He was tempted when he was alone, out in the desert, before he started his public life. (He must have told someone about it or it would not have been recorded in the gospel.) There he was, very hungry, praying and thinking, day after day. ('Forty days' may be a poetic way of saying 'an awfully long time', which is what days of fasting and praying alone in the desert must feel like.) Physically weakened by hunger and fatigue, he was vulnerable - and he was targeted by our ancient Enemy.
The Enemy does not waste time offering us something we do not want. Why would he? That's not temptation. Anyway, he's smarter than that. No, he offers us something we do want but may not have, and very often it is disguised as a way to do good.
So it must have been with Jesus. When the Tempter reminded him that he could turn stones into loaves to ease his cramping stomach, his mouth must have watered. Oh my - bread! It must have been tempting. He knew his own power; he knew he could have bread, now. But he resisted. What, on these terms? No. Tough, but not as tough as what followed.
He was about to start his mission, to recruit people whom he could send out to the whole world with good news of the love of God: a love so great and so eternally new, now pledged by a new covenant so unimaginable that to many it would seem - and still seems - incredible, impossible. He was about to go about his father's business.
And now comes the Tempter.
'Look, you have a huge job ahead of you. Much good to do. Healing, comforting, preaching truth and salvation. And you know, obviously, that the difficulties will be pretty much insurmountable. But I can help you.
I can give you the whole world.
Your companions will suffer dreadfully. You know that they will be tortured and killed, as you will. Spare yourself, and spare your beloved friends that horrible fate. Think of them! And think of the good you can do for souls, for the whole world - with my help!
I can give you the whole world.
You can speak to the whole of humanity at once - today. Not through others... some of them good, some not so good, some success, a lot of failure... and taking uncountable millennia over it. You can achieve your goal right now, universally, with guaranteed success.
I can give you the whole world.
Everyone will hear you and believe. Your father in Heaven will be pleased at the success of his beloved son. Think about it.
I can give you the whole world.
Come on. You know who I am. You know my power. Just acknowledge it. And me. That's all there is to it.
I can give you the whole world.
It will be so easy! Instantly, mission accomplished, just like that. And in such a good cause! Think about it. Think of the good you can do - instantly - if only you will acknowledge me and bow to me. You want to, don't you? You know you want to...'Oh, he must have imagined it. To be able to tell everyone immediately, right there and then, about the love of his and their father, about the forgiveness of all their sins. To bring them all comfort now... to fulfil his mission without suffering... without others suffering for him...
If he didn't imagine it, if he didn't think about how marvellous it could all be... if only he would bow to the Tempter... If he never thought about it and never wished it could be so, never wanted it even for an instant, then it wasn't temptation. Just pointless dialogue.
But he told us he was tempted.
He was setting out on a vast, some-say-impossible task which he knew perfectly well would get him and his friends killed. And here he was being offered Mission Accomplished. All he had to do was...
He told us he was tempted.
Oh, Lord, we are tempted, so often. And you know exactly what that feels like, don't you? Give us strength. Lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from evil.
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