Through this article, I want to show you that the temptation of our Jesus Christ was more of a spiritual event than physical. Please note this: I believe the 40 days of fasting did happen and not an imagination as some postulates. Also, I did not read what I write here in any place or hear from any preacher. It was borne out of my personal study. Lastly, you’re free to disagree- it doesn’t affect your faith in the Lord Jesus.
There were different characters in the wilderness where Jesus observed His fast: our Lord Jesus; the Bible says Angels ministered to Him, so, we have angels. Lastly, Satan was present. You can say Jesus was physical but the angels were spiritual. So, if Jesus interacted with the angels, it must have been done spiritually (open vision). Meaning, if any other person was there, he won’t see any other person aside from our Lord Jesus Christ unless his eyes are opened.
Satan is also a spirit being. When he appeared physically to Eve, it was as a snake. This time, the Bible didn’t say he appeared physically. So, if he had talked and interacted with Jesus, it was only through vision as well.
Before I go on. That I say the temptation of Jesus is spiritual doesn’t make it unreal or reduce its meaning and potency. The spiritual is more real than the physical. Jesus was 100% conscious all through the temptation and so if He had fallen, it would be the end of His mission. Likewise, His victory is not anyway less impactful. It is in fact, more powerful being spiritual.
The first temptation, Satan asked that Jesus would turn a stone into bread.
The second temptation according to the book of Mathew is that Satan TOOK Jesus from the wilderness in Jordan to the Temple in Jerusalem City and SET Him on the pinnacle- the topmost top then asked Him to jump.
Here, there is a change of environment. The wilderness to the temple is not a distance you can cover by legs in a few minutes. Google Maps says it will take 53 hours by road and 4hr 23 minutes by Bus.
So, the question is, how did they travel there? Another question is, how did they climb to the pinnacle of the temple? If Jesus moved physically from where He was, it would mean that He disappeared and appeared on the tip of the mountain and no one saw Him while He was there. If He had done that, it is also spiritual. But I don’t think Jesus did that. I submit that it was a vision or you call it a trance. The Bible says Satan TOOK Him there and SET Him on the pinnacle.
The third temptation detailed that Jesus moved from the Temple to “an exceedingly high mountain”. This time around, if you believe Jesus moved physically then, He must have climbed from the base of the mountain to its top. On the top of the mountain, the Bible again says Satan SHOWED Him the earth and all the glory in split seconds.
Here, my main question is, how did Jesus get to the highest point of the mountain? We already know Satan wasn’t physical so, no point asking how he got there. I submit that, Jesus didn’t climb physically, and no one saw Him from the ground or anywhere. It was also a vision.
Lastly, Jesus “travelled” back to the wilderness in Jordan (Jordan is another country today) where He was before the temptation started and there, Angels ministered unto Him. How did He get back? This time, the Bible didn’t say Satan took Him or carried Him. I believe Jesus simply woke from the vision/trance.
What do you learn by this revelation?
I simply love knowledge, so it’s interesting to know the Bible the more.
But I got the revelation of this passage when I asked the Holy Spirit: “what power does Satan has to inflitrate people’s dream at night including the dream of children of God”. The Holy Spirit explained to me that if He could be in the vision of Jesus to show him things because the Bible actually says: “Satan TOOK Jesus to, Satan SET Him….” then, he could get into our dreams but we have the final say. We also have the power to stop him because Jesus said GET BEHIND ME SATAN and he left.