The Temptations of Jesus Christ Quiz

Answer: early on in the Gospel

Saint Matthew writes of the events in Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13 is a second account of Jesus's relation of these events as recorded by Saint Luke. Saint Mark also briefly mentions them at Mark 1:12-13.
We must remember that the Gospels were written a number of years after the crucifixion and are based on what Jesus said to His disciples and others around Him during His time on earth.

Answer: in the desert

The Gospels tell us that Jesus was led by the (Holy) Spirit into the desert. Clearly Jesus was looking for solitude and an opportunity to prepare for His coming mission by prayer and meditation. He was to be surrounded by people for most of the next three years and this time alone must have been precious for Him.

Answer: the river Jordan

Jesus had just come from being baptised in the river Jordan.

Answer: Saint John the Baptist

John the Baptist had just baptised Jesus in the Jordan. Having left John and the Jordan, Jesus was then guided by the (Holy) Spirit into the desert (please see Matthew 3:13-17 and Matthew 4:1).

Answer: the Devil

It is interesting for us to notice that Satan considered it worthwhile to try and tempt Jesus. Presumably the archtempter Satan saw some hope or gain placing temptations before Jesus. In the old testament God clearly allowed Satan to test Job (see the Book of Job) and of course Adam and Eve were tested by Satan (Genesis).

The Bible leaves us to wonder how people (especially those in important positions) survive such temptation.

Answer: He was fasting for forty days and forty nights.

By fasting for such a long spell, He must have been trying to meditate and pray at a very high level. He seems to have been trying to rid Himself of the necessity for earthly pleasure and letting His spirit take over from worldly desires and needs. Then of course Satan turned up with some temptations.

Answer: to turn stones into loaves of bread

Not surprisingly Satan decided that someone who had fasted so long might want to turn the stones in the desert into bread. It would be very surprising if Jesus wasn't tempted in this way. The thought had to be in the back of His mind that He had the power to do so. Surprisingly Satan must have hoped that the human nature in Jesus had reached a breaking point, but Jesus soon rebuked him. Jesus said "It is written, "not by bread alone does man live, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." "(Matthew 4:4). Thus today we still have the famous expression "man does not live by bread alone".

Answer: Yes

True to form Satan does not give in, or realise where he is not wanted! He is soon rebuked by Jesus who tells him "it is said, "thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God"" (Luke 4:12). Possibly the temptation was expected to encourage Jesus to display that He was both God and man and in a way that would have been inconsistent with His Ministry that followed.

Answer: No

The third temptation was in fact Satan asking Jesus to worship him, in return for Jesus having all the Kingdoms of the world. Satan must have been quite desperate to come out with that temptation and was again rebuked "Begone, Satan! for it is written, "The Lord thy God shalt thou worship and Him only shalt thou serve"" (Matthew 4:10). Jesus did of course expel the traders and money-changers from the Temple and overturned the money tables (see John 2:13-17), but this was not during Jesus's period of fasting in the desert.

He said to the dove sellers in the Temple "Take these things away, and do not make the house of my Father a house of business" (John 2:16). The disciples remembered that it was written, "The zeal for Thy house has eaten me up." Here Jesus was not being tempted, but was really reacting to the abuse of the Temple, His Father's rightful house of prayer.

Answer: the angels came and ministered to Jesus

Please see Matthew 4:11; the Bible also says that the devil left Him (although Luke 4:13 says the devil "departed from Him for a while"). It is a thought that the Bible clearly leaves us with: if the devil tempted Jesus in these ways, where do we stand?