Matthew 4:1-11 on the Three Temptations
That It Might Be Fulfilled: a Serial Study of the Gospel of Matthew
Matthew 4:1-11: The Three Temptations
Orthodox icons depict the devil as a fearsome, dark, colorless, and winged figure. He lurks in the corner of the icon of Jesus in the wilderness or stands before the Lord, confronting him face-to-face. However, the devil often disguises himself in many forms. He even "transforms himself as an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:14), yet he comes out of the darkness of evil.
Matthew reports that after 40 days and nights of fasting, Jesus was famished (Matthew 4:2). Then the temper, the devil, approached (Matthew 4:3). His sudden appearance teaches us that we should always be watchful because the devil attacks us suddenly, without warning, when we are most vulnerable.
The Reenactment of the Sin of Adam
Gregory the Great summarized that the devil enticed the Lord with three basic temptations: The first test was gluttony when Satan enticed the Lord to taste the forbidden fruit. The second temptation was vain ambition when the devil promised that Adam and Eve would be like gods.” The third temptation was avarice, the coveting of wealth and honor. The devil offered Adam the highest station in life when he promised that Adam would know good and evil (Gregory the Great. PL 76:1135-36; CS 123:102-4* (Homily 14).[i] Irenaeus and others who followed him clarified the crucial significance of Christ’s victory over these temptations. They proposed that these tests “recapitulated” the sin of Adam and Eve. The first humans succumbed to these temptations, but Christ, the “Second Adam,” repulsed them. Therefore, the temptations were a repeat, a “do over,” or a reenactment of the Fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. However, this time, the Son of God, who took human nature upon himself, resisted the temptations that brought humankind under the devil’s reign.
This “recapitulation” theory assumes a symmetry between Adam, who fell into the clutches of the devil by disobedience, and Jesus Christ, whose obedience freed humanity from that captivity, assuming human nature to free humans from the devil’s grip. Hilary said that the devil “had enticed Adam, and by deceiving him, led him to death. But it was fitting, because of his wickedness and evil deed, that he [the devil] be defeated by that same humanity in whose death and misfortunes he gloried” (Hilary. On Matthew 3:1-2)[ii] In the same vein, Irenaeus said, “It was fitting that He [Christ] should be sent by the Father, the Creator of all things, to assume human nature, and should be tempted by Satan, that He might fulfill the promises, and carry off a glorious and perfect victory (Irenaeus, Against Heresies. Chapter 21. AnF01).[iii]
The Testing of Jesus’ Divine Sonship
In the previous chapter, we proposed that Jesus' victory over Satan in the wilderness disarmed the Evil One so that Jesus could go about freeing those who were held captive to him. Yet what was the devil attempting in his assaults? All the temptations begin with the challenge, “IF you are the Son of God…” In the first temptation, the point of attack was not hunger itself. The devil didn’t even mention it. Chrysostom says, “The focus is not upon hunger but divine Sonship “(Chrysostom NfPf 1:10.81)[iv] Like the serpent who cast doubt on the divine command to Adam and Eve, Satan tried to sow doubt of Jesus’ identity saying, “In vain God has called you the called you [His] Son and beguiled you by his gift. If this is not so, give us some clear proof that you are from that power” (Chrysostom. NfPF 1:10.81). [v] This presumption on the Son of God’s divine capability and the Father’s favor goes for the second and third temptations. Moreover, it is the repeated test of Jesus’ identity in his ministry. Matthew reports, "Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven.” (Matthew NRSV 16:1). Once again, Jesus refuses to submit to that test. He says, “No sign shall be given this generation but the sign of Jonah" (Matthew NRSV 16:5 ).
If Jesus refused to give a heavenly validation for His ministry, how would Jesus’ Sonship be known? The temptations demonstrate that It will not be shown by the amazement of self-serving miracles (the stones into bread), spectacular feats, and that presumes on God's providence (throwing Himself from the pinnacle of the temple,) or worshipping Satan for worldly gain (the offering of all the world’s kingdoms).
The First Temptation: Gluttony
The devil began to tempt the Lord by the same means that he tempted Adam by commanding that He make bread from the stones on the ground. Thus, the initial enticement was to satisfy the cravings of the belly and prove He was divine. Likewise, Maximus of Turin recalls that God tested the Israelites in the desert to see whether obedience or disobedience was in their heart. The Almighty humbled them with hunger for a month (Deuteronomy 8:1-3). Then, when the people understood that they had to rely on God alone, God sent them manna from heaven so that they might know that “man does not live by bread alone but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3). The Lord defeated this temptation by quoting this verse from Deuteronomy.
The first incident of temptation teaches us that the devil can quote scripture. However, he misuses it for his sinister purposes. He misinterprets selected verses, taking them out of context, focusing on the less important ones, and isolating them from the whole message. The lesson for us is that we need a practical and effective understanding of scripture to counter such schemes.
The Second Temptation: Vain Ambition
The second temptation was that Jesus should throw Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. The devil quoted Psalm 91:12 to challenge the Lord to prove He was the Son of God by forcing the Almighty to save Him from harm according to the promise of scriptures, “In their hands, they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone” (NRSV 91:1) In this temptation, Jesus rejected the “vain ambition” that the spectacular feat would have achieved. The Lord countered with a quotation from the same chapter of Deuteronomy that He quoted before, a passage that delivers the instructions from God to the people: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Deuteronomy 6:16). By this succinct thought, the devil was repulsed.
Theodor of Mopsuestia commented that this second temptation teaches us that it is not by miracles that the devil can be overcome. Therefore, we should do nothing for show or prestige when we serve God (Theodor MKgK 103).[vi]
The Third Temptation: Avarice
For the last temptation, the devil took Jesus to an “exceedingly high mountain” and promised that if Jesus bowed down before him, he would give all the kingdoms of the world and their glory” (Matthew 4:8.). An anonyms writer wrote that no place on earth would be high enough to view the whole world. Therefore, the writer proposed that the sight was imaginary in keeping with the devil’s ploy of presenting things that have no reality (Anon. Fragment 22.49).[vii] Jesus answered this last temptation firmly, "Away with you, Satan,” and cited the commandment of God, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve (Matthew 4:1).
Gregory the Great notes that Jesus’ response showed remarkable restraint. The Lord could have thrown the devil into the abyss. However, He did not manifest His almighty power but responded with only “words of meekness” (Gregory the Great. 40 Gospel Homilies (Homily 14).[viii] By his mild rebuke, He showed that He did not come to establish a Kingdom of worldly power, ambition, riches, fame, and aggression but a Kingdom of compassion, peace, and devotion to God.
Gregory the Great taught that in this temptation, Jesus showed us the way of patience. When we are wronged, we should renounce revenge and consider the patience of God compared to our impatience (Gregory the Great. 40 Homilies)[ix]
The Devil Gives Up
Finally, when Jesus ordered Satan to "get behind Him," the devil could do no more. He left. An anonymous writer wrote that the Lord “put an end” to the temptation and observed that Satan does not have free rein to assault us but suffers temptations only so long as God permits it (Anon. Incomplete Work on Matthew. Homily 5).[x]
For Reflection
As Irenaeus emphasizes, the victory over Satan hinges on one key belief: the Son of God assumed human nature: He was fully human, yet God Incarnate. The Almighty God could have easily vanquished the devil. But how would that victory have affected us? Instead, the Lord took on human nature to save and heal it. By becoming human, He could fight death and the devil for us by becoming one of us. The ultimate goal was to deify human nature so we might be deified in Him.
All, Even Temptation Is By God’s Will
All that transpired in Jesus' earthly life was by God's design, even the work of the devil. Satan only acts with the Almighty's permission. For example, Matthew uses precise language when he writes that the Lord “was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). The word “led” derives from the Greek meaning to bring, to carry, or to guide. (NRSV Matthew 4:1). Surprisingly, Satan led the way, and Jesus followed. An Anonymous writer said that the angels that appeared to minister to Jesus were always there. He added that there are "two permanent angels with us," one good and one evil. The evil angel cannot tempt us if the good angel is with us. However, by God’s permission, the good angel retreats and hides, giving the evil angel space to tempt us (Anon. Incomplete Work on Matthew. Homily 5).[xi]
How We Can Prevail When Tempted
Through His three temptations in the wilderness, the Lord supplies an example of how we can resist Satan. Notice that Jesus confronts Satan with only one thing, the “sword of the Spirit,” the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). There are many reasons to study the scriptures, including instruction, inspiration, strength, and comfort. In addition, we must learn the scriptures well enough that, by faith in the promises of God, we might “quench the darts of the evil one" (Ephesians 6:16-17). Our understanding should be deeper than a set of "proof-texts." Above all, we should pray for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to grasp the context of the verses of scripture and the entire work of God for our salvation from beginning to end.
Works Cited
Irenaeus. 2023. Against Heresies. Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 1: New Advent.
Simonetti, Manlo , and Thomas C. Oden. 2014. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Matthew 1-13: Intervarsity Press, Academic.
Endnotes