1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. (Matthew 4:1-11 NIV)
Christ’s Temptation
We have here the story of a famous battle, fought hand to hand between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, in which the Seed of the woman suffers by being tempted, but ultimately triumphs, while the serpent is defeated. Our Lord Jesus emerges as a Conqueror, securing both comfort and victory for all his faithful followers.
After his baptism and being confirmed as the son of God, Jesus was tempted. Great privileges and divine favor do not exempt us from temptation. After great honors, we must be vigilant and expect trials. The Devil especially targets those who seek to do good, particularly when they begin their mission. The assurance of our relationship with God is the best preparation for temptation.
Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, possibly in the great desert of Sinai, where Moses and Elijah had fasted. After his baptism, he did not go to Jerusalem to proclaim his glory but withdrew into solitude. Time alone with God strengthens our spirit. However, solitude can also be an opportunity for the tempter. Those who isolate themselves for religious devotion are not beyond Satan’s reach. Christ’s victory was all the more glorious because he gave the enemy every advantage, yet still overcame him. Unlike us, he had nothing within him for Satan to exploit.
The Preparation
- He was led by the Spirit – Jesus did not seek temptation but was led into it by God’s will. When God allows us to face trials, we must not be discouraged but stand firm in faith.
- He fasted for forty days and nights – Like Moses and Elijah, he endured a long fast. Jesus had no sinful nature to subdue, but he fasted to humble himself and to prepare for the trial. His hunger afterward shows his true humanity.
The Purpose of Christ’s Temptation
- It was an act of humility—he endured suffering and temptation for our sake.
- It was a moment of Satan’s defeat—just as the first Adam fell to temptation, the second Adam overcame it.
- It is a source of comfort to believers—Jesus understands our struggles and intercedes for us. Because he conquered temptation, we too can overcome through him.
The First Temptation
The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (Mt 4:2)
Satan came to Jesus as the tempter, seeking to exploit his hunger. He said, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” The Devil often attacks when we are weak, using our needs against us. Poverty and hardship can tempt us to doubt God’s care or to seek unlawful solutions. However, Jesus teaches us that it is better to suffer than to sin.
Satan also sought to cast doubt on Jesus’ divine sonship: “If you are the Son of God…” Though Jesus had been declared God’s Son at his baptism, the Devil tried to challenge that truth. But Jesus, fully trusting in his Father, did not fall into the trap.
The devil sounded like this, “You now have an opportunity to show that you are the Son of God. If you are the Son of God, prove it by this: command these stones” (which likely lay before Him) “to become bread” (Matthew 4:3). John the Baptist said that God can raise up children to Abraham from stones; so if you have divine power, use it now for yourself. The devil does not say, ‘Pray to your Father to turn them into bread,’ but rather, ‘Command it to be done; your Father has forsaken you—be self-sufficient.’ The devil opposes humility and promotes self-reliance, gaining his point if he can lead people away from dependence on God. Being hungry, it was a good occasion for Jesus to turn the stone into bread and eat, but he did not listen to the devil.
- Satan’s primary goal in tempting believers is to undermine their relationship with God as their Father, cutting off their dependence, duty, and communion with Him. The Holy Spirit testifies that they are God’s children, while the devil, as the accuser, does everything to shake that testimony.
- Outward troubles, needs, and burdens are the main arguments Satan uses to make believers doubt their sonship as if afflictions were inconsistent with God’s love. However, those who truly trust God can say, like Job, “Though He slay me, yet I will trust in Him.”
- The devil tries to shake our faith in God’s Word, making us question its truth. This was his approach with Adam and Eve: “Has God really said…?” We give place to the devil when we doubt any word God has spoken.
- Satan manipulates people into having hard thoughts about God, suggesting that He is unkind or unfaithful. He tried to convince our first parents that God was withholding the tree of knowledge out of jealousy and here suggests that the Father has abandoned Jesus. But if Jesus seemed to be just a man because He was hungry, why wasn’t He also confessed to be more than a man when He fasted for forty days and did not hunger?
See how Jesus resisted and overcame this temptation.
A. Jesus refused to comply. He would not command the stones to become bread—not because He could not, but because He would not. Why? The more plausible a temptation appears, the more dangerous it is. Christ recognized the deception and would not:
- Distrust His Father’s care.
- Act independently of His Father’s provision.
- Please Satan by obeying his suggestion.
B. Jesus responded with Scripture (Matthew 4:4): “It is written.” He could have spoken from His own divine authority but honored the written Word to set an example for us. The devil knows Scripture but misuses it. When tempted, we must resist with “It is written,” for God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17).
This answer is taken from Deuteronomy 8:3, where God taught Israel that man does not live by bread alone but by every word from God. Jesus applied this to His situation. Just as God sustained Israel in the wilderness, He would sustain Jesus. It is not bread alone that sustains life but God’s provision. Christ had fasted for forty days without bread; He could trust God a little longer.
As in abundance, we must not live without God, so in hardship, we must live upon Him. Even when resources fail, we must trust in God’s provision. It is better to live humbly on God’s goodness than prosper through sin.
The Second Temptation
“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” (Mt 4:6)
The temptation was to cause Jesus to presume upon God’s protection. Finding Jesus confident in God’s provision, Satan now tried to push Him into reckless presumption. We are always at risk of missing the right path, either by despair or presumption. Many, convinced that Christ can save them, presume He will save them even while they remain in sin.
Satan led Jesus to Jerusalem and set Him on a pinnacle of the temple. Whether Jesus went there by foot or supernaturally is uncertain, but He was placed on a high point. Jesus allowed Himself to be led, showing patience in enduring Satan’s worst, just as He would later endure suffering on the cross.
Satan strategically chose a public place where Jesus could display His power. Jerusalem was called the holy city, yet temptation was present even there. The highest places are often the most dangerous, whether in the world or in the church. Those in prominent positions must remain humble, as Satan targets them with pride. Satan urged Jesus: “If you are the Son of God, prove it by casting yourself down.”
- First, “You will be admired when angels rescue you.”
- Second, “You will be recognized as the divine Messenger.”
Notice that Satan could not push Jesus down; he could only suggest it. The devil’s power is limited—he can persuade but not compel. No real harm comes to us unless we choose to yield to temptation (Proverbs 9:12).
Satan backed his suggestion with Scripture: “For it is written, ‘He shall give His angels charge concerning you'” (Psalm 91:11). Even the devil knows Scripture, but he twists it for his own purposes. The devil tempts Jesus to test God’s promise presumptuously.
First, the promise is true—God does command angels to guard His people. Satan knows this from experience, as his attacks against God’s children often fail. However, the promise is not meant to encourage reckless behavior. Jesus refused to manipulate God’s protection for personal display.
By resisting, Jesus teaches us to trust God without testing Him. Let us learn to rely on God’s provision rather than taking matters into our own hands, and to trust His protection without demanding signs.
The Third Temptation
“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” (Mt 4:9)
He tempted Him to the most wicked and horrid idolatry, offering Him the kingdoms of the world and their glory (Matt. 4:8-9). The worst temptation was reserved for last. Sometimes a saint’s final trial is the hardest; therefore, we must always be prepared for greater challenges, armed with righteousness on all sides.
In this temptation, we see that Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world. To do this, he took Him to a very high mountain, attempting to sway Him as Balak did with Balaam. Some believe this mountain was on the other side of the Jordan because that is where Christ appears next (John 1:28-29). Perhaps it was Mount Pisgah, where Moses saw all the kingdoms of Canaan in communion with God. The devil, however, could not show Jesus anything He did not already know, being the Creator and Ruler of all. There was likely a deception involved—perhaps a vision or illusion designed to impress. The devil may have crafted a grand display of royal splendor: thrones, courts, crowns, and wealth—all meant to entice. But Jesus saw through the deception, allowing Satan to act freely so that His victory would be even more glorious.
From this, we learn that: First, temptations often enter through the eyes, which can be blinded by vanity. The first sin began this way (Ge 3:6). We must guard our eyes and pray for protection against distractions. Second, temptations often arise from the world and its attractions—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Third, the devil’s offers are illusions; he deceives people with empty promises while hiding the pain and ruin that follow worldly glory. Fourth, the allure of the world is the strongest temptation for the careless and unwary, drawing many into destruction.
What he said to Him (Matt. 4:9): “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
First, how empty this promise was. The devil assumed that since Jesus had not provided miraculous proof of His Sonship in the earlier temptations, He was just an ordinary man. He suggested that God had abandoned Him and promised to take care of Him instead. Satan’s offers are always deceptions, making people chase illusions instead of real blessings. The kingdoms of the earth already belonged to the Messiah. The devil falsely posed as an angel of authority over these nations, pretending to deliver them as a divine promise. But we must beware of seeking God’s blessings through sinful means.
Second, how vile the condition was: “If You will fall down and worship me.” The devil sought to bring Christ into his rebellion, hoping He would promote idolatry among the Jews. This was the most horrific temptation. Even the most faithful believers may be tempted to the worst sins. However, temptation itself is not sin unless accepted. Christ was tempted to worship Satan but never consented.
See how Christ rejected the temptation and triumphed. He responded:
I. With absolute rejection: “Get behind Me, Satan.” The previous temptations had some deceptive appeal, but this one was outright evil. Some temptations are so blatantly sinful that they must be immediately and forcefully refused. If even a close friend suggests idolatry, they must not be tolerated (Deut. 13:6-8). Some sins are too detestable to even consider.
II. With Scripture: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Deut. 6:13; 10:20). Jesus did not debate whether Satan was an angel of light. Even if he were, worship belongs to God alone. This law is unchangeable and universally binding. Worship is an exclusive right of God. Even Christ, in His humanity, obeyed this law, emphasizing that worshiping God alone is an eternal commandment.
The end of the temptation
The conclusion of this trial (Matt. 4:11). Though God’s people may face severe temptations, He will not allow them to be tempted beyond their ability to endure (1 Cor. 10:13). Trials last only for a season.
- The devil was defeated and retreated. “Then the devil left Him.” Satan fled, humiliated by his failure. His strongest temptation had no effect on Jesus, proving Him to be more than just a man. The devil finally recognized that Jesus was indeed the Son of God and saw no point in further attempts. If we resist the devil, he will flee from us. Victory over temptation forces him to concede defeat.
- Angels came and ministered to Jesus. They appeared visibly, just as Satan had during the temptation. While Jesus endured His trial, the angels remained at a distance so that His victory would be entirely His own. Now that the battle was over, they came to serve Him. This highlights important truths:
Jesus was strengthened after His temptation: [1.] To encourage Him in His mission, showing that heaven stood with Him despite hell’s opposition. [2.] To assure us that He understands temptation and will provide relief to His followers, just as He received aid after His trial. As our great High Priest, He knows both suffering and deliverance, making Him the perfect source of help in times of need.