Jesus spent 40 days in the desert being tempted by the devil, yet we’re often led to believe that he was tempted in a five-minute ordeal during which he was magically whisked around Palestine and bombarded with instantaneous temptations.

What if, instead, we think of Christ’s temptation as an ongoing struggle during the 40 days? What if “the devil led him to the highest point of the temple” means “he walked up to the highest point of the temple,” where he was tempted? What if the three mentioned instances of temptation were but a few examples of the many struggles Jesus faced during his time in the desert?

Do you prefer to think of an Aladdin-style magic-carpet temptation, or a slow, mundane type of temptation?

Luke 4:14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.

Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit, and returned from the desert full of the power of the Spirit.

We don’t generally go to the desert much, except by car. What is the spiritual/social equivalent of the desert in our world? The desert was said in the ancient world to be the haunt of demons, who were afraid of water and thus thrived in the desert. This is not irrelevant to Luke’s description of Jesus’ temptation as occurring in the desert.

So, Jesus went into the realm of demons under the guidance of the Spirit, endured temptation from Satan, and came out of the desert full of the Spirit and proclaiming the Kingdom of God, for which he quickly gained widespread popularity. (see Luke 4:14-15)

Jesus was also fasting while in the desert, as if being alone with the demons wasn’t bad enough.

The 40 days are also a parallel to the 40 years of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness.
HEB 2:10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. [11] Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. [12] He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises.”

HEB 2:13 And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

HEB 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death–that is, the devil– [15] and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. [16] For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. [17] For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. [18] Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

HEB 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. [2] He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. [3] Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. [4] For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. [5] Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. [6] But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.

HEB 3:7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice,

HEB 3:8 do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
during the time of testing in the desert,

HEB 3:9 where your fathers tested and tried me
and for forty years saw what I did.