What are the origins of lent?

Essay by matsdenA-, June 2003

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Questions on lent

What are the origins of lent?

Lent originates from the time Jesus was taken into the wilderness by the spirit. Here for 40 days and nights Jesus fasted and was tempted by the Satan. The devil tempts him with three things. The first is when a starving Jesus is desperately hungry and is told if he was the son of god he would turn the stone into bread. Jesus replied "man should not live by bread alone, but by every word which comes out Gods mouth". Jesus is also asked to jump of a high temple and trust gods angels to save him. He replies you should not tempt god. Finally he is offered many riches he declines.

These 40 days and nights are remembered as lent. It is however not all to accurate in any of its dating. This is mainly because the bible always used 40 days and nights or 40 years in the bible.

It is probably many people think to be a period which means along time. Lent is also not in the same year as the death and resurrection of Jesus, but earlier on in the life of the Messiah. Lastly the word lent simply means to lengthen like the nights do in the spring, this is why it is celebrated in spring.

How do Christians observe lent?

All over the world different churches observe lent in many different ways. Firstly a big point some churches see it as a very important time leading up to Easter. However in some churches it is seen with not much significance, and not as much linked in the with the period of Easter.

During this period lent is considered as a time when Christians reflect on their beliefs and use prayer to do this,