Jesus Says No to the Devil

First Sunday of Lent

Luke 4: 1 - 13
Matthew 4: 1 - 11
Mark 1: 12 - 13

Immediately after his baptism, Jesus withdrew into the wilderness to fast and to pray, the first of many times that he would leave the crowds behind so that he could have time alone for prayer.

Jesus called the devil (which means slanderer in Greek, someone who deliberately tells lies in order to ruin another person's reputation) "the father of lies."

In this story the devil tempts Jesus to attract crowds of followers in easy ways: by feeding them (turning the stones into loaves of bread) and by amazing them by spectacular feats of magic (leaping safely from the top of the Temple).

But Jesus chose to change people one by one, one heart at a time, just like his Father in heaven, by preaching, teaching, and healing.

We also see Jesus the scholar here, as he answers the devil with three Bible verses ( Deuteronomy 8: 3, Deuteronomy 6: 13, and Deuteronomy 6: 16) instead of speaking his own words.

1. Where did Jesus go right after his baptism?

[Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness.]

2. How long did Jesus stay there?

[Jesus stayed in the wilderness for forty days.]

3. How did the devil ask Jesus to prove he was the Son of God?

[The devil asked Jesus to turn a stone into a loaf of bread.]

4. What did the devil promise Jesus if he would worship him?

[The devil promised that Jesus would rule all the kingdoms of the world.]

5. What was the second way the devil asked Jesus to prove that he was the Son of God?

[The devil asked Jesus to leap down from the top of the Temple.]

6. How did Jesus answer the devil?

[Jesus answered him with Bible verses.]

7. Did Jesus do anything the devil asked him to do?

[No, he did not.]