The story of Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted is found in Matthew 4:1-11. This event occurred right after Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist. Let’s examine why this was a necessary part of Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Fulfilling All Righteousness
In Matthew 3:15, when Jesus comes to John to be baptized, He says, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” This indicates that every part of Jesus’ life and ministry on earth was to perfectly fulfill the righteous requirements of God. Being led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted was one aspect of fully accomplishing God’s purposes.
Paralleling Israel’s Wilderness Wandering
There are some thematic parallels between Israel coming out of Egypt and wandering in the wilderness for 40 years and Jesus spending 40 days and nights in the Judean wilderness. God was testing and humbling Israel during their wilderness wandering (Deuteronomy 8:2). For Jesus, His time of fasting and temptation in the stark desert landscape recapitulated the experiences of Israel, as He took upon Himself the mission which historic Israel had failed to achieve.
Fulfilling Messianic Prophecies
By willingly subjecting Himself to temptation from the devil, Jesus was consciously fulfilling specific Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Psalm 91:11-12 predicts, “for he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” This passage is cited by Satan when he tempts Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4:6). Jesus overcoming temptation fulfills the prophecy of the Messiah found in Isaiah 42:1: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.”
Representing His People
By resisting temptation, Jesus succeeds where Adam and Israel had failed. His victory over Satan’s schemes represents the triumph that His people can now experience through faith in Him. Where the first Adam brought defeat, the second Adam (1 Cor 15:45) brings victory over the devil. Jesus’ responses to Satan all come from Deuteronomy, showing His perfect trust and reliance on God’s Word. Believers can now share in this overcoming life by trusting in and obeying the same Word of God that Jesus used against the enemy.
Qualifying as High Priest
In the wilderness testing, Jesus demonstrated His sinlessness and worthiness to serve as our great High Priest. Hebrews 4:15 states, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Had Jesus failed the wilderness tests, He could not have served as the perfect sacrifice to atone for our sins. Only one who overcame every temptation could become the lamb without blemish to take away our sin and serve as our mediator before God.
Delivered into Temptation
Mark 1:12 says the Spirit “drove” or “compelled” Jesus into the wilderness. Why was this necessary? Jesus was perfectly content to follow God’s will, but He had to be placed in a situation that required Him to prove His holiness under extreme conditions. God orchestrated these circumstances knowing that Jesus would triumph, bringing glory to God and qualifying Himself as the sinless Savior.
The Tempter’s Opportune Moment
Satan’s presence in the wilderness indicates that he wanted to attack Jesus at His most vulnerable human moment. After forty days of fasting, Jesus was physically weak and hungry. If there was any chance of Satan gaining an advantage, this was it. But Jesus emerged victorious, showing that Satan has no hold over Him.
The Wilderness Setting
The barren, harsh wilderness symbolically represented the fallen world Jesus came to save. It’s the domain of the devil and his minions, full of danger and temptations. Just as Adam was tempted in the Garden of Eden, Jesus now had to undergo temptation from the devil, deep in enemy territory. This time, instead of giving in to sin, Jesus soundly defeated Satan on his own turf.
Preparing for Public Ministry
Jesus’ temptation prepared Him for the trials and battles awaiting during His public ministry. The devil would return to test Him again and again through human agents. Repeatedly facing Satan’s schemes in the wilderness inoculated Jesus against the devil’s strategies. Jesus emerged strong in spirit, ready to begin fulfilling His Messianic calling with power and authority over Satan.
The Nature of Jesus’ Temptations
What do the specific temptations teach us about Jesus’ mission and identity? Though physically weak, Jesus does not give in to the temptation to distrust God’s care and provision. Though eager to begin His ministry, He refuses to test God’s power and protection for the sake of public acclaim. Finally, He declares that worship belongs to God alone. In resisting these powerful enticements, Jesus shows His single-minded devotion to obeying and honoring God.
Turn Stones into Bread
After forty days of fasting, Jesus was intensely hungry. His human body desired relief and sustenance. But Jesus waited on God’s timing and provision. He refused to improperly use His divine powers to serve Himself, maintaining trust in God. This showed Jesus’ submission to God’s will rather than acting independently out of bodily passions and desires.
Jump from the Temple
Satan pushed Jesus to flaunt His special status as God’s Son by publicly jumping from the temple to be rescued by angels. But Jesus refused to test or manipulate God for showmanship. He would only act according to God’s directives, not to satisfy human craving for miracles as proof of His identity. Jesus would display His divine glory according to the Father’s will, not Satan’s schemes or public opinion.
Worship Satan
Satan offered Jesus a shortcut to world domination if He would bow down in worship. This would have avoided the pain and suffering of the cross. But Jesus was committed to winning humanity’s salvation God’s way. He proved He would uphold God’s glory above all else. This culminated His rebuke of Satan. Christ had no craving for power or acclaim except from doing his Father’s will.
Why Temptation was Necessary for Jesus
Temptation was an indispensable part of the incarnation. For Jesus to become our faithful high priest, sympathetic to our plight, He had to experience firsthand the pull of temptation. Now He stands ready to come to our aid, having personally endured every form of testing. Jesus can fully sympathize with our predicaments, knowing the power of temptation from within human existence.
Jesus had to Qualify through Obedience
Jesus’ life was marked by perfect obedience to God. He learned obedience by the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Being tempted provided an opportunity for Jesus’ obedience to be tested and proven. Without facing genuine temptation, His submission would have been theoretical. Jesusconfirmed His sinless obedience by successfully overcoming temptation, equipping Him for His role as Savior.
Jesus Had to Work Out His Humanity
Jesus was fully human as well as fully divine. His humanity had to be worked out through real-life experiences, including facing moral temptation. Jesus’ moral strength was proven through the crucible of temptation. He successfully worked out His humanity by spurning sin and choosing obedience. Proving His moral fortitude as a man enabled Him to be our representative and substitute on the cross.
Jesus Endured Temptation to Help His Followers
Because Jesus overcame temptation, He is uniquely able to help His followers in their times of temptation. Hebrews 2:18 says, “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Jesus endured temptation by direct assault from Satan to enable Him to come directly to our aid when we are tempted.
Examples of Jesus Overcoming Temptation
Besides the wilderness temptation, the gospels record other instances of Jesus facing temptation directly from Satan:
- Satan tempted Jesus in the garden before His crucifixion (Mark 14:32-42).
- Satan entered Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:27).
- Peter became an unwitting tempter telling Jesus to avoid the cross (Matt. 16:21-23).
In every situation, Jesus emerged victorious through prayerful submission to the Father and resisting the devil’s schemes. His sinless track record qualifies Him to sympathize with us in our weakness.
Jesus Provides the Way of Escape from Temptation
The fact that Jesus was sinless means we have His help in finding the way of escape from temptation. Because He successfully endured every form of temptation, He understands our battle against sin. Here are some of the resources Jesus used to overcome temptation that are available to believers:
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness where He underwent temptation (Matt. 4:1). We have that same Holy Spirit living within us to strengthen us during times of testing (Ephesians 3:16). The Spirit led Jesus; so must we also follow the Spirit’s leading to escape temptation.
Scripture
Jesus combated temptation by quoting from Deuteronomy. He modeled using scripture to counter the enemy’s lies. God’s Word exposes deception and reveals truth to counteract temptation in our lives (Psalm 119:9-11).
Prayer
Jesus prepared for temptation through times of intense prayer. He gained strength by pouring out His heart to the Father. We overcome temptation through watchful prayer (Matthew 26:41). Prayer connects us to the resources for resistance.
Obedience
Jesus’ obedience to God’s will steeled Him against succumbing to temptation. Purposeful obedience keeps us from falling prey to temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Living righteously closes doors to the Enemy’s schemes against us.
Single-minded Devotion
Jesus’ all-consuming devotion to honoring the Father fortified Him against the strong enticements presented by Satan. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus weakens the enemy’s power to distract us from wholehearted obedience.
Conclusion: Jesus is Our Victorious High Priest
Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness accomplished multiple purposes. It fulfilled God’s plan, defeated Satan’s schemes, set an example for believers, and qualified Jesus to be our merciful and faithful High Priest. Jesus’ victory over temptation equips Him to sympathize with our weakness. Through Christ, we can find mercy and grace to help us in time of need if we will access the resources of the Spirit, scripture, prayer and obedience.