Last week we answered the question of why Jesus needed to be baptized. We said it identified Jesus as the Messiah and identified Jesus with the sinners he came to save. This week, we need to answer the question of why Jesus was tempted. It's clear from the beginning of chapter 4 that the Holy Spirit is leading Jesus in and through the wilderness. This encounter with the devil is not accidental, it's providential. Jesus did not randomly "bump into" Satan. The Holy Spirit intentionally led Jesus into the wilderness to test him through a confrontation with the devil, and he does it for two reasons.
