Once John baptized Jesus, according to all three synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the Judaean desert. After this fast, the devil, the tempter, or Satan appeared to Jesus trying to test or tempt him. Jesus refused each of the 3 human temptations concerning the hedonism of hunger, the egotism of power, and the materialism of wealth. These temptations were to mislead and pervert the thinking, wishing, and feeling of Jesus. Although Mark‘s account was very brief, Matthew and Luke described the temptations in great detail that may have come from their common Q source. Is this a parable? What was the purpose of these accounts? There is no doubt that Matthew used language from the Old Testament Septuagint with a series of quotations from Deuteronomy. Fasting was a preparation for a great spiritual struggle. Once the temptations were over, Satan departed. Then angels of God began looking after Jesus. These temptations of Jesus have had many portrayals in art, literature, film, and music, since they have captured the imagination of many of the followers of Jesus Christ
mislead
Bad leaders (Isa 3:12-3:12)
“My people!
Children are
Their oppressors.
Women rule
Over them.
O my people!
Your leaders
Mislead you.
They confused
The course of your paths.”
Isaiah rails against the bad leaders in Judah. They mislead his people, the Israelites. They confused them. They led them on the wrong paths. Now however, they are suffering because children are oppressing them. One of the terrible things that happened to them was being ruled by women, since Isaiah considered this an evil thing.
Inheritance (Prov 28:8-28:10)
“Whoever augments his wealth by exorbitant interest
Gathers it for another who is kind to the poor.
When one will not listen to the law
Even one’s prayers are an abomination.
Those who mislead the upright into evil ways
Will fall into the pits of their own making.
But the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.”
If you augment your wealth with high interest rates, the law of retribution will get you, so that someone else will end up with your money. They will give it to the poor people so that your profit will be in vain. When you do not listen to the law, your very prayer will be an abomination. If you mislead the upright into evil ways, you will fall into the pits that you made for others. However, the blameless will have a good inheritance for their family.
Lies (Prov 14:5-14:8)
“A faithful witness does not lie.
But a false witness breathes out lies.
A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain.
But knowledge is easy for one who understands.
Leave the presence of a fool.
There you do not find words of knowledge.
It is the wisdom of the clever
To understand where they go.
But the folly of fools misleads.”
The problem of lying appears often. The faithful witness does not lie. However, the false witnesses breathe out lies without even thinking about it. The scoffer cynic will seek wisdom in vain. Knowledge, on the other hand, is easy for those people who understand what is going on. Stay away from fools because they do not have words of knowledge. The clever ones have wisdom so that they understand where they are going, but the folly of the fools will mislead you down the wrong path.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 