Questions Answered – November 2025

How Did Jesus Experience Temptation? 

Question One: Dear Father Cush, what is the Catholic Church’s understanding of the Temptations of Jesus in the Desert? If Jesus is sinless, how is he tempted?

Answer: The Temptations of Jesus in the Desert (found in Matthew 4:1–11, Mark 1:12–13, and Luke 4:1–13) are a significant event in the life of Christ and hold rich theological meaning in the context of Catholic Christology and Soteriology. The Catholic Church understands these temptations as a profound mystery that reveals both the humanity and divinity of Jesus, as well as His role as the new Adam, the Savior who overcomes sin and temptation on behalf of humanity. The question arises: How can Jesus, being sinless, be tempted?

The Temptations of Jesus occurred after His baptism in the Jordan River, when He was led into the desert by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:1). These temptations are presented as a test of His identity and mission.

In Matthew 4:1–11, we read: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’” This passage recounts the three specific temptations of Jesus: to turn stones into bread (temptation of physical desire), to throw Himself from the pinnacle of the temple (temptation of pride and testing God), and to worship Satan in exchange for the kingdoms of the world (temptation of power and glory). The Gospels stress that these temptations were real and not merely symbolic or illusory. Jesus is fully human, and these temptations mirror the challenges faced by all humans but are resisted perfectly by Christ.

The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus is sinless, completely without sin, and that He is the perfect man. His sinlessness is a matter of divine revelation and doctrinal certainty. The temptation of Jesus does not imply that He had any inclination to sin but rather that He experienced the full reality of temptation — just as we do — without yielding to it. We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), 538: “The Gospels speak of a mysterious and paradoxical event: the one who is the Son of God is ‘led by the Spirit’ into the desert, where he is tempted by the devil. By the action of the Holy Spirit, Jesus does not sin, but is truly tempted. The temptations show that Jesus is the New Adam, who faces and conquers the tempter, unlike the first Adam.”

In this way, Jesus’ temptations are a test of His humanity, showing His complete obedience to the Father. The temptations highlight His free will and demonstrate that He freely chose to remain faithful to God, despite the allure of sin.

Saint Thomas Aquinas offers a profound theological explanation of the temptations of Christ in his Summa theologiae. Aquinas addresses the nature of temptation and why it is possible for Jesus to be tempted. In Summa theologiae, III, Q. 41, A. 1, Aquinas writes that temptation is the “enticement to sin” and that it involves the will being drawn towards something contrary to God’s law. For Jesus, as the perfect man, temptation was real, but He was not susceptible to sin because His divine nature ensured that He would never consent to sin.

Furthermore, in Summa theologiae, III, Q. 41, A. 1 (Reply to Objection 1), Saint Thomas states: “Christ was tempted in all things, but He was without sin, because the power of His divinity sustained His human nature, and He did not give in to the temptation.” Aquinas explains that Jesus’ temptations were a test of His free will and His obedience to the Father. Christ’s human nature was subjected to the same temptations that humans face, but His divinity ensured He remained without sin. The temptations serve to affirm His perfect obedience in the face of trials.

The temptations demonstrate that Jesus, as the New Adam, comes to undo the work of the first Adam. Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation in the Garden of Eden and introduced sin into the world. Jesus, however, resists the temptations in the desert and, through His obedience, prepares to offer the salvation of humanity through His death and resurrection. Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Romans 5:19 reads: “For as by one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” Jesus’ obedience is central to the salvation He brings. His temptations, and His victory over them, underscore His role as the Savior who perfectly fulfills what humanity could not.

In the early Church Fathers and Sacred Tradition, the temptations of Christ are understood as a necessary event in the spiritual journey of the Christian life. The Church Fathers saw these temptations as prefiguring the spiritual battle that all Christians face and the victory Christ won over sin and death. Pope Saint Leo the Great (5th century) wrote: “By His victory over the devil, Christ is the supreme model of victory for Christians in all their trials and temptations.”

In more recent times, the Magisterium has reaffirmed the importance of the Temptations as part of the Paschal Mystery. They remind the faithful that Christ was not exempt from struggle, yet He triumphed perfectly. Pope Saint John Paul II, in his encyclical Redemptor Hominis (1979), emphasized that Christ’s temptation in the desert is a part of the redemptive process: “In the face of temptations, Christ reveals that He is the One who conquers evil, even as He shares in the human struggle.”

The Temptations of Jesus have profound theological implications. They demonstrate that Jesus is truly human and subject to the same tests as humanity. However, He remains sinless, showing us the possibility of victory over temptation through dependence on God. The Epistle to the Hebrews 4:15 states: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” This verse encapsulates the pastoral meaning of the Temptations: Jesus understands our struggles because He faced them Himself but never succumbed to sin. His victory over temptation offers hope for humanity.

The Temptations of Jesus in the desert reveal Christ’s humanity and sinlessness. Though He was tempted, He did not sin. The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus, as both true God and true man, fully experienced temptation as a test of His human free will but was sustained by His divine nature and obedience to the Father. This mystery shows that Jesus overcame temptation and in doing so, won the victory over sin and death for humanity. His victory offers us a model for how to face temptation with faith and reliance on God.

Anointing of the Sick: Healing for Body and Spirit

Question Two: In the sacramental theology of the Catholic Church, why does the sacrament of anointing of the sick also involve the forgiveness of sins?

Answer: In Catholic sacramental theology, the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is closely tied to both physical healing and spiritual healing, particularly the forgiveness of sins. This sacrament, rooted in Sacred Scripture and deeply integrated into the Church’s Sacred Tradition, reveals that God’s mercy and grace extend not only to physical ailments but also to spiritual infirmities, such as sin. The forgiveness of sins within the context of Anointing of the Sick is deeply significant in Catholic theology, and the Church teaches that it provides a path for spiritual renewal and reconciliation with God.

The forgiveness of sins in the context of Anointing of the Sick is explicitly tied to the healing mission of Jesus and the apostolic ministry. In Sacred Scripture, healing and forgiveness are frequently presented together, as both are signs of God’s mercy and the coming of the Kingdom of God. We read in Mark 2:5–12:

“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ‘Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, ‘Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ — he said to the paralytic — ’I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.’”

In this passage, we see that forgiveness and physical healing are intimately connected in Jesus’ ministry. The forgiveness of sins is prioritized over physical healing, though both are necessary and part of Jesus’ redemptive mission.

The Epistle of James 5:14–15 provides the biblical foundation for the sacrament. In it, we read:

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

Here, we see that the Anointing of the Sick involves forgiveness of sins. The passage clearly states that the sacrament not only brings physical healing but also provides the possibility of forgiveness for those who may have committed sins, underscoring the holistic nature of the sacrament.

Saint Thomas Aquinas provides a theological explanation of why forgiveness of sins is included in the Anointing of the Sick in his Summa theologiae. Aquinas teaches that the sacrament is meant to address the spiritual needs of the sick person, in addition to the physical needs. In Summa theologiae, III, Q. 73, A. 5, Thomas writes:

“The Anointing of the Sick is fittingly directed to the forgiveness of sins, because bodily sickness is sometimes a consequence of sin, and the sacrament of the anointing is ordered to cure both body and soul. It is particularly fitting for the sick person to receive the sacrament as a means of healing both the spiritual effects of sin and the bodily consequences of sin.”

Aquinas recognizes that sin and sickness can be linked in the human experience. Sickness is sometimes the result of sin, either through personal actions or as a part of the human condition after the Fall. The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick thus addresses both the physical and spiritual dimensions of the person, providing forgiveness as part of the holistic healing that the sacrament offers. Aquinas further asserts that this sacrament not only provides healing for the body but also for the soul, as a way of restoring the person to full communion with God, particularly if the person is in a state of mortal sin.

The Magisterium of the Catholic Church, especially through the Second Vatican Council, has emphasized the connection between the physical and spiritual aspects of the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. Lumen Gentium, 11 (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church) states:

“The Church believes that Christ is present in the sacraments and that each of these sacraments represents a means by which Christ brings grace and healing to His people. In particular, the Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of healing both for body and soul.”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1520, states:

“The Anointing of the Sick is not only a sacrament of healing for the body, but also one that involves the forgiveness of sins, especially for those who are spiritually in need of reconciliation with God. When the sick person receives the sacrament, both body and soul are addressed, and the person is restored to spiritual health, especially if there is any unconfessed sin.”

The Catechism explains that the Church’s understanding of Anointing emphasizes the healing of both the physical and spiritual dimensions. The Church teaches that the sacrament provides the possibility of forgiveness for sins, particularly for the sick person who is unable to receive the sacrament of Confession due to their illness.

In the liturgical texts surrounding the Anointing of the Sick, we see clear references to the forgiveness of sins. In the official liturgical Rite of Anointing, the prayer of absolution is part of the sacrament if the sick person is unable to confess their sins verbally. The priest prays: “Through this holy anointing, may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up.”

This prayer invokes God’s mercy and emphasizes healing of both body and soul, affirming that the forgiveness of sins is an essential component of the sacrament.

The inclusion of the forgiveness of sins in the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick serves several purposes because the sacrament addresses not only the body but also the soul. Sickness and suffering can lead people to confront their mortality and the state of their soul. Forgiveness of sins allows the individual to be spiritually healed, especially if they are unable to receive the sacrament of Reconciliation. And, because this sacrament involves the forgiveness of sins, only a bishop or priest may offer it, not a deacon.

As seen in the Gospels, Jesus’ healing miracles often involved both physical healing and spiritual forgiveness (e.g., the healing of the paralytic in Mark 2). By including the forgiveness of sins in the sacrament, the Church reflects Christ’s own ministry of healing. The Church sees humans as both body and soul, and thus the sacraments are designed to heal both. The Anointing of the Sick is a powerful expression of God’s grace that touches the total person, not just their physical suffering.