Luke 4:1-13 presents Jesus as the Spirit-filled Son of God who faces real temptation from the devil and remains fully obedient to the Father. He will not use his sonship for selfish ends, gain dominion through idolatrous worship, or demand proof of God’s care by testing Him.

This passage is closely tied to what comes before it. At His baptism, the Father declared that Jesus is His Son. Then Luke traced Jesus’ genealogy back to Adam. Now Luke shows what kind of Son Jesus is when tested. When the devil says, “If you are the Son of God,” he is not mainly questioning whether Jesus truly is the Son. Rather, he is pressing Jesus to act out His sonship on false terms—independently and self-assertively instead of in obedient trust.

Luke says Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness. This means the testing did not fall outside God’s purpose. It belonged to the Father’s plan at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. A life led by the Spirit is not a life free from hardship. Jesus’ obedience is shown in hunger, pressure, and conflict.

The forty days in the wilderness recall Israel’s wilderness testing. That connection is strengthened by the fact that Jesus answers each temptation from Deuteronomy, where Moses reflects on Israel’s experience. Jesus walks that path again, yet unlike Israel, He does not fail. In light of the genealogy, He also stands where Adam and other human representatives failed. So this is more than a private lesson in self-control.

The first temptation comes when Jesus is truly hungry after forty days of fasting. The devil urges Him to turn a stone into bread. The point is not that food is unimportant or that bodily needs are evil. The issue is whether Jesus will use His sonship to meet a real need on the devil’s terms rather than in submission to the Father. Jesus answers with Deuteronomy 8:3: “Man shall not live by bread alone.” Life is finally sustained by God’s word and His ordering will, so even real need does not justify disobedience.

In the second temptation, the devil shows Jesus all the kingdoms of the world in a moment. Luke’s wording suggests a supernatural or visionary display, yet the temptation itself is real. The devil claims temporary delegated authority over the world’s kingdoms. Jesus does not dispute that claim here, but neither does He accept the path being offered. The issue is allegiance. The kingdoms and their glory are offered in exchange for worship. Jesus answers with Deuteronomy 6:13 that worship and service belong to the Lord alone. Rule gained through false worship is already corrupt.

Luke places the final temptation in Jerusalem at the temple, and that order matters. The scene reaches its climax there, in keeping with Luke’s broader focus on Jerusalem. Here the devil quotes Psalm 91, showing that temptation can come not only through desire but also through the misuse of Scripture. A biblical promise may be quoted accurately and still twisted when it is pulled out of its covenantal and moral setting.

The devil urges Jesus to throw Himself down and force a dramatic rescue. In this sacred setting, the temptation is more than reckless spectacle. It is an invitation to demand visible proof of His sonship and to turn God’s promise into leverage. Jesus replies with Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.” This recalls Massah, where Israel demanded proof of God’s presence and care. Faith trusts God; it does not create a crisis in order to force visible confirmation.

In every case, Jesus brings His circumstances under the authority of God’s word. He does not deny hunger, reject rule itself, or despise God’s protection. He refuses to pursue any of these things in a way that violates loyalty to the Father.

This passage also presents the devil as a real personal enemy, not merely a symbol of inward struggle. He speaks, tempts, bargains, and quotes Scripture. Yet his power is limited. He departs only until a more opportune time, which shows that the conflict is not over but will continue later in the Gospel.

So the main point is not simply that Jesus gives believers an example, though He certainly does. More centrally, Luke presents Jesus as the faithful Son who obeys where Israel failed and where Adam fell. He begins His mission not by grasping power, securing dominion through idolatry, or demanding signs, but by trusting and obeying the Father in the power of the Spirit.

Key Truths: - Jesus’ temptation was real and took place under the Spirit’s leading. - The central issue is how Jesus will exercise His sonship under pressure. - Jesus answers every temptation with Scripture rightly understood and rightly applied. - Real physical need does not authorize disobedience. - Dominion pursued through false worship is idolatrous and must be rejected. - God’s promises must never be used to justify presumption. - The devil is real, but he is temporary and subordinate. - This temptation narrative begins the conflict; satanic opposition continues.