Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Matthew 4:1 records that Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted, or tested, of the devil. This took place as He was about to begin His earthly ministry, and it set up the three temptations Satan used to attack His weakness. Les Feldick explains that Satan knew Jesus was hungry after forty days of fasting and aimed his first temptation right at that physical vulnerability.
Matthew 4:1 — This verse directly answers the question by stating that Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for the purpose of being tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:1 plainly states that Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. The verse records that this was the Spirit-led purpose: the wilderness was the place where the devil would come to test or tempt the Son of God. The account continues in Matthew 4:2-3, saying that after Jesus had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward hungry. It was then that the tempter came to Him and said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." The biblical text shows that the Spirit led Jesus into a place of testing, and the devil seized the moment of Jesus' physical hunger to make his first appeal.
Les Feldick says that when Jesus was led into the wilderness after His baptism, He was about to begin His earthly ministry, and the wilderness temptation was part of God's plan. He points out that the wilderness was not just any place; it was the severe, barren desert of Judea: rugged, mountainous, forbidding country. There Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights and afterward was physically hungry. Les emphasizes that Satan knows exactly where a person is weak and will attack that blind side. In Jesus' case, Satan knew Jesus was hungry after the long fast, so his first temptation targeted that hunger: "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Les also notes that Satan even tried to plant doubt in Jesus' mind with the word "if." Beyond the immediate explanation, Les teaches that the temptations of Jesus tie into the three areas of temptation that every human faces: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. He makes the point that Jesus faced the same three sets of circumstances that Adam and all of humanity face.
According to Matthew 4, Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. After He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. Then the tempter came to Him and challenged Him: "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Les Feldick points out that the wilderness was a perfect setup for the temptation because Jesus was hungry after fasting all those days, and Satan knew exactly where to attack.
Les Feldick describes the wilderness as the severe wilderness of Judea — barren desert country that is rugged, mountainous and forbidding. It was not just an ordinary wooded area. This harsh environment is part of why Jesus was physically hungry and weak after forty days, making Him vulnerable to Satan's first temptation regarding food.
Satan first tempted Jesus to satisfy His hunger by turning stones into bread, saying "If thou be the Son of God." Les Feldick explains that Satan knew Jesus had been fasting and was hungry, so he aimed at that point of weakness. Later, the devil took Jesus to an exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory, offering them to Him. Les notes that this was a real temptation involving real, visible kingdoms of this world.
Les Feldick connects the wilderness temptations to the three categories of temptation that everyone faces: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. He points out that the Lord Jesus faced the same three sets of circumstances. Because Jesus faced them and responded with Scripture, His experience in temptation offers comfort to believers today as they face similar attacks from Satan.
Setting the Stage: Led into the Wilderness
Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for the purpose of being tempted. This clip introduces the account in Matthew 4 and emphasizes that the wilderness was a severe, forbidding place, making Jesus' hunger a real point of vulnerability.
The Spirit Led Him to Be Tempted
Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted or tested of the devil. After fasting forty days and nights, He was hungry. Les also shows that Jesus faced the same three circumstances of temptation that all people face.
First Temptation: Stones to Bread
Satan knew Jesus was hungry after forty days in the desert, so he came with the temptation to turn stones into bread. Les emphasizes that the condition was a perfect setup for Satan's attack.
Temptation of the Kingdoms
In a later temptation, the devil took Jesus to an exceeding high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world. Les connects this to the concept of ruling and reigning and notes that both Satan and Jesus are spiritual beings.
Satan Attacks Jesus' Weak Point
Jesus was totally man and totally God; from His human side He was genuinely hungry after the fast. Satan knows exactly where we are weak and attacks there, even trying to plant doubt with the word 'if' — 'If thou be the Son of God.'
Why Did Israel Reject God? Romans 10:18-21 Explained
as the Holy Spirit is in the provocation, in the day of temptation or testing in the wilderness, when your fathers tested me, and proved me, and saw my works for forty years, wherefore I was greed with that generation, and I said, They do always err in their heart, and they have not known my way, so I swear in my wrath, they shall not enter into my rest.
Real Kingdoms, Real Temptation
Les shows that the kingdoms Satan displayed to Jesus were real, visible kingdoms on earth — Egypt's pharaohs, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. This reinforces that the temptation was a genuine offer of real worldly power.
The Lust of the Eye
Satan's later wilderness temptations appeal to the desire of the eye — such as the spectacular idea of casting Himself down from the temple to draw attention. Les uses everyday illustrations to show how Satan works through what the eye sees.
Matthew 4:1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
This is the key verse that directly states the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness specifically for the purpose of being tempted by the devil.
Matthew 4:2: And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
This verse shows the physical condition Jesus was in when the temptation came — hungry after forty days without food.
Matthew 4:3: And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
This is the first temptation, aimed directly at Jesus' hunger and at planting doubt about whether He was the Son of God.
Matthew 4:8: 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;
This verse shows another wilderness temptation where Satan offered Jesus real, visible kingdoms and their glory.
The Bible says in Matthew 4:1 that Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. The wilderness was the place God used for Jesus to be tested by Satan before His earthly ministry began.
After fasting forty days and forty nights, Jesus was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, "If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." Satan aimed at Jesus' physical hunger and tried to plant doubt about His identity.
Yes. Les Feldick points out that Jesus was totally man and totally God. From His human side, He was absolutely hungry after fasting for forty days and forty nights.
Les Feldick teaches that Satan knows exactly where a person is weak and will always hit that blind side. In the wilderness, he knew Jesus was hungry and attacked at that point of vulnerability.
Watch the Teaching: Jesus' Three Temptations — Why Satan's Attacks Still Matter Today