Being a born-again Christian with 15 years of experience in Christian ministry, I have read the temptation of Jesus repeatedly to understand its purpose. While it is evident that there is no way Jesus could have sinned, Satan went ahead to tempt him, not just once but three times. You may be interested to know more about the temptation of Jesus and may want to know, “what did Satan tempt Jesus with?”
Satan used three major ways to tempt Jesus, according to Mathew 4:1-11, since he knew that Jesus had human flesh and probably thought that he would give in to his temptations. The first thing that Satan tempted Jesus with was through his flesh. The second thing that Satan used to tempt Jesus with was pride. Pride is one of the major weaknesses of human beings, and Satan knew he had to use it. The third thing Satan used to tempt Jesus was Greed (lust of the eyes). Humans are usually drawn to material things, and Satan thought Jesus could give in to the request.
So, join me to the end as we look further into where you can read about Satan tempting Jesus in the Bible, the number of times Satan tempted Jesus, and what Jesus’ temptations were about. I will also discuss the point of Satan tempting Jesus if he knew very well that Jesus was never going to sin.
Where in the Bible can I read about Satan’s tempting Jesus?
The temptation of Jesus is recorded in the New Testament, specifically in the gospel books Matthew, Mark, and Luke. You can read about the temptation of Jesus in Mathew 4:1-11. Matthew describes how the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness and refers to Satan as the devil.
The temptation of Jesus is also found in the book of Mark 1:12-13. In this book, Mark briefly describes the temptation of Jesus and records that Jesus was with wild animals and angels in the desert who took care of him.
The last place you can read about the temptation of Jesus is in the book of Luke 4:1-13. Luke starts by recording how Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit as he left the Jordan River and how the Spirit led him to the desert to be tempted.
How many times did Satan tempt Jesus?
Bible scholars have agreed that Satan did tempt Jesus three times. The Bible also records the three times Satan tempted Jesus and how he overcame the temptation. Satan is a cunning spirit that never gives up easily and clearly on a mission to see that Jesus disobeyed God by falling into temptation. Satan’s intention was to thwart God’s plan of salvation for man.
What were the three temptations of Jesus?
After being led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted, Satan used three ways with the hope Jesus would give in to one of the temptations. First, Satan tempted Jesus by daring him to turn a stone near him into a loaf of bread. Satan knew that Jesus had been fasting for forty days and was hungry and had the power to change anything into food. Jesus was, however, not fooled by Satan as he told him that it was written that man could not live by bread alone but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.
Satan then took Jesus up to a high place and showed him all the world’s kingdoms. He then told Jesus that he would give him all the glory and power of the kingdoms if he worshipped him. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus overcame the temptation and told Satan that only God should be worshipped and served.
Satan did not give up and decided to tempt Jesus one last time. He took Jesus into Jerusalem and stood him on the highest part of the temple. He then dared Jesus to jump from the top, as God would put the angels in charge to watch him if he was his son and not get hurt. However, Jesus turned down his request and informed him that God was not to be tempted. Satan gave up and left Jesus.
If Jesus can’t sin, what was the point of Satan tempting him?
The main reason why Satan tempted Jesus was to fulfill God’s purpose. There is no way God would have allowed Satan to tempt Jesus if he did not like it. Since God sent Jesus on earth as a human being, he needed to tempt his flesh to prove that humans can overcome the temptations of the flesh.
Satan also tempted Jesus because he wanted to prove that he could lure the son of God into sin. As we know, Satan was an angel before his fallout with God. After being thrown into hell, Satan intended to turn the children of God to his by leading them into temptations. Satan may have thought he would succeed in tempting Jesus as he was now human.
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
