Matthew 4:1Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

First, He allows them to reveal your strength; second, to keep you humble amidst the gifts you receive, as hardships have a way of grounding us; third, to persuade the evil one, who still questions your fidelity, of your complete departure from him as he witnesses your endurance through trials; fourth, to transform you into something more resilient than iron; and fifth, to affirm the invaluable treasures entrusted to you. Indeed, the devil would not approach you if he did not perceive the high honor you have received. This was precisely why he rebelled against Adam, seeing him in his glory. Similarly, he conspired against Job when he recognized him as favored by the Almighty. You may ask, how can it be that we are advised to “pray that ye enter not into adversity” (Matthew 26:41)? The evangelist clarifies that Jesus did not enter the wilderness by His own will, but under divine guidance, indicating that we should seek to avoid temptation yet stand firm when we find ourselves in it. Notice where the Spirit directed Him—not to a city or public place, but to the wilderness. It seems He purposefully sought out the devil, inviting temptation through solitude and hunger, for the enemy often strikes when we are alone with our thoughts. In the beginning, he approached Eve when she was by herself. However, he is less bold when we are surrounded by others, making it essential for us to gather frequently, to avoid falling easily into his snares.

Reflecting on this, he thought to himself, "If I do not engage Him in battle and temptation, I cannot truly know who He is." Additionally, it transpired as well because the Benefactor did not need to fend off the urging of the tempter. Otherwise, the tempter would not have dared to approach Him or lead Him, as he lacked the understanding to tempt Him effectively.

As soon as Satan approached to tempt Him, the Lord prepared Himself for the confrontation, donning the armor of the Spirit. "The Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil," which He chose not to resist out of custom, lest those who learned of it run away, believing that His inability to confront the tempter indicated He could not prevail against him. This was especially to ensure that no unbelievers could claim the Spirit was subordinate or later than the Son. Had He been raised solely to contend and battle without also being exalted and at peace, the disputers might have raised legitimate concerns. But if the Spirit were inferior to the Son, one must question why the Spirit possessed the power to uplift Him in the wilderness.

He demonstrated such authority when He was led into the wilderness. The Spirit's guiding Him there for the purpose of facing temptation aligns with the Scripture that states, "No man can enter into the house of the strong man and plunder his goods unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house" (cf. Matt. 12:29). Thus, He first bound the strong man and conquered him in his own domain, before He commenced His ministry. Furthermore, He provided us with the pathway of fasting so that through it we might triumph over the seductions of Satan. In the manner of the three immersions that marked the Savior's baptism, He was also tempted thrice.

Where there is treasure, there he positions his forces. He stood firm in the wilderness, a place that was daunting. Mark notes that He was there with the wild beasts (Mark 1:13), indicating that the struggle was indeed more significant. The devil intensifies his assault, especially when he observes that man stands alone and devoid of support.

It is understood that the devil is the chief of all evildoers, and his followers are those who commit wickedness. Was not Pilate one of his followers? Were not the Jews who opposed Christ and the soldiers who executed Him also members of his rank? Therefore, it is not surprising that He who permitted the devil to take Him to the mountain also allowed his minions to bring about His crucifixion. Thus, it is fitting for our Redeemer that He chose to be tempted as He approached His death. It was just for Him to conquer our temptations through His own, as He came to defeat our mortality through His death. We must acknowledge that temptation manifests in three forms: through incitement, allure, and agreement. When we face temptation, we often succumb to pleasure or even to agreement because, stemming from our sinful nature, we inherently carry the reasons we must endure this struggle. In contrast, God, who was made flesh in the womb of the Virgin and entered into the world without sin, possessed no contrary inclinations. Consequently, while He could be tempted through instigation, the allure of sin could not harm His soul. Therefore, none of the temptations presented by the devil from without ever reached within Him.

This is akin to a military leader advising a king facing tyranny: “Speak out against him; the entire region is in danger, for your honor surpasses my own authority.” In this scenario, while the king is indeed influenced by the commander, he does not diminish in stature. In the same way, Jesus was led into confrontation with the tempter; however, the devil ventures to tempt mankind rather than the reverse. Thus, the adversary could not approach Christ to tempt Him, as Christ actively confronted the devil.

John Chrysostom notes that "He was led away by the Spirit into the wilderness," instructing us not to venture into temptation presumptuously. Similarly, the Apostle Paul, fully surrendering himself to the Spirit's guidance, stated, "And behold, now I, being drawn by the Spirit, go to Jerusalem" (Acts 20:22).

To all who have been baptized in the name of Christ, it is essential to yield to the will of God and not be disheartened when faced with temptation, as this preparedness equips you for the battle. Do not seek out temptation yourself, but when it arises with God's allowance, confront it with fortitude. God permits these trials so that you may remain humble, experience His assistance, strengthen your faith, and gain your reward. After the momentous event of His baptism, our Lord recognized, due to His humanity, a profound need for solitude. Anyone who has been gifted by God, after earnest prayer, with a sense of something new and joyous understands the value of peace and solitary contemplation. Thus, it was vital for Jesus to withdraw from the crowd, seeking solitude in the wilderness to commune with His Heavenly Father, relying on prayer and fasting to prepare for His impending suffering and trials for our salvation.

As a Man, our Lord comprehended the significant challenges ahead and felt the necessity to express before His Heavenly Father the vulnerabilities of His incarnated nature, alongside a deep love and gratitude for the experience at the Jordan. St. John Chrysostom observes how the Spirit directed Him, not into the city or the marketplace, but into the wilderness, where the devil could tempt Him in solitude. The devil particularly seeks to ensnare us during our solitary moments, often when we rely solely on our own understanding. Eve, for instance, was approached by the devil while she was alone, without Adam. It is noteworthy that the first Adam faced temptation from the devil in a beautiful paradise, leading to his exile and bringing God's curse upon creation, as seen in the desolate landscapes that now reflect man's fall. In contrast, the second Adam, our Lord Jesus Christ, confronted the devil in the wilderness, triumphed over him, and restored paradise to humankind.

In the wilderness, wild beasts, once under the dominion of man, sought refuge from their greatest enemy. Yet, the Savior, as the God-Man, entered this wilderness free from the age-old animosity toward the mute creatures, allowing them to gather around Him without fear, submissive to Him as they had once been to Adam in the earthly paradise. The evangelist Mark poignantly notes, "and He was ... with the beasts" (Mark 1:13). Satan tempted the forefathers in paradise with three forms of sinful desires: the desire of the flesh, "the tree is good for food"; the desire of the eyes, "it is pleasant to the eyes"; and the pride of life, "you will be like gods" (Genesis 3:5-6). In a similar fashion, he assailed the Lord. Focused on prayer and the monumental service that awaited Him, Jesus, in His humanity, became oblivious to food. However, after forty days of rigorous fasting, He felt the pangs of hunger.

The term "wilderness" refers to a location believed to be where the Lord faced temptation, situated to the west of Jericho, identified as the forbidding and uninhabitable forty-day (Quarantania) wilderness, a place frequented by wild animals and brigands (alternatively known as the wilderness of Jericho - Num. 16:1).

To tempt generally denotes a process of testing or examining, and in a more specific context, it can imply enticing individuals toward malicious actions, revealing either the strength of moral goodness within them or highlighting its absence. In this instance, temptation refers to a trial to ascertain whether Jesus is truly the Messiah, using the allure of sin to challenge Him.

The devil, regarded as a deceiver, an opponent, or an enemy, is portrayed in Scripture as a fallen angel who rejected goodness, embodying the essence of evil and opposing all that is good, particularly the salvation of humanity. The Gospels do not specify how he appeared to the Savior. It may not have been in an overtly corporeal manner, aligning more with the nature of subsequent actions; however, it is clear that he was not merely a manifestation of Jesus' own tempting thoughts, as some have suggested. It was ultimately the spirit of evil that confronted the Savior in some form.