The Temptation of Jesus
On this Sunday, the second Sunday of the Great Fast, the Church reads Matthew 4:1-11. Events of this passage come after the Lord was baptized in the previous Chapter, and the Holy Spirit declared Him the Son of God (Matt 3:16-17).
In this passage, Satan tempted Jesus with bodily needs “command these stones to become loaves of bread” (Matt 4:3), with testing God’s power “throw Yourself down, for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you” (Matt 4:6), and with Jesus’s superiority and greatness over all earthly kingdoms “if you will fall down and worship me” (Matt 4:9). Jesus rebukes Satan and emerges from the wilderness and His 40 days of fasting victorious, ready to begin to reveal his identity as the Messiah of the World.
By reading these passages the Church is reminding us that the Holy Fast is a time of warfare. St. John Chrysostom says, “Wherever Christ is present, there must be a spiritual war.” Each of the three temptations presents a different aspect of human weakness and desire: the temptation for material comfort and sustenance (bread), the temptation for power and authority (kingdoms of the world), and the temptation for validation and recognition (throwing Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple). These temptations highlight the struggles we all face in our journey toward spiritual growth. While God never tempts us to do evil work, He does use circumstances to test a person’s character. “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” (James 1:13-14)
As we journey through the Lent, let us resist temptation from the Devil by modeling Christ. He provided us with valuable lessons on overcoming temptation and embracing God’s will. As St. Augustine says, “Jesus our leader. He allowed himself to be tempted so as to teach His children how to fight”. Let us apply the key principles of the Lent, which are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving (Check last Sunday contemplation). Let us rely on God’s Word and worship Him alone. Let us fight these temptations, saying to the Devil: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Matt 4:10).
Amen.
Sources:
Bible, English Standard Version
Study Bible, NABRE
Commentaries on the Gospel of St. Matthew by Fr. Tadros Malaty
Commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew (Arabic), Fr. Antonious Fikry
https://catenabible.com/mt/1