Yes — the three temptations in 1 John 2 are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and all three appear in Eve's temptation in Genesis 3.
In 1 John 2:16, Scripture lists the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life as what is in the world. Les Feldick teaches that Eve was the first to face these same three areas: the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and desired to make one wise.
1 John 2:16 — This verse explicitly lists the three temptations that parallel Eve's experience.
Genesis 3:6 — This verse records Eve's temptation as involving food, visual appeal, and the desire to be wise.
1 John 2:16 says, "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 only place in Scripture where all three temptations are listed together. In Genesis 3:6, the same three elements appear in Eve's temptation: "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." The tree appealed to her appetite, to her eyes, and to her desire to be wise. Genesis 3:5 also shows the promise behind it: "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
Les Feldick teaches that the three temptations John lists in 1 John 2 — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — are the three areas of temptation that every human being faces almost every day. He says Eve was the first example of someone facing all three. For Eve, the lust of the flesh was her natural hunger and the fact that the tree was good for food. The lust of the eyes was the fruit's appeal to her sight. The pride of life was Satan's promise that she could be wise as God — a desire to be like God that gave her a taste for power. Les also explains that the lust of the flesh is not limited to sexual desire; it includes any appetite. The lust of the eye is what looks alluring, and the pride of life is the pride that keeps people from admitting they need God. He connects Eve's three temptations directly to Jesus' temptations in Matthew 4, showing that the Lord faced the same categories.
Les Feldick teaches that the lust of the flesh is not limited to sexual desire. It refers to any of our appetites, and any one of them can get the best of us. In Eve's case, she saw that the tree was good for food. Les points out that she would not have eaten if she had been full after a Thanksgiving meal — she was a little hungry, and her natural appetite was in high gear. He also notes that the lust of the flesh does not always mean something bad; we can desire many things that in a proper amount are good for us.
Les teaches that the lust of the eye is the appeal of what looks alluring. He says the old cliché is true: all that glitters is not gold. In Eve's temptation, Satan's first appeal was to look at the fruit — it was attractive to the eye. Les also says that in our day, temptations can appeal to the things of the eye, just as Satan offered Jesus a miraculous plunge from the temple that a vast crowd would have witnessed.
Les Feldick teaches that the pride of life is one of the biggest things that befall the human race. Pride, he says, is probably the one thing that keeps more people from salvation than anything else, because people are too proud to admit they need anything God has to give. For Eve, the pride of life was the appeal of being like God. Les explains that 'to be like God' would give her power, and that quest for power feeds the ego and feeds pride. This was the basis of the whole temptation.
Les Feldick maps the three temptations in 1 John 2 directly onto Eve's experience in Genesis 3. The lust of the flesh corresponds to the tree being good for food, and Eve being hungry. The lust of the eyes corresponds to the fruit being pleasant to the eye. The pride of life corresponds to Satan telling her she would be wise as God — the desire to be like God and gain power. Les says these are the same three areas that all mankind is still confronted with.
Les Feldick teaches that the Lord Jesus faced the same three categories of temptation in His earthly ministry. He points to Matthew 4, where Jesus was led into the wilderness, fasted forty days and forty nights, and was then hungry. The first temptation was the lust of the flesh, because Jesus was hungry. The second was the appeal to the eye, with Satan tempting Him to cast Himself from the temple before a watching crowd. The third was the pride of life, when Satan offered Him power over all the kingdoms. Les says Jesus knows exactly what we are up against because He faced it Himself.
Les Feldick notes that after the word 'eat' in the Hebrew manuscripts there is a punctuation mark that denotes a long pause. He teaches that Eve was at least temporarily alone when Satan dealt with her, and that moments later Adam came upon her. Les says had Adam been right there, he thinks Adam would have done something to keep her from it. He adds that Satan always knows when to catch us.
Eve Was Caught Alone
Les notes that Eve was at least temporarily alone when Satan dealt with her, and that Satan knows when to catch us — a supporting detail in Eve's temptation narrative.
The Three Categories Defined
Les identifies the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life as the three areas of temptation every human faces, and says Eve was the first to face them.
What Each Temptation Means
Les explains that the lust of the flesh includes any appetite, the lust of the eye is what looks alluring, and the pride of life is the pride that keeps people from seeking God.
The Same Circumstances for Every Person
Les reminds readers that every person faces the same circumstances of temptation that began in the Garden, and that Jesus faced them in His earthly ministry.
Satan's First Appeal to Eve
Les shows that Satan's first appeal to Eve was to look at the fruit — an appeal to the eye — and then connects the same categories to Jesus' temptations.
Eve's Hunger, Sight, and Desire to Be Wise
Les points out that Eve was hungry, the fruit was beautiful to eat, and Satan promised she would be wise as God — the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life.
The Same Temptations in Christ
Les ties pride to the world's refusal to submit to God and then shows Jesus in Matthew 4 facing the same three temptations.
The Root of Eve's Temptation
Les explains that while Eve was tempted through eating and the eye, the underlying appeal was 'You can be like God!' — a bid for power that feeds pride.
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 Scripture that explicitly names the three temptations that parallel Eve's experience.
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 involving food, visual appeal, and the desire for wisdom.
Genesis 3:5: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
This verse contains the promise that she would be like God, which corresponds to the pride of life.
Matthew 4:1-3: 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. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Les cites this passage to show that Jesus faced the same three categories of temptation.
They are the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Les Feldick teaches that these are the three areas of temptation every human being faces.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the lust of the flesh includes any of our appetites. He says it doesn't always mean something bad; we can desire many things that in a proper amount are good for us.
Les teaches that it appeared when Satan told Eve she would be wise as God. The appeal to be like God was a quest for power that fed her pride. This was the basis of the whole temptation.
Yes. Les Feldick points to Matthew 4 and shows that Jesus faced the lust of the flesh when He was hungry, the lust of the eye in the temptation on the temple, and the pride of life when Satan offered Him power over the kingdoms.
Watch the Teaching: Genesis 2-3 Bible Study: How the Fall of Man Changed Everything