Yes—Jesus experienced the three broad categories of temptation listed in 1 John 2:16: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life.
Les Feldick teaches that the Lord Jesus faced the same three set of circumstances that every human being faces. In Matthew 4, the first temptation was bread while Jesus was hungry, which Les identifies as the lust of the flesh; the second was a public spectacle from the temple pinnacle, which Les identifies as the lust of the eye. The pride of life is the third category, and Les says Jesus faced these same three areas.
1 John 2:16 — This verse names the three universal categories of temptation: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.
Matthew 4:1-11 — This passage records Jesus' three wilderness temptations, which Les maps to the three categories in 1 John 2:16.
Hebrews 4:15 — This verse explicitly says Jesus was tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin.
The Bible identifies three categories of temptation in 1 John 2:16: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. In Matthew 4, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, fasted forty days and nights, and was afterward hungry. The tempter came to Him and tempted Him to turn stones into bread, to cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple, and to receive all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship. Genesis 3:6 shows Eve's temptation also involved these same elements: the tree was good for food, it was pleasant to the eyes, and it was a tree to be desired to make one wise. Hebrews 4:15 states that Jesus was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Les Feldick teaches that the three areas of temptation listed in 1 John 2:16—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life—are the same set of circumstances that every human being faces, and the Lord Jesus faced them too. He begins with Eve in Genesis 3 and then takes listeners to Matthew 4, showing that Christ's temptations match these same categories. Les identifies the first temptation as the lust of the flesh because Jesus was genuinely hungry after forty days of fasting. He identifies the second temptation as the lust of the eye because Satan set up a great public spectacle at the pinnacle of the temple. He also explains that Jesus was totally human as well as totally God, so His hunger was real, and Satan attacked His point of weakness. Jesus faced the same three categories that began in the garden and that every person still faces today.
First John 2:16 lists the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Les Feldick teaches that these are the three areas of temptation that every human being faces—not just once, but almost every day. He says these same circumstances began in the garden with Eve and that the Lord Jesus Himself also faced them in His earthly ministry.
After fasting forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry, and the tempter said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Les Feldick teaches that this was the lust of the flesh. He emphasizes that Jesus was totally human, so His hunger was real, and Satan knew exactly where to strike.
Satan set Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple and told Him to cast Himself down, quoting Scripture. Les Feldick teaches that this second temptation was the lust of the eye. He notes that whether it is our eyes or someone else's, Satan was setting up a great showmanship event—a dramatic, visible spectacle that was designed to appeal to the eye.
The third category listed in 1 John 2:16 is the pride of life. Les Feldick teaches that the Lord Jesus faced the same three set of circumstances as every human being, so this category is included in what Jesus experienced. Les also explains that pride is one of the biggest things that befall the human race and that pride keeps more people from salvation than anything else, because people are too proud to admit they need what God has to give them.
First Temptation: Lust of the Flesh
Les explains that Christ's first temptation was bread because He was hungry, making it the lust of the flesh, and he connects the Matthew temptations to the list in 1 John 2.
Jesus Faced the Same Three Circumstances
Les explicitly says the Lord Jesus faced the same three set of circumstances—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life—and points to Matthew 4.
Eve and Jesus: The Same Three Areas
Les shows that Eve's hunger, visual appeal, and desire to be wise are the same three areas mankind still faces, and he says Jesus tasted every temptation common to man as seen in Matthew.
Defining the Three Areas
Les defines the lust of the flesh as any appetite, the lust of the eye as that which looks alluring, and the pride of life as the pride that keeps people from salvation.
Every Human Faces These Daily
Les says these three categories of temptation are faced by every human being almost every day, beginning with Eve.
Jesus Was Truly Hungry
Les emphasizes that Jesus was totally human as well as totally God, so His hunger was real and Satan attacked His point of weakness.
From the Garden to Jesus
Les connects the same temptation circumstances from Eve to Jesus, quoting 1 John 2:16 and explaining that Jesus knows our frame because He faced it Himself.
Second Temptation: Lust of the Eye
Les interprets the temple-pinnacle temptation as the lust of the eye—a great public spectacle, whether for our eyes or someone else's.
1 John 2:16: For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
This is the passage Les uses to define the three universal categories of temptation.
Matthew 4:1-2: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
These verses set the scene for Jesus' temptations and show His genuine hunger.
Matthew 4:3-4: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
This is the first temptation, which Les identifies as the lust of the flesh.
Matthew 4:5-7: Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
This is the second temptation, which Les interprets as the lust of the eye.
Matthew 4:8-10: Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
This is the third temptation, involving the kingdoms of the world and the pride of life.
Genesis 3:6: And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
This verse shows Eve's temptation also involved food, visual appeal, and the desire to be wise—matching the three categories.
Hebrews 4:15: For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
This verse states Jesus was tempted in all points like we are, yet without sin.
Yes. Les teaches that the three categories in 1 John 2:16—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life—are the same set of circumstances that began with Eve and that the Lord Jesus faced in His earthly ministry.
After fasting forty days and nights, Jesus was hungry, and the tempter said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Les identifies this as the lust of the flesh.
Satan set Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple and told Him to cast Himself down, quoting Scripture. Les calls this the lust of the eye because it was a great public spectacle.
Eve saw the fruit was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and desired to make one wise. Les says these are the same three areas that began in the garden and that Jesus also faced.
Watch the Teaching: Jesus' Three Temptations — Why Satan's Attacks Still Matter Today