The Struggle of Temptation: ‘Christ in the Wilderness’

Reaching Within: What traditional art offers the heart

A detail from “Christ in the Wilderness” (Christ in the Desert),” 1872, by Ivan Kramskoi. Oil on Canvas, 72 inches by 84 inches. Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia. Public Domain

Every year, millions of people celebrate Easter as the day commemorating the resurrection of Jesus three days after he was crucified and buried.

Instead of looking at the horror of Jesus on the cross, though, I would like to remember a moment from the life of Jesus, one that both reveals his humanness and exemplifies the Christ-like attributes worthy of embodying. This is only my limited interpretation of a very complex subject.

The Temptation of Christ

As the story goes, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist before going into the Judaean Desert to fast for 40 days and 40 nights. During his fast, Jesus becomes hungry and is met by Satan who tempts him three times.