WHAT LIES BENEATH THE

TEMPTATION
By Kathleah P. Ermita

According to Wikipedia, temptation is the desire to engage in short-term urges of

enjoyment, that threatens long-term goals. Temptation is an enticement to evil and a seduction
to sin and death. It appears to be pleasing and desirable for us. It is a weakness that can be
used against us to falter our faith in God. Jesus, the Son of God, was served with three
temptations, so scrumptious that anyone with a weak faith can give in but He didn't. So how did
Jesus overcome all of it?
Jesus’ first temptation involved food. He was fasting for forty days and forty nights in
the Judaean Desert. During that time, Satan tried to place doubt in the mind of Jesus by
challenging Him. He said that “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become
loaves of bread.” What lies beneath this temptation is that Satan didn't challenge Jesus into
creating bread, but he was challenging the credentials of Jesus Christ. But Jesus was led by the
Spirit of God and responded with a passage from Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man does not live on
bread alone but in every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
In the second temptation, Satan took Jesus to Jerusalem to stand on the temple. Satan
said, “If you are the Son of God throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His
angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot
against a stone.” What lies beneath this temptation is that Satan not only tried to incite Jesus to
test the scripture but to test His faith in God. Satan may have used the scripture, but he twisted
and distorted it. He omitted some parts and used it out of the context. Jesus then responded
him with a verse from Matthew 4:7, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
Lastly, in the third temptation, Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed
Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Satan then said, “All these I shall give to you,
if you will fall down and worship me.” What lies beneath this temptation is that Satan shifted
his strategy and did not use “If you are the Son of God...” instead he offered Him so that Jesus
will worship him and disobey the Father’s will. But Jesus did not question Satan’s authority or
validated his reputation as “the father of lies” instead He knew that Satan’s offer violated the
first of the Ten Commandments. Jesus then told him, “Begone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You
shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
What lies beneath all the temptation is that Satan tested and challenged Jesus’ faith and
obedience towards His Father. But Jesus’ faith never faltered instead it became stronger. When
Satan left Him, angels came and ministered to Him. Jesus was praying in the Garden of
Gethsemane and an angel appeared to strengthen Him. In overcoming all the temptations of
Satan, Jesus proved and showed the world that if you have faith, you can overcome and endure
hardships. He always keeps in mind the Word of God and It gave Him a spiritual reservoir to
draw strength in times of facing temptations.