The Temptations of Jesus

Jeffrey · #1 05-29-2010, 11:52 PM

Some thoughts I had written recently after reading some writings on the Temptation of Jesus. The authors include Kierkegaard, Yancey, Milton, etc... thought I'd share with you all and allow some interaction.

What is the significance of the temptations of Jesus?

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The Temptation seems to be a reenactment of the story in the Garden. Adam and Eve with the serpent, now Jesus alone with the same Tempter. Where Adam & Eve fell, Jesus wins -- but not in the way we would think it correct.

There does not seem to be evil in Satan's requests. They were qualities expected in the Messiah.

The Temptation unmasked Satan more while Jesus remained masked. "If you are God, act like him. Dazzle them! Show them something!" But Jesus didn't. It reminds me of Pilate at the trial, asking him to defend himself. Say something against the charges. But nothing but restraint. As Yancey added, it was like his rebuke to Peter and his enduring of the taunts of the thieves on the cross: accept an easier way. Prove yourself, save yourself. But to save us, he couldn't save himself.

Satan tempted Jesus with the good parts of being human without the bad. Wear a crown but not a cross. This is our temptation today.

People's Messiah -- giving bread.
Torah Messiah -- standing tall at pinnacle of Temple
Kingdom Messiah -- ruling and having dominion over entire world

Jesus could have been the Messiah we think we want. Anything but a Suffering Messiah!

Three elements used by Satan in the temptations: Miracle, Mystery, Authority

Make it easier for people. Impose on their freedom if it makes it easier for their salvation. Compel belief. But Kingdom is not top-down, it is bottom-up.
God made himself weak for one purpose: to let human being choose freely for themselves what to do with him.

"Omnipotence which can lay its hand so heavily upon the world can also make its touch so light that the creature receives independence." Kierkegaard
Yancey: Faith suffers from too much independence. Jesus resisted temptation for a slower, gentler way.

"Miracle of restraint." Power can force obedience, only love can summon a response of love, which is the one thing God wants from us and the reason he created us.

Sam · #2 05-30-2010, 12:11 AM

Or
as our first parents were tempted by

lust of the flesh (fruit was good for food)
lust of the eye (fruit was pleasant to the eye)
pride of life (fruit was desired to make one wise)

Jesus was tempted by
lust of the flesh (hungry for food)
lust of the eye (saw the kingdoms of the world and their glory)
pride of life (show off God's protective power and float down from the Temple unharmed)

Jeffrey · #3 05-30-2010, 12:17 AM

I see the entire issue summed up by "do we believe?" and if we believe, do we trust Him?

This is what lies behind every sin. Every issue of sin, at the heart, is an issue of unbelief.

Jeffrey · #4 05-30-2010, 12:18 AM

I don't think Adam & Eve were just tempted by good food (though I know I am sometimes)! The issue was one of trust. They allowed the serpent to cause them, even for a moment, to not believe God.

Jeffrey · #5 05-30-2010, 11:29 PM

Boy that was a hot thread ROFLOL

noeticknight · #6 05-30-2010, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

But Kingdom is not top-down, it is bottom-up.
God made himself weak for one purpose: to let human being choose freely for themselves what to do with him...Power can force obedience, only love can summon a response of love, which is the one thing God wants from us and the reason he created us.

Well stated. I had to read this particular part over again.

Jason B · #7 05-30-2010, 11:41 PM

Jeffery, I appreciate our thoughts on the forum, I'm just not in your league.

mfblume · #8 05-31-2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

The Temptation unmasked Satan more while Jesus remained masked. "If you are God, act like him. Dazzle them! Show them something!"

I do not believe that was the temptation. It was IF YOU ARE SON OF GOD AND GOD IS TAKING CARE OF YOU, then prove it to yourself. He was tempting Christ's humanity. And the beauty of this is that we can relate to that. We're human. Jesus showed us that as MAN, He refused to tempt God, worship anyone other than God, and test God's care.

Jeffrey · #9 05-31-2010, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mfblume

I do not believe that was the temptation. It was IF YOU ARE SON OF GOD AND GOD IS TAKING CARE OF YOU, then prove it to yourself. He was tempting Christ's humanity. And the beauty of this is that we can relate to that. We're human. Jesus showed us that as MAN, He refused to tempt God, worship anyone other than God, and test God's care.

Interesting take, Mike.

The temptation, if against his humanity, was asking things of him that were simply unhuman. The fact is, the temptations were based on "if you are the Son of God," which is a divine charge, not a human charge.

To me, it's a repeat of the garden -- and I borrow Paul's "second man Adam" comparison. I see the temptation in the same storyline: trusting God.

I also like how he didn't take the easy way out. If he did, it changes everything. Some churches still operate with the "easy way out" approach. He could have showed mighty signs to everyone and compelled them to himself. But he didn't. As the Kierkegaard quote shows, he's lightness has given us independence to do with him what we will.

The echo of Satan's temptation was in Peter, the thieves on the cross, Pilate, and the mockers even at his last breath (if you are the Son of God, come down from there). He chose a cross over a crown, and it changed everything.

mfblume · #10 06-01-2010, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffrey

Interesting take, Mike.

The temptation, if against his humanity, was asking things of him that were simply unhuman. The fact is, the temptations were based on "if you are the Son of God," which is a divine charge, not a human charge.

Not really. Sons of God are people like us! We are claiming we are God's people and that we are in God's provision. When the devil tempted Jesus to turn stone into bread, he was actually tempting the Lord as A MAN to speak a command and see if The Father would back it up!

And the interesting thing about this is that Jesus directly referred to that temptation a few chapter slater and noted the CARE of the FATHER for His children, the saints, when he said this:

Mat 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Notice satan referred to Jesus as SON OF GOD. A Son's Father is God. So, Jesus is trying to show us how much the Father cares for us by having us consider our own care for our children. If WE as fathers would never give a STONE to our children when they ask for BREAD, why would God do that to us? Jesus was actually saying that if He, as GOD'S SON needed bread, He would ask for BREAD the Father would give Him BREAD. In other words, to show how Jesus really believed He was God's Son, as a MAN, He would not look for stones to turn into bread, but rather ASK THE FATHER FOR BREAD AND HAVE FAITH TO EXPECT BREAD.

This is the same with all these temptations.

The key to understanding this is to realize that the words Jesus responded with were actually words Moses gave to Israel WHEN THEY WERE IN THE WILDERNESS as Jesus was. Jesus knew that. He specifically referred to scriptures that dealt with people in the wilderness.

In other words, ISRAEL WAS TEMPTED WITH THESE THINGS just as Jesus was.

Satan was not tempting deity at all, I believe. Satan may be stupid, but he knows you cannot tempt God.

"IF THOU BE THE SON OF GOD" was a temptation to doubt His identity of SONSHIP. It's like doubting we really got saved.

AS A MAN, Jesus just fasted forty days. Had no food. And he is hungry, as God does not get hungry, and the devil tempted Him with FOOD.

Am I really good enough to be His loved one? What about this and that need? The devil emphasize unworth. And once we entertain such thoughts... we start believing a lie: "No, I am not being led by God. I am not good enough for God. I should be able to turn stone to bread or anything if I'm saved."

As our example, Jesus was showing us what to do when we are attacked like this. This first temptation is one which attacks immature believers.

When we research the reason Moses spoke the words, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God," that Jesus responded with, we find they were TEMPTED like Jesus to believe GOD ABANDONED THEM. Jesus knew what defeated the Israelites. He knew where they went wrong and he would not go wrong where they did.

Look what he quoted:
[indent]Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.[/quote]

When we research WHEN God humbled them and suffered them to hunger, we find it was here:

Exodus 16:1-3 KJV And they took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came unto the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt. (2) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: (3) And the children of Israel said unto them, Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.

Israel was made to DOUBT God was with them and caring for them!