SECTION B: THEMES FROM THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS AND THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
Question 5
- Describe the temptations of Jesus as recorded in the gospel of Matthew.
- In what three ways were the temptations significant to Jesus and His ministry?
Observation
This was one of the popular questions and many candidates were attracted to it and performed greatly in both parts. Candidates were familiar about the sequence of the temptations of Jesusand the significance to Jesus and His ministry.The only challenge recorded was that some candidates mixed up the narration in the gospel of Matthew with that of the gospel of Luke.For those who missed out on the required answers, the points expected of them are;
- After his baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
- He fasted for forty days and nights and at the end of the fasting, he was hungry.
- The devil came to him saying, if you are the son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.
- He replied that it was written that, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
- The devil then took him to the pinnacle of the temple.
- He said to him, if you are the son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, he will give his angels charge of you.
- And Jesus replied him again, it is written, “you shall not tempt the Lord your God”
- The devil took Jesus to a 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.
- Jesus replied him, begone Satan, for it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God only.
- After these, the devil left Jesus.
- And the angels of the Lord came and ministered to him.
Significance of the temptations to Jesus
- The temptation confirmed the divinity of Christ.
- Through the temptations, Jesus accepted suffering as a means of achieving God’s purpose through which was the redemption of man.
- With his victory over Satan, Jesus assured his followers that with the word of God, they can overcome the machinations of the devil.
- The temptations signaled the preparation of Jesus for his ministry.
- To demonstrate Jesus’ resilient to resist the devil.
- The will of the Father was paramount to Jesus so he could not take command from Satan.
- Jesus realized that there was no short-cut to success.