‘Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil.  He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished.  The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,  saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.’

The passage begins with Jesus being led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Here, the wilderness is more than just a physical location; it symbolises a place of testing and spiritual struggle. This setting echoes the experiences of the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, facing their own challenges and temptations. It tells us first that the temptation isn’t an accident or a detour—it’s part of God’s purpose. Jesus doesn’t wander into danger on his own; he goes in obedience. The same Spirit who descended on him at his baptism now leads him straight into testing.

Deeper Dive

The Spirit leads Jesus to be tempted, but not into sin. Temptation isn’t sin; yielding is. Jesus meets each temptation with Scripture, showing that fidelity to God’s word is stronger than hunger, ambition, or fear. There’s also quiet comfort here: if even Jesus is led by the Spirit into hard places, then wilderness seasons in our own lives are not signs of abandonment. Sometimes they are where faith is clarified, strengthened, and revealed. The wilderness itself matters. In Scripture it’s a place of testing and purification, encounter with God, and stripping away false securities. Jesus relives Israel’s story, but where Israel failed, he remains faithful. His forty days of fasting echo Israel’s forty years, and every temptation he faces—bread, power, spectacle—tests trust in God versus self-reliance.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and so death spread to all because all have sinned— sin was indeed in the world before the law, but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.  Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come. But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died through the one man’s trespass, much more surely have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounded for the many. And the free gift is not like the effect of the one man’s sin. For the judgement following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If, because of the one man’s trespass, death exercised dominion through that one, much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness exercise dominion in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Therefore just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all. For just as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.

Paul contrasts Adam and Christ to explain how sin and grace work. Through Adam, sin entered the world, bringing death to all because all sinned. Through Christ, a new act of obedience brings grace, justification, and life to many. Adam’s disobedience made humanity subject to sin and condemnation; Christ’s obedience opens the way to righteousness and restored relationship with God. The point isn’t that the two are equal—but that Christ’s gift far surpasses Adam’s failure: where sin increased, grace abounded even more.

Deeper Dive

This passage isn’t just about individual sin; it’s about two representative heads of humanity. Adam the old humanity and Christ the new humanity Paul is thinking corporately, not just personally. In the ancient world, a representative’s action could determine the fate of the many (think kings, patriarchs, covenant heads). Adam and Christ function that way.  “Sin came into the world… and death through sin” Paul isn’t saying Adam committed the first sin in a chronological sense only. He’s saying Adam’s act opened a power—Sin (almost personified)—that now reigns in human existence.

‘Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’

Deeper Dive

Adam and Eve grasp what they were not meant to take. They eat, their eyes are opened, but instead of freedom they discover shame, fear, and rupture. Knowledge without trust leads to alienation—from God, from each other, and from themselves. When you read this alongside Matthew 4, the contrast is striking: Adam is in a garden with abundance; Jesus is in a wilderness with nothing. Adam reaches for food he doesn’t need; Jesus refuses bread he desperately wants. Adam doubts God’s word; Jesus clings to it. Adam falls: Jesus stands firm. The early Church loved this pairing: Adam fails in a garden, Christ triumphs in a desert. Where the first humanity disobeyed, the new Adam restores obedience.

‘Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil.  He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished.  The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”  But he answered, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,  saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, and he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”  Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! for it is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.’

This passage highlights three key temptations: physical need (bread), testing God’s protection, and worldly power, each countered by Jesus quoting Scripture. It emphasises reliance on God’s word, obedience, and spiritual discernment. The narrative also sets the stage for Jesus’ public ministry, demonstrating his moral authority and preparation for the mission ahead. We encounter a powerful narrative about the temptation of Jesus. This passage is rich with symbolism and theological significance, shedding light on the nature of temptation and the example set by Jesus. The passage specifies that Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. This period of fasting connects to biblical patterns, such as Moses’ forty days on Mount Sinai. Fasting emphasises a focus on spiritual strength and preparation, underscoring Jesus’ reliance on God even in times of physical weakness.

Deeper Dive

Satan’s first temptation targets Jesus’ physical hunger. This challenge goes beyond mere sustenance, questioning Jesus’ reliance on God for provision. Jesus responds with scripture, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The devil then takes Jesus to the holy city and places Him on the temple’s pinnacle, urging Him to throw Himself down. Satan misuses scripture, quoting Psalm 91:11-12, attempting to manipulate Jesus into testing God. However, Jesus counters again with scripture, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deuteronomy 6:16), highlighting the importance of genuine faith over presumption. Finally, Satan offers Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship. Here, the temptation involves power, authority, and the easy path to messianic fulfillment without suffering. Jesus firmly replies, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’” (Deuteronomy 6:13). This rebuke reaffirms Jesus’ commitment to God’s will and authority. This passage also highlights the humanity of Jesus. Being fully human, He faced genuine temptation and hunger. His victory over temptation assures us of His understanding of our struggles, offering us an empathetic and powerful model to follow.