REFLECTIONS ON CHRIST'S TEMPTATION
I was recently thinking about the temptation of Jesus Christ. What an epic battle between cosmic forces—the incarnate Son of God in one corner and Satan the prince of darkness on the other. The three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) include the account of Jesus Christ’s temptation in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-13). What is the significance of this event? Why was Jesus tempted? All three Synoptic Gospels indicate the Holy Spirit led Jesus Christ out into the wilderness, and there the Lord fasted for forty days, being tempted by Satan, i.e. the tempter and the Devil (Matt. 4:1-2; Mk. 1:12-13; Lk. 4:1-2). Craig Keener notes that “it was commonly believed that demons were especially attracted to places like bathhouses, graveyards and deserts. Readers would thus sense the suspense as Jesus battled with Satan on Satan’s own turf” [1]. Still, it was on account of the Spirit’s leading that the Lord would go into the wilderness for a season of fasting ...