Jesus - Temptations

After his baptism in the River Jordan, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness (desert). Here he spent 40 days and 40 nights fasting – that means he went without food and focused on prayer and closeness to God. This was a time of preparation for the mission he was about to begin.

During this period, Jesus faced three powerful temptations from the devil:

1. Turning stones into bread – The devil tempted Jesus to use his power for selfish reasons, to satisfy his hunger. But Jesus refused, saying: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”(Matthew 4:4).

2. Jumping from the temple – The devil challenged Jesus to throw himself down from the highest point of the temple in Jerusalem, suggesting that God’s angels would save him. Jesus rejected this by quoting Scripture: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

3. Worshipping the devil – Finally, the devil offered Jesus “all the kingdoms of the world” in return for worship. Jesus responded firmly: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.”

What This Shows

In each case, Jesus resisted temptation by relying on the Scriptures (the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament). He showed:

• Strength and discipline – even while physically weak with hunger, he did not give in.

• Complete trust in God – he refused to test or betray God for personal gain.

• Commitment to his mission – he showed that his ministry would not be about power or glory, but about serving God.

Why It Matters

For Christians today, the story of the temptation is very important:

• It shows that Jesus understands what it is like to be tempted, because he experienced it himself.

• It reminds Christians that faith, prayer, and Scripture can help them resist temptation in their own lives.

• It demonstrates that Jesus was completely faithful to God, even in the most difficult circumstances.

The temptation in the wilderness prepared Jesus for the challenges he would face during his ministry and proved his total dedication to God’s work.