Righteous Men are Attacked and Tempted by Satan
The Gospels by Mark, Matthew, and Luke depicted the temptation of Christ Jesus by Satan in the wilderness:
Mark:
M'r:1:12: And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.Matthew:
M'r:1:13: And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
M't:4:1: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
M't:4:2: And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
M't: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.
M't:4:4: 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.
M't:4:5: Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
M't:4:6: 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.
M't:4:7: Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
M't: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;
M't:4:9: And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
M't:4:10: 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.
M't:4:11: Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Luke:
Lu:4:1: And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
Lu:4:2: Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
Lu:4:3: And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
Lu:4:4: And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
Lu:4:5: And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
Lu:4:6: And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
Lu:4:7: If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
Lu:4:8: And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Lu:4:9: And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
Lu:4:10: For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
Lu:4:11: And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
Lu:4:12: And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
Lu:4:13: And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.
So, we should not dismiss this episode simply as a fiction in the Bible.
It should at least symbolize the battle between evil one and holy one. Satan hates goodness and holiness. And those who pursue goodness and holiness are attacked by Satan.
This is a phenomenon commonly observed in the human world. Good men who always act as servants of God cannot be hired by companies. Righteous men who always try to follow the words of God and Christ Jesus cannot be accepted by a society. Men always try to practice justice and love to God and neighbors cannot earn money.
In other words, Satan try to suppress those good men and tempt them with money, worldly prosperity and success, and illusions to make a conquest of the world.
The more one loves God and Christ Jesus, the more he or she is attacked and tempted by Satan.
So, Christ Jesus must have been really attacked and attempted by Satan. These passages must be those of the most important episodes in the Gospels.
#### #### ####
M'r:11:13: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
M'r:11:14: And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
M'r:11:15: And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
M'r:11:16: And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.