Jesus did not commit Himself to them; “He looked for genuine conversion, not enthusiasm for the spectacular.” (Morris 207)

Compare this chapter with the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.  Lloyd states, “(i) He will not turn stones into bread to satisfy His own hunger; but He turns water into wine to meet the needs of others.  (ii) He will not leap from the pinnacle of the Temple in order to capture the popular imagination; but He does the unpopular thing of cleansing the Temple.  (iii) He will not fall down and worship Satan in order to gain worldly power; but insists upon the need of individual conversion.” (qt’d in Morris 207)

As we follow Him, we should try, with His help, to be more like Him.