Read Luke 4 here (text coming …) or at Bible Gateway.
Luke 4:1-14 Chiastic Structure:
First things first. The devil came to tempt Jesus when He was physically weak; he always comes at us when we are at our most vulnerable. But fasting, all through Scripture, brings one into a place of spiritual strength.
Secondly, notice that the first and third temptation question the identity of Jesus. God had just told Him, at His baptism, “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” The devil tries to cast doubt on what God said. “If you really are the Son of God, then thus and so.” This is the exact same playbook he used with Eve. “Did God really say?” The temptation here, is to pride.
Third, the central temptation is the temptation to idolatry. This in fact, when you boil it all down, is the foundational temptation to all the temptations; the temptation to elevate something else above the place of God. All temptation is an appeal to disregard God’s Word and His authority as Creator and Ruler to give commands.
And finally, the central axis is the only place in this event where Jesus rebukes Satan directly. He is giving us a key when we ourselves are tempted, besides the key of answering temptation with Scripture. We can say, “Depart from Me, in the name of Jesus!” to any temptation, and walk away from it, as we have commanded it to walk away from us.
If there are questions, this is a good resource:
Matthew 4, And the temptation of Jesus – Christine Miller
I appreciate this scripture study, so relevant to the times we are in.