This is part of a year-long series. Learn more about this series here.

Some Thoughts About Jesus’ Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11)

Backdrop To The Temptation

“And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him” (Matthew 4:2 ESV)

Satan came to Jesus when He was physically weakest. He had been fasting for 40 days and nights.

First Temptation

“If you are the Son of God” (Matthew 4:3 ESV)

Satan knew who Jesus is. He didn’t learn of His identity through the temptation. He already knew of it. This first temptation (to turn the stones into bread) is an attack at two strong desires of our Lord: first, to satisfy His physical hunger; second, to reveal and be recognized for Who He truly is.

Second Temptation

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you,’” (Matthew 4:6 ESV)

After challenging Christ’s identity in the first temptation, Satan now challenges both Christ’s and the Father’s. His mindset is “if You (Christ) are Who You say You are, then He (the Father) must do ____ if He is Who He says He is.” It is Satan’s attempt to put God in a position where He is forced to do something by another being in order to uphold Who He is.

Third Temptation

“Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”” (Matthew 4:8–9 ESV)

Satan tempts Jesus with what is already His. Jesus is the incarnate Son, the Second Person of the Trinity. All things were made through Him (John 1:1-3), and He is already going to inherit creation because He is the Firstborn of creation (Rom. 8:29; Col. 1:15, 18; Heb. 1:6, 12:23; Rev. 1:5). Satan’s temptation was to convince the Son to accept His inheritance differently from God’s plan, but the Son submits to the Father’s plan (John 8:25-29), and so the Son did not fall prey to the temptation.