm going to start there and then look at Jesus temptation in other Gospels.
Mat 4:1 KJV - Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2 KJV - And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Mat 4:3 KJV - And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mat 4:4 KJV - 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.
Mat 4:5 KJV - Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6 KJV - 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.
Mat 4:7 KJV - Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Mat 4:8 KJV - Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 KJV - And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10 KJV - 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.
Mat 4:11 KJV - Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Mat 4:1 KJV - Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Mat 4:2 KJV - And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
Mat 4:3 KJV - And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mat 4:4 KJV - 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.
Mat 4:5 KJV - Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
Mat 4:6 KJV - 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.
Mat 4:7 KJV - Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Mat 4:8 KJV - Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
Mat 4:9 KJV - And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
Mat 4:10 KJV - 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.
Mat 4:11 KJV - Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
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Mar 1:13 KJV - And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
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Luk 4:1 KJV - And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Luk 4:2 KJV - Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
Luk 4:3 KJV - And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Luk 4:4 KJV - And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Luk 4:5 KJV - And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Luk 4:6 KJV - And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Luk 4:7 KJV - If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
Luk 4:8 KJV - And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Luk 4:9 KJV - And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
Luk 4:10 KJV - For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
Luk 4:11 KJV - And in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Luk 4:12 KJV - And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Luk 4:13 KJV - And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
Luk 4:14 KJV - And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
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Each of these accounts is slightly different. When I was talking with my co-worker I remembered the account from Luke the best. I suppose the order of the temptations doesn't really matter much. What is important is that the devil zeros in on things that people are particularly weak about. He takes aim at a need. Jesus was hungry, so the devil tempts him to make food. I've always been curious about why the devil tempts Jesus to do this and why it would have been wrong for Jesus to turn the rocks into bread. The devil also takes aim at the desire for glory. I can understand why it would be wrong to throw yourself off of the temple. And the devil takes aim at the desire for power, particularly political power. I can definitely understand why this would have been a bad deal.
All three of these gospels state that Jesus was in the desert for 40 days. Mark and Luke seem to imply that he was tempted the entire duration of his time in the desert. Matthew seems to imply the tempter came to him after he had fasted for 40 days. Perhaps Jesus was tempted the entire time he was in the desert and only these specific temptations are recorded because they are applicable to us as Christians as well.
Fasting is interesting as well. I suppose Jesus could be using this as a period of cleansing before he starts his ministry.
Any comments or insights on these passages are welcome!
