Jesus’ Temptation in the Desert 

Basic Info

Matthew 4:1–11, Mark 1:12–13, Luke 4: 1–13

The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) mention that after his Baptism, Jesus went out into the desert for 40 days at the urging of the Holy Spirit. He fasted and prayed. Matthew and Luke detail the temptations the devil placed before Jesus during this time.

Jesus is tempted to turn a stone into a loaf of bread to satisfy his hunger. He responds by quoting Scripture that one does not live by bread alone but by the Word of God. He is tempted to jump off the parapet on the Temple to prove that God’s angels will prevent any harm coming to him. He responds by quoting Scripture that one doesn’t put God to the test. He is tempted with the riches of and power over all the kingdoms of the world if he will bow down before the devil. He responds by quoting Scripture (the First Commandment) that only God is to be worshipped. When the devil leaves, angels come to attend to Jesus.

Artworks may depict Jesus alone in the desert or may address one or all of the temptations.

What to Look For

• Jesus’ attitude and focus (gestures, posture, eyes, expression, etc.)
• Whether Jesus looks attracted at all to any of the temptations placed before him
• Whether the artist makes the temptations look attractive (delicious fresh bread, a thrilling leap from the parapet, really cool riches and power)
• The devil’s attitude (smug, cloying, superior, playing it cool, bullying, etc.)
• The devil’s appearance (easy to spot him / her as evil, disguised as something / someone good, etc.)

Questions to Focus a General Interpretation

The Scripture tends to focus not on Jesus’ willpower but on his willingness to surrender to God’s will as articulated in Scripture (what Christians call the Old Testament). Which way does the artwork lean? Is Jesus’ human nature actually tempted according to this artwork? Are these things desirable?

Are the temptations depicted as external to Jesus or as internal to his thought process? What difference does it make?

What is Jesus depicted as gaining from his time of prayer and fasting in the desert?

Questions to Guide a Personal Interpretation

Are you tempted by the kinds of things the devil places before Jesus in this artwork (satisfaction for physical desires, testing God, or power and riches)? How do they show up in your life? Do you respond by simply choosing God’s will, or is it harder than that?

Notice what Jesus seems to get out of his prayer and fasting, away from the busy concerns of day-to-day life. Do you ever allow yourself that kind of break or retreat? Could you get closer to choosing to ride with God’s will if you took time away like that?

Questions to Suggest a Historical Interpretation

What was going on politically, economically, socially, or in the Church in the artist’s time and place that might be reflected in the way the temptations are depicted? Could the artist be challenging any contemporary practices or people?

Who were some of the bad guys of the artist’s place and time? Might the devil be depicted as possessing any of their characteristics?

A Reflection on an Artwork Depicting Jesus Christ Being Tempted