The devil would have Jesus become his son. Enticing Jesus to give up His identity as “Son of God” to trade it in on becoming “Son of Devil”. With each temptation, Jesus shows Himself to be true to His identity as Son of God, resisting the devil’s attempt to have Jesus use His power to prove Himself. As hungry as he is for something to eat, Jesus withstands the devil’s onslaught.
Belonging to Christ, temptations are a certainty. The hunger of the Son of God for saving, teaching, driving out demons and other healings will not be relinquished. In this Gospel of Luke, Jesus’ first healing is the driving out of a man possessed by an unclean spirit. What healing powers do we possess that lie dormant within us? Better to offer a thermos of hot tea or coffee to one who is homeless and have a chat with him or her rather than hold back in fear of the encounter. If we entrust ourselves to loving in another’s desert landscape, is this not something merciful and a way of confronting of our own temptations?