THE
TEMPTATION
OF
CHRIST.
AFTER
the
baptism
of
Jesus
in
Jordan,
he
was
.
led
by
the
Spirit
into
the
wilderness,
to
be
tempt-
ed
of
the
devih
When
he
had
come
up
out
of
the
water,
he
bowed
upon
Jordan’s
banks,
and
.
plead
with
the
great
Eternal
for
strength
to
en-
dure
the
conflict
with
the
fallen
foe.
The
open-
ing
of
the
heavens
and
the
descent
of
the
excel-
lent
glory
attested
his
divine
character.
The
voice
from
the
Father
declared
the
close
rela-
tion
of
Christ
to
his
Infinite
Majesty:
“This
is
my
beloved
Son,
in
whom
I
am
well
pleased.”
The
mission
of
Christ
was
soon
to
begin.
But
he
must
first
withdraw
from
the
busy
scenes
of
life
to
a
desolate
wilderness
for
the
express
pur-
pose
of
bearing
the
three-fold
test
of
temptation
in
behalf
of
those
he
had
come
to
redeem.
Satan,
who
was
once
an
honored
angel
in
Heaven,
had
been
ambitious
for
the
more
ex-
alted
honors
which
God
had
bestowed
upon
his
Son.
He
became
envious
of
Christ,
and
repre-
sented
to
the
angels,
who
honored
him
as
covering
cherub,
that
he
had
not
the
honor
conferred
upon
him
which
his
position
demanded.
He
asserted
that
he
should
be
exalted
equal
in
honor
with
~
Christ.
Satan
obtained
sympathizers.
Angels
in
Heaven
joined
him
in
his
rebellion,
and
fell
with