From the reviews of Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI – Chapter List Here – The Temptations of Jesus
In the account of Jesus’ baptism, the descent of the Holy Spirit is more than a simple blessing—it is the formal anointing that confers upon Him the messianic office, as kings and priests in Israel were anointed in the Old Testament. As Saint Luke records, Jesus later affirms this anointing in the synagogue at Nazareth: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me” (Lk 4:18; cf. Is 61:1). This signifies that Jesus is the awaited Messiah—the true “Anointed One” who bears the Spirit of God.
However, immediately after this event, the Spirit leads Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil, marking the start of His mission (Mt 4:1). The three temptations recounted in the Gospels are deeply significant, as they reflect the inner struggle Jesus faces in remaining faithful to His divine task. Each temptation challenges a fundamental aspect of His mission, ultimately revealing what it means for Jesus to be the true Messiah.
The First Temptation: Turning Stones into Bread
After fasting for forty days and nights, Jesus becomes hungry, and the devil presents Him with the first temptation: “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread” (Mt 4:3). At first glance, this temptation addresses Jesus’ physical hunger, but it also has a much broader implication. It reflects the age-old question of whether material needs—bread—are more important than spiritual obedience to God. The devil’s challenge to turn stones into bread symbolises the temptation to prioritise immediate physical gratification and worldly needs over one’s faith in God.
Jesus’ response, quoting Deuteronomy, is decisive: “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Deut 8:3). This statement goes beyond physical hunger—it points to a proper ordering of goods, where the spiritual takes precedence over the material. As Pope Benedict XVI explains, when this order is reversed, it leads not to justice or true concern for human suffering, but to ruin and destruction: “When God is regarded as a secondary matter that can be set aside temporarily or permanently on account of more important things, it is precisely these supposedly more important things that come to nothing.” This is a profound critique, noting that efforts, such as Marxist ideologies, that attempt to focus solely on material welfare without God often result in failure and harm, even to the material world itself.
This temptation speaks to the deeper truth that Jesus is not indifferent to human needs—He later feeds the hungry crowds in the multiplication of the loaves—but He insists that such actions must flow from a proper relationship with God. The solution to world hunger and human suffering cannot be achieved by bread alone; rather, it must be founded on faith, love, and obedience to God.
The Second Temptation: Testing God’s Power
In the second temptation, the devil takes Jesus to the pinnacle of the Temple and dares Him to cast Himself down, quoting Scripture to suggest that God will protect Him: “He will command his angels concerning you…lest you dash your foot against a stone” (Mt 4:6; Ps 91:11). Here, the devil cleverly twists the words of Psalm 91 to imply that faith in God means demanding proof of His protection.
Jesus’ response is once again drawn from Deuteronomy: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deut 6:16). This temptation highlights a subtle danger in the relationship between man and God—the desire to test God and force Him to prove His presence and power in visible, tangible ways. This reflects a temptation many face in their faith: demanding that God act according to human expectations or fulfil His promises on our terms.
Jesus resists this demand for proof, recognising that true faith does not seek to manipulate God’s power. As Pope Benedict notes, the Cross—Jesus’ ultimate act of trust in the Father—reveals the true meaning of Psalm 91. Christ does not throw Himself from the Temple but rather descends into the abyss of death on the Cross, trusting that He will fall into the hands of a loving Father. This is the essence of faith—trusting in God’s goodness even when His presence is not obvious or miraculous.
The Third Temptation: Earthly Power and Glory
The third and final temptation brings the devil’s challenge to its climax. He takes Jesus to a high mountain and shows Him all the kingdoms of the world, offering Him authority over them if Jesus will bow down and worship him (Mt 4:8-9). This temptation presents a false vision of the Messiah—a ruler who wields earthly power and political might.
Jesus rejects this vision outright: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Mt 4:10; Deut 6:13). His Kingdom is not one of earthly splendor, but one that grows through humility, love, and self-sacrifice.
The contrast between Jesus and Barabbas comes into sharp focus here. Barabbas, whose name means “son of the father” (Bar-Abbas), represents the earthly messiah, a figure of violent revolution who promises political liberation through force. As the Gospels recount, the people choose Barabbas over Jesus during the Passion (Mt 27:21). This choice symbolises the recurring human preference for a worldly saviour who brings immediate results, rather than the mysterious and seemingly powerless Messiah who leads through the Cross.
As Pope Benedict XVI points out, this moment is not merely a choice between two men—it is a choice between two types of messianic hope. Barabbas stands for the messiah who offers earthly power, while Jesus embodies the true Son of the Father, who brings salvation through humility and suffering. This temptation underscores the reality that true kingship and authority come not from the illusion of power, but from submission to God’s will, even when it involves the Cross.
Conclusion: Jesus Brings God
In rejecting all three temptations, Jesus shows the true nature of His mission. He does not come to satisfy human desires for power, bread, or miraculous proofs. Rather, as Pope Benedict XVI eloquently summarises, Jesus’ mission is to bring God to the world: “The answer is very simple: God. He has brought God… He has brought the God who formerly unveiled his countenance gradually.”
By overcoming the temptations, Jesus reveals that true salvation does not come through worldly success or political liberation, but through faith, obedience, and the love of God. This message is one that challenges every generation, especially when the temptation to place worldly solutions above divine truths becomes strong. Jesus’ resistance to the devil’s temptations shows us that only in God do we find the source of life, justice, and salvation.
From the reviews of Jesus of Nazareth by Pope Benedict XVI – Chapter List Here
