The Pinnacle of Temptation
Scripture teaches that Jesus was a person who was “tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.” I don’t believe that only happened in Luke 4. I’m convinced Jesus was tempted throughout his life. But there were two seasons where the pressure was uniquely intense—two moments when the full weight of temptation bore down on him: the cross and the wilderness.
Today, we’re looking at that second one—the wilderness—and more specifically, the third temptation as presented in Luke’s Gospel. To understand it, we need to set the scene.
Around the time of Jesus’ birth, a man named Herod—an Edumean king we now call Herod the Great—wanted to win favor with the Jewish people while also making himself look impressive. So, he undertook an enormous project to expand the Temple in Jerusalem. He poured wealth into it, renovating and enlarging the structure until it was so prominent that later generations would refer to it simply as Herod’s Temple.
The project was massive. It would span 70 years, outlasting Herod himself and continuing through the reign of his children. One notable feat was the expansion of the Temple Mount itself. They actually added to the hill—piling earth and building retaining walls to expand the platform by roughly the size of a football field. Part of that expansion included a Roman garrison and additional colonnades, walkways, and viewing areas.
By the time Jesus was about 30 years old, this renovation was well underway, and one particular place in the compound had become known for its staggering view. From this spot, if you turned one direction, you could take in the beauty of the temple grounds. Turn the other way, and you were looking straight down a sheer drop into the Kidron Valley.
The Jewish historian Josephus describes it this way: “Anyone looking down from the top would become dizzy, unable to see the bottom due to the vast height” (Antiquities 15:411-412). It was a breathtaking and dizzying place to stand.
And it’s there, or somewhere like it, where our story unfolds.
Luke tells us that Jesus, having fasted in the wilderness for forty days, is taken by Satan to the pinnacle of the Temple. Now, what does that mean exactly? Was Jesus literally teleported from the wilderness to the Temple? Was it a vision? A supernatural experience? I don’t know—and I won’t pretend I do.
What we do know is that Satan has been hammering away at Jesus for forty days. Now, at what must have been a weakened, vulnerable moment—hungry, tired, alone—he takes Jesus up to that place. On one side: a vertical drop. The other: the gleaming courts of the temple. And it’s in that place of dizzying height and sacred significance that the third temptation takes shape.
A Temptation That Doesn’t Look Like One
“And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here.’” (Luke 4:9)
Now, I’ll quibble a little with that translation. I’m not sure that “if” is the best word there. If I were translating it, I might go with “since.” Satan isn’t unsure about who Jesus is. He’s not saying, “Maybe you’re the Son of God, maybe you’re not.” He’s saying, “Okay—you say you’re the Son of God. Fine. Then let’s do this.” He’s already tried that line: “If you’re the Son of God, turn these stones into bread.” Jesus said, “No”. So now, in this third and final round, Satan shifts tactics. He basically says, “Since you are the Son of God… throw yourself down.”
At first glance, it doesn’t even sound like a temptation.
Most of us, when we’re in a high place, we don’t think, “You know what would be fun? Jumping.” We think, “How do I get down safely?” This doesn’t seem like a real temptation at all.
But of course, there’s more going on. Because Satan doesn’t stop with the dare. He quotes Scripture. “For it is written, He will command his angels concerning you to guard you,’ and ‘on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:11-12).
That’s what’s really happening here. In the first two temptations, Jesus responds with, “It is written…” So now Satan says, “Fine, let’s read your Bible. Let’s see what it says about you. Do you actually believe what you’ve been saying? Or is all this talk about trusting God just that — idle talk?”
Satan takes Jesus to the closest-to-God place on earth—the Temple. Satan doesn’t just take him into the courts or the altar, but to the very top. If there’s any spot that ought to symbolize trust in God, it’s here—the pinnacle of the Temple. And it’s here where Satan quotes the very Scriptures that Jesus believes point to him. That’s the test. It’s not about gravity. It’s about trust. Do you believe this stuff or not?
And here’s the thing—we know how good it feels to prove someone wrong. There’s a short-lived but sweet moment when you’re right, and you know you’re right, and you get to show it. Now imagine being the Son of God, and the person you’re proving wrong is Satan himself. Imagine the appeal: step off the pinnacle, angels swoop in, everyone sees it, and Satan is left speechless. That would’ve felt really good.
But Jesus doesn’t jump. He refuses. And there’s a reason for that. Jesus knows some things we need to know, too.
Jesus Knows: The Temple Doesn't Make You Holy
Jesus knows you can stand in the Temple and still be corrupt.
Satan’s subtle strategy is to catch Jesus off guard by placing him in a situation where he might be more vulnerable to temptation. And what better place to do this than in the Temple?
If there’s anywhere in the world where we should be on our best behavior and feel closest to God, and where everything seems right, it should be here, right? After all, the Temple is the heart of worship, where God’s presence is most tangible.
So, Satan cunningly brings Jesus to this sacred space. He doesn’t try to tempt him on a high hill or in a remote wilderness. Instead, he takes him to the very center of religious life, hoping that in this place of worship, Jesus might give in to something he wouldn’t have elsewhere.
But Jesus knows better. He understands something we often forget: even in the most sacred places, there can be corruption, deceit, and bad intentions.
Jesus made this point clearly in his teaching. In the final week of his life, he entered the temple and drove out those who were selling. He declared, “It is written, my house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.” (Luke 19:46).
The mere geography of the Temple didn’t make the people inside it holy. The beauty and grandeur of the Temple, with its lavish renovations, didn’t make it sacred. In fact, just a chapter later, as His disciples marveled at the Temple’s splendor, Jesus told them, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another, that will not be thrown down.” (Luke 21:6). Jesus isn’t fooled by the trappings of the Temple. He knew that a temple isn’t where gods come down to see how good humans are. It’s a place where sinful humans come to worship their God, which means it’s full of sinners.
Likewise, church isn’t a museum where we show off the best and brightest among us. It’s a hospital, maybe even an emergency room, where the sick come for healing and the broken people come for restoration. So, if you think that by stepping onto church property, you’ve somehow entered a space where temptation can’t touch you, you’re mistaken. In fact, Satan might tempt you here more than anywhere else. If he can win here, he can win anywhere.
But remember this: Jesus isn’t fooled. He knows better.
Jesus Knows: You Can Quote Scripture and Still Be Wrong
Remember when I said it feels good to win an argument? It’s especially satisfying when you win with textual evidence.
It’s easy to jump on a high horse with a verse or two and still be completely wrong. And Jesus knew this all too well, because he made it a central point of his teaching, especially in the book of Luke. In fact, Luke paints a picture of Jesus as someone who not only knew the Law but was more than happy to talk about it.
How much did he know? At 12 years old, Jesus was already in the Temple, engaging with the teachers, listening, and asking questions. He wasn’t there admiring the beauty of the Temple; he was there to learn, debate, and understand. He’d been arguing the Bible since childhood.
If you read through Luke’s Gospel, you’ll find that Jesus repeatedly tells people who quote Scripture, “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Once, Jesus’ disciples were accused of working on the Sabbath because they picked some grain to eat (Luke 6:1-5). The critics demanded, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” Jesus responded, “Have you not read what David did?” He reminded them of the time David ate the consecrated bread from the tabernacle because he was hungry. They justified David but criticized Jesus. Jesus pointed out that they didn’t truly understand the Scriptures they quoted.
Later, when the Pharisees criticized him for healing on the Sabbath, Jesus challenged them: “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath?” (6:6-11) He didn’t just quote Scripture; he made them think about its true meaning.
When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus turned the question back on them: “What does the law say? How do you read it?” His answer led to the story of the Good Samaritan, showing that understanding Scripture meant applying it in ways beyond surface-level interpretation (10:25-29).
He wasn’t shy about calling out the Pharisees, either. He told them, “You clean the outside of the cup, but inside it’s full of greed and wickedness” (11:39). His point? You might quote verses about cleanliness, but if you only focus on outward appearance, you’ve missed the heart of the Law.
He also criticized them for tithing the smallest spices while neglecting justice, mercy, and love (11:42). They had the details down — they knew how much mint was in their spice rack — but they missed the heart of the Law.
Then there’s my favorite moment: when Jesus asked, “Do you untie your donkey on the Sabbath?” (13:15) It was a cheeky remark, but it made his point clear: just quoting Scripture doesn’t mean you understand it. You can’t just go through the motions; you have to truly grasp the meaning behind the Law.
So, when Satan quotes Scripture to Jesus during the temptation in the wilderness, Jesus isn’t fazed. He doesn’t get distracted or thrown off course. He knows that just quoting the Scripture doesn’t mean you understand it.
Jesus Knows: You Can’t Ignore Context to Understand Scripture
In the temptation story, Jesus is hearing Satan quote Scripture to him. Satan quotes Psalm 91, and it’s important to note that this may be Jesus' favorite book because he quotes the Psalms more than any other book in the Old Testament. So, what does Satan quote from Psalm 91? Here’s what he says: “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:11-12).
Satan quotes it fairly correctly, but what does the rest of Psalm 91 say? What is this Psalm really about? Is this passage really about jumping off buildings and being caught by angels? If you only read verses 11-12, you might think that God wants you to take dangerous risks and rely on angels to catch you when you fall. But, of course, that’s not the whole story.
What else does Psalm 91 say?
It begins by talking about the person who “dwells in the shelter of the Most High” and “abides in the shadow of the Almighty.” It speaks of trust, refuge, and deliverance from dangers. This Psalm is about trusting God through life's ordinary, everyday perils.
“For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings, you will find refuge” (Psalm 91:3-4).
It’s about protection, not from absurd or reckless stunts, but from the everyday dangers we all face. You don’t have to jump off a building to face danger. Life is full of its perils—the terror of the night, the arrow that flies by day, the pestilence that stalks in darkness. These are the ordinary fears and dangers of life that come whether we’re looking for them or not.
This Psalm is about trusting God during these times. It’s not about being a daredevil or tempting God by putting ourselves in harm’s way. It’s not about jumping off buildings or doing foolish things to prove something. It’s about recognizing that God is already aware of the dangers we face and that we can trust him to be with us through it all.
Jesus Knows: Satan is Exactly Who We Need Protection From
If you read Psalm 91 carefully, you’ll notice something else important—Jesus knows that Satan is precisely the kind of person we need protection from.
The verse I quoted earlier says, “He will protect you from the fowler.” A fowler is a person who sets traps for birds. He lays a snare, and when the bird steps in, he quickly grabs it and yanks it out. It’s a metaphor for people with bad intent. There are people who wish you harm—people who set traps to catch you, hurt you, or bring you down. Psalm 91 says that God is already watching out for you when you face people like that. He’s seen it first, and he’s ready to protect you.
But the protection goes beyond just human threats.
The following verses say:
“He will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands, they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent, you will trample underfoot." (Psalm 91:11-13)
If you will allow a little liberty in my interpretation here, I would point out that there is a supernatural irony to the message Satan quotes (or rather the part he does not quote). There are snakes in the grass, just as there was once a serpent in the Garden. There are supernatural forces working against you. God is promising protection not just from the harm we can see but also from the evil that lurks beyond the veil.
And not only will God protect you from these forces, he promises to crush them. This is the language of the first-ever gospel promise:
“The Lord said to the serpent, because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and all beasts of the field. On your belly, you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring and hers. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:14-15)
From the very beginning, God knew there would be snakes in the grass. He knew there would be evil working against his people. But he promised that the seed of the woman — Jesus — would crush the serpent’s head.
Fast forward to the moment in the Temple, and the snake is at work again. Satan, in all his deception, is trying to get Jesus to doubt God’s protection. But Jesus knows that the real threat here is Satan, the serpent—the very one God promised to defeat.
So when Satan tempts Jesus, trying to manipulate Scripture and push Jesus to prove himself, Jesus responds with perfect clarity. Jesus doesn’t have to prove anything to Satan. Jesus came to crush the serpent’s head—and that’s exactly what he would do.
Jesus Knows: Trusting God is Not the Same as Testing God
In response to Satan’s temptation, Jesus says, “It is said, you shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
The Christian life is not about doing foolish things and hoping that God will rescue us. It’s about knowing that in the unexpected perils of everyday life, God has already worked to rescue us. He’s already on the move, already marching ahead. He saw the dangers coming before we did, and even when we’re unaware of the risks, he is at work.
The idea of not testing God comes from the Old Testament, specifically the story of the Exodus. When God freed the Israelites from Egypt, they traveled through the wilderness and became thirsty. Instead of trusting that God would provide, they put God to the test. They demanded that Moses give them water, challenging God’s faithfulness and provision.
Moses, in response, says, “Do not put God to the test.” What does this mean? It’s not that God couldn’t have brought water from a rock; indeed, he did. But the point is deeper. It’s about trusting that the same God who defeated Pharaoh and delivered them from slavery wouldn’t forget their needs. The God who had already brought them this far would not abandon them now.
We trust in God’s ability to know what we need, even when we don’t fully understand or see the way ahead. Trusting God is not about demanding signs or creating situations where we expect him to prove himself. It's about relying on his wisdom and care, knowing he is already working, and that his timing and provision are perfect.
Jesus Knows: His Greatest Challenge Was Not Jumping Off the Temple
Above all else, Jesus knew that he had to face something far worse than a trust fall from the Temple's pinnacle.
Jesus truly trusted in God. He wholeheartedly believed Psalm 91. He believed that angels would bear Him up. As He stood on the pinnacle of the Temple, surrounded by the grandeur of the structure, He could see much more than just the view of the valley below or the Temple itself.
From that high point, Jesus could also see the hill called Golgotha— the place where criminals would be crucified. The temptation before him was not about testing God by jumping from the temple. It was about what he knew he would soon have to face: leaving the city and being led to his death on a cross. It was a destination he dreaded, yet it was something he could face and had already prepared for.
From the Temple, He could also see the Garden of Gethsemane, where, in the near future, He would pray to God in anguish: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me.” Jesus wasn’t doubting God's ability—he knew that God could do anything. As he says in Matthew’s Gospel, he could have called upon a legion of angels for help. Jesus knew that God was able. But he didn’t pray, “God, if You are able…” He prayed, “If You are willing, remove this cup from Me.” Even then, he surrendered: “Not My will, but Yours be done.”
The beautiful irony is this: while angels did not save Jesus from the cross, they certainly helped him endure it. As He wrestled in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, “an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him.” These angels, promised in Psalm 91, were with him— not to save him from the cross, but to give him the strength to endure it.
Jesus would face his greatest challenge. He would trust in his Father, He would die, and then, on the Sunday morning that followed, he would rise victorious over all adversaries.
Dr. Benjamin Williams is the Senior Minister at the Central Church of Christ in Ada, Oklahoma and a regular writer at So We Speak. Check out his books The Faith of John’s Gospel and Why We Stayed or follow him on Twitter, @Benpreachin.
