Understanding the Temptations of Christ
The first subheading, Jesus in the wilderness, advises us that "Where did the story happen? I believe that Jesus went not into the Arabian desert beyond the Jordan, but into the Judaean wilderness much nearer home. Remember that he had just left John the Baptist, who was preaching near the Dead Sea. This was near the possibly Essene community site of Qumran, the home of the Dead Sea scrolls. In the cliffs above Qumran there were caves, which when the Qumran site was in use were sometimes, it is believed, used for community members to spend periods of prayer, fasting and silence in the solitude of the desert. They were away from the community, but not so far that no help was near. So I believe that Jesus went into one of these caves to spend his forty days of preparation there, fighting the temptations in himself so that he could combat evil in the world."
Did Jesus Christ remain inside the cave all 40 days and nights or did he stand outside the entrance sometimes or stay closely outside sometimes?
DerdriuMarriner, Jun 10, 2024