The Life of Jesus Christ - Chapter 2 - John the Baptist and Jesus begin their work - Part 5
Previous article | Life of Jesus Christ Index | *Word List | Next article
An online Bible Study course by Barrie Wetherill about the life of Jesus. This book is in EasyEnglish Level B. Use the links below for other online Bible Study books and commentaries that will help you. Or go to the Word List, which explains words with a *star.
Easy English Bible homepage | Matthew (commentary) | Mark (commentary) | Luke (commentary) | John (commentary)
Immediately after the *baptism, the *Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert. There the *Devil tried this: to make Jesus do wrong things. This event is very important in the life and work of Jesus. Perhaps it is the most important event. It is a very serious and holy event. We must know about it. Jesus was alone in the desert. Only Jesus knew about what happened there. At some time he must have told his *disciples about it. Both Matthew and Luke write about it.
This happened immediately after Jesus’ *baptism. The *Holy Spirit led him into the desert. He was there for 40 days (Luke 4:1). There is a desert between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. Probably Jesus was there. The Jewish name for that area means ‘The Waste Land’. It is 35 miles in one direction and 15 miles in the other. [That is 56 kilometres in one direction and 24 kilometres in the other]. It has dusty hills and bare rocks. They are rough and sharp. Nothing can grow there. It is very hot. The land is high up. But there is a steep cliff. Below that is the Dead Sea.
People believed that wicked *spirits ruled the desert. (Jesus speaks about this in Matthew 12:43). The *Holy Spirit led or sent Jesus there. What happened to Jesus seems to be continuous. It did not just last for short periods. Clearly the experience was worst at the end of the 40 days. There, in the desert, Jesus met the *Devil.
© 2002-2005, MissionAssist