The Record Of Jesus’ Temptations
Categories: Bible Questions and AnswersA querist asks, “I believe that Jesus was tempted in every way we are today. The question I am wondering is why are there only three mentioned in the Bible. These three didn’t seem like the most tempting things he could have faced. Why doesn’t the Bible mention any of the others?”
The Bible teaches that all human testing revolve around three basic avenues of life, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16 – KJV). Christ, of course, being thoroughly tested in all of these areas (Matthew 4:1-11) and yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
The three temptations (testings or trials) that Jesus overcame in Matthew 4:1-11 were simply samples of the whole life of Jesus during his personal ministry. We know from Luke 4:13, that there were frequent temptations during Jesus’ entire earthly ministry. These trials included the ultimate trial of facing “the prince of this world” (Satan – John 12:31; John 14:30; John 16:11), who was embodied in the wicked Jewish and Gentile rulers that would bring about the death of Jesus on the cross (John 14:30).
If every minute detail of Jesus’ life had been recorded, John tells us that “the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:25). The Holy Spirit saw fit to have recorded only those events in Jesus’ life that would produce “belief” or “faith” in the lives of His disciples and the readers of the New Testament (John 20:30-31).