Why was Jesus Tempted?

This is my firm belief that every word of the Bible has a meaning and use for us in our spiritual and worldly lives. All the events recorded in the Bible show us a path that leads to victory by humbling before and following God or facing defeat by following satan. There is one particular incident in the Bible that is of great interest to me and that is where Jesus was tempted by satan. The question that rose to my mind was, "Why was Jesus tempted, when He had authority over everything?". The answer to this question lies in the Book of Genesis. However, before looking at the temptation incident in the Book of Genesis, let us look at another verse.

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualitites - His eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Therefore, God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. AMEN (Romans 1:18-20)

The two great Temptations

Below is the dialogue of satan with Eve, and Jesus' answer to satan. Note that the questions are same in nature but the answers are different. In both th incidents the context of dialogue is "Equality with the God".

Serpent: Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden?' (Genesis 3:1)
Devil: "If you are son of God, tell these stones to become bread." (Mathew 4:3)

Eve: We may eat fruit from the trees of the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'
Jesus Christ: "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God'". (Mathew 4:4)

Serpent: "You will surely not die," For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes wil be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:4-5)
Devil: Again, the devil took Him (Jesus) to a very high mountain and showed Him (Jesus) all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I give you," he said, "If you will bow down and worship me." (Mathew 4:8-9)

Eve: When the woman (Eve) saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. (Genesis 3:6)
Jesus Christ: Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written:"Worship the LORD your God, and serve Him only." (Mathew 4:10)

The first Adam rebelled by refusing to obey God's command and seeked equality with the God. The second Adam humbled before God and obeyed God's command and did not seek His glorification but God's glorification.

This incident is very important in our lives. When we disobey God, we actually try to become equal with God. We do not run out of excuses for sin in our lives although we run out of time and then there are no more chances and no more excuses for there is mercy and chances in the grave.

Disobedience of the First Adam, shows the picture of making excuses and justifying ourselves. When God asked Eve, what she has done, Eve blamed satan. When God asked Adam, he blamed God by saying the woman you put here with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it (Genesis 3:12-13)

Jesus' obedience leaves us with no excuse to justify our sinful lives. He also showed what we have to do when we are tempted. Jesus simply quoted the verses from the Bible and remembered the Law. Now mankind cannot make an excuse to justify itself in doing wrong when tempted. We cannot throw blames on others as it did not work, when the first time blame was thrown at satan by Eve, neither it worked the second time, when Adam blamed God and it will never work in the present or in the future. After Jesus' coming as second Adam, we are not left with any excuses (because Adam and Eve sinned, so we are thrown out of the garden of Eden). The purpose of Jesus' Temptation is Because He Himslef suffered when He was tempted He is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18)

Thank you Daniel for such a blessed message. Jesus is our soul and what good a body is without soul? His obedience teaches us to be obedient to God in all circumstances. Loved your article.

In Christ

Thank you Daniel for such a nice article, I never thought that there is a connection between Temptation in the Book of Genesis and the Temptation Jesus Christ went through. I want to add this to your article. Jesus replied from the Bible to satan. This shows to all of us to read Bible and remember the commandments of God so that these laws may remind us when are being tempted, because the Word of God strenghtens us.

In Christ