The temptation of Christ ...

[Guest]

Premises:

Jesus is God: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1 (ESV)

Jesus was tempted: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” Matthew 4:1 (ESV)

Jesus was tempted in the same way we are, yet without sin: “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.” Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)

But God cannot be tempted: “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” James 1:13 (ESV)

Questions:

How real was Jesus’ temptation?
Was it possible for Jesus to sin?
Is the tension in these statements real or imagined?

[Guest]

I believe the answer lies in Phillipians 2.

Phl 2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
Phl 2:6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
Phl 2:7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, {and} being made in the likeness of men.
Phl 2:8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.


The idea presented in this passage suggest that Jesus "EMPTIED" himself of his former position as God the Word, and became flesh for the purpose of redemption as stated in John 1 and Hebrews 2.

God the Father could never be tempted, but the Son in human form could be. But this is a position he voluntarily choose. I believe the temptations were very real, but Jesus overcame through the power of the Holy Spirit. Though I don't believe that Jesus had a "sin nature" because we don't find that taught in scripture. But we do see that Jesus was perfect from birth. Even at the age of twelve he could sit in the temple and blow the "learned men" away with his doctrine and wisdom.

Me and you have a "nature" to sin because we were unregenerate at one time. And the battle of flesh versus spirit will buffet us till we meet are maker. At least that is the way it seems to me.

[Guest]

Good questions. My Bible study group was asking these very questions. I would like to add one more to the list:

Is the temptation between one who is without sin versus one with sin any different?

I have to think no because of Adam, but was curious if anyone else had any different thoughts about that.

[Guest]

Micah, the passage in Heberws tells us Jesus was tempted in every way that we are tempted, yet refused to sin. I don't think Jesus had any special power to overcome sin since he was operating by the same Spirit that he gave to us. He just walked in the Spirit consistently and we do not, for the most part. If Jesus were not truly tempted by Satan, then it lessens the meaning of the entire event. It's not hard to overcome temptation when you can't sin. I will say, however, that once someone has become "hooked" by a particular sin, it becomes harder to break than if one never got into bondage in the first place. So in that sense, Jesus was different from us because he never got hooked. That's the only sense in which I can see Jesus having an easier time overcoming temptation than the fallen "sons of Adam." The fact that Jesus very well could have sinned but didn't gives us hope that by that same Spirit we can also overcome sin in our lives.

[Guest]

Thanks for the response JC. I sort of came to that conclusion as well, but not in such detail..Thanks.

[Guest]

Well said, JC.

"And the Word was God". Jesus was not God in the sense that He was the same divine Individual as the Father. He was God in the sense that, as the only begotten Son of God, begotten at the beginning of time, He was Deity, like His Father who was Deity.

The Son of God was born as a human being. He was a true human being, and often referred to Himself as "the son of man".

...who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of people.

I understand the divine self-emptying means that He divested Himself of all of His divine powers. He said that He could of Himself do nothing; it was the Father within Him that did the works. All of the miracles which He did, He did, not of Himself, but the Father did them through Him.

Even in His pre-incarnate state, at the beginning of time, the Father created the Universe through Him. He was totally dependant upon His Father for everything. So we, too, should be totally dependant on the Father and the Son who dwell within us, to work righteousness through us.

So Jesus, as a true human being, was tempted in all points such as we are, yet without sin. He was without sin, not because he could not sin, but because He chose not to sin in every instance in which He was tempted. Thus He showed us the way --- the "pioneer of our salvation". It is possible for us also to be delivered from sin in every instance, and to live lives or righteousness. Even if this process of salvation (or deliverance) from sin has not yet been completed in anyone who is alive today, the day will come when complete conformity to the image of Christ will be accomplished. Christ will put the finishing touches on that process when He returns. It is then that the sons of God will be manifest, those for which the whole creation is awaiting, groaning within themselves. But it will happen only for those who are going in that direction NOW.

Hebrews 3:14 For we share in Christ, if only we hold our first confidence firm to the end... RSV

[Guest]

I wanted to "raise this topic to the top" again because i was listening to Steve G's teaching on the subject today. he agrees with Paidion's view, and JC's view as well. I believe that I agree with this, too.

However, what i have trouble with is not so much the fact that jesus fought off temptation as an adult (or even age 12). my trouble is grasping the fact that he was able to "fight off" sin at age 2 or 3 or 4. We who have/had small children know what I am talking about. If what Paidion and JC say is correct, then Jesus had no "special protection" at a tender age that would keep him from being selfish, throwing a tantrum, saying "no" to his parents, etc etc etc. children are not "tempted," per se. As an adult, a person can use his mind, or should, to resist temptation. in other words, it is a battle of the will. but as a child, the "animal insticts" often prevail. children dont have the maturity to control their will; in fact much of parenting is the breaking or molding of the selfish will of their young children.

so, my question becomes: if jesus was ABLE to sin, even as a young child, what kept him from doing so? And it is not fair to say that God did, because then that is giving him a special advantage over other children his age. what possible quality, other than his divine nature, kept him 100% sinless? (please note that I believe that Jesus WAS sinless-- i am just not sure how to explain it).

One more thing: does Heb 4:15 require us to accept the idea that jesus had to be capable of sinning? could it not mean that we can have confidence that He is who he claimed to be (the son of God) because he did not succumb to temptation? even if the reason He did not succumb is because he was God? also, i don't think that that verse implies that the only way jesus can sympathize with us is because he was exactly like us on all points. why couldnt our creator know what we go through without going through it himself?

TK

[Guest]

TK,

If what Paidion and JC say is correct, then Jesus had no "special protection" at a tender age that would keep him from being selfish, throwing a tantrum, saying "no" to his parents, etc etc etc.

How do we know Jesus never did these things as a child? Off the top of my head, I can't think of any scripture to suggest that. It might be possible that God doesn't consider those things "sin" from a developing child doing them in ignorance. What Paul says in Romans comes to my mind:

Rom 7:9-10
9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.
NKJV

In Paul, the revelation of right and wrong brought death because he chose sin (as we all do). But in Jesus, perhaps that same revelation did not bring death because He chose righteousness.

Who knows at what age or level of understanding that God begins to hold someone accountable for sinful behavior? The bible is not clear on that.

So it might be possible that Jesus behaved as a normal child (with all the challenges therein) but as He learned about good and evil, He always chose the good. It says in Luke:

Luke 2:52
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
NKJV

I wonder how the Son of God "increases" in favor with God.

Just musing here. Don't stone me.

[Guest]

hi christopher--

no stones here-- i live in a glass house-- well, it has windows anyways.

you said exactly what my wife said-- that maybe God doesnt consider a child's sassing and disobedience and selfishness etc as sin. she will be thrilled that someone agreed with her because she assured me that they would! the problem i see with this, though, is that this seems to create a rather slippery slope. my post said age "2, 3 or 4". maybe that's a little young-- let's raise it to 5, 6 or 7. there is no way that anyone will convince me that a 5 year old is incapable of blatant sin. in other words, i believe that the "sin nature" is in full force by this age. in regard to younger ages of 3 or 4, i still believe that it is the "sin nature" that causes tantrums, selfishness, etc. in other words, if adam and eve had not sinned, i believe that cain and abel would have been, well, perfect little angels.

I guess we could conclude, because Jesus was born of a virgin, that He did not have a sin nature. but if that is true, did this not give him an advantage over the rest of us, who in fact do have a sin nature? did Jesus have a sin nature?

by the way, i am still leaning toward the "jesus could have sinned" side but the above questions have not yet been satisfactorily answered for me.

Thx! TK

[Guest]

Christopher,

I agree, I had been thinking essentially the same thing. Jesus couldn't sin before the point He became accountable for His actions. The idea that He could never possibly sin has long puzzled me. If true, how could He be an example for us?