很多人常常問我一個問題：基督徒所面對最大的試探是甚麼？我一般的回答是：逃避走上十字架道路的試探。這是我們的主耶穌基督在世時不斷要面對的試探，也是我們常常要面對的試探：
既是主人走過的路
僕人難道不應追隨？

耶穌在世的生命有兩段十分突出的時期，在這期間祂受到很大的試探，那就是祂被引誘採取一種不同的方式來面對世界的哀傷和罪惡。其中一段時期是曠野的試探，另一段時期是希臘人的到訪。我們以前已經看過第二個試探，在結束這話題前讓我們簡單的把這件事再回顧一下，不過未來幾天我們會先聚焦在曠野所受到的試探上。

主耶穌在約但河受洗以後，聖靈把祂帶到曠野去接受魔鬼的試探（或考驗）。祂離開人群目的是要預備自己面對捨命救贖的苦難。可以說，耶穌一進入曠野，試探便開始了。甚麼試探？就是試驗祂能否完成使命，看看這一位身為神的兒子的耶穌，是否也可以成為人子。因為成為人子表示祂會背負人的兒子的所有罪孽。耶穌在這個問題上從沒有動搖。神的兒子樂意接受成為人子所需要面對的一切，好讓人的眾子都可以成為神的眾子。

I am often asked the question: What is the greatest temptation a Christian faces? My reply is usually this: the temptation to avoid the way of the cross. It was temptation that constantly faced our Lord Jesus Christ, and it is one that constantly faces us:

It is the way the Master went.
Should not the servant tread it still?

There were two outstanding periods in Jesus' life when He was greatly tempted to face the sorrow and sin of the world in some way other than the one He took. One such time was the temptation in the desert, and the other was at the coming of the Greeks. As we have already looked at the latter incident - and will briefly examine it once more before we conclude - we shall focus our thinking over the next few days on our Lord's temptation in the desert.

Following His baptism in the River Jordan, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted (or tested) by the devil. He got away from humanity in order to prepare Himself for the ordeal of giving Himself to humanity. In a sense, the temptation began as soon as He entered the desert. What temptation? The testing of His purposes to see whether, being the Son of God, He would also be the Son of Man. For to be the Son of Man would mean that He would take upon Himself all that falls on the sons of men. Yet on that issue, He never wavered. The Son of God willingly accepted all that was involved in becoming the Son of Man, so that the sons of men might become the sons of God.