H
hansard
Guest
From the NIV:
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
*4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.*
Ok, it’s pretty well been established by the church and just about every theologian in the world that Jesus didn’t sin.
Doesn’t the church teach that Jesus was tempted, though? The above passage states clearly that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted”.
Therefore, he must have been tempted, even just for a fleeting moment, or the Spirit must have failed in his quest.
Looking at the first two of Satan’s “temptations” (turning stones to bread and jumping from the tower), it’s clear that they were nothing but bluster, a bit like saying, “Go on. Prove it.” Satan was probably finding out who the guy really was. Jesus, who could perform miracles at will, was probably not tempted at all. He could have conjured up bread himself and, for all we know, might have played “catch me” with the angels all the time in private moments.
(As an aside: This also seems to suggest that Satan cannot perform miracles; otherwise, he would have turned the stones to bread himself and offered it to Jesus as a clear temptation.)
The third, and really the only *actual *“temptation” (the offer of all the kingdoms in the world) was a last resort for Satan. Having failed with his first two stupid attempts, he made a promise he could not possibly fulfill, and Jesus knew it. How would Jesus have been tempted by an empty promise like this, especially knowing who was making the promise?
My point? Jesus was led by the Spirit (consider the implications of this for a moment) into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After forty days, there were only two silly demands and one ridiculous promise made. Scripture clearly gives Jesus’ short, sharp replies. He shows no sign, at least in his language, of any temptation at all.
Therefore, it seems, he was *not *tempted. That little passage is just a poorly constructed story.
Imagine if Jesus blinked, even for a second. Now that would be a story.
Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness
*4 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.*
Ok, it’s pretty well been established by the church and just about every theologian in the world that Jesus didn’t sin.
Doesn’t the church teach that Jesus was tempted, though? The above passage states clearly that “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted”.
Therefore, he must have been tempted, even just for a fleeting moment, or the Spirit must have failed in his quest.
Looking at the first two of Satan’s “temptations” (turning stones to bread and jumping from the tower), it’s clear that they were nothing but bluster, a bit like saying, “Go on. Prove it.” Satan was probably finding out who the guy really was. Jesus, who could perform miracles at will, was probably not tempted at all. He could have conjured up bread himself and, for all we know, might have played “catch me” with the angels all the time in private moments.
(As an aside: This also seems to suggest that Satan cannot perform miracles; otherwise, he would have turned the stones to bread himself and offered it to Jesus as a clear temptation.)
The third, and really the only *actual *“temptation” (the offer of all the kingdoms in the world) was a last resort for Satan. Having failed with his first two stupid attempts, he made a promise he could not possibly fulfill, and Jesus knew it. How would Jesus have been tempted by an empty promise like this, especially knowing who was making the promise?
My point? Jesus was led by the Spirit (consider the implications of this for a moment) into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After forty days, there were only two silly demands and one ridiculous promise made. Scripture clearly gives Jesus’ short, sharp replies. He shows no sign, at least in his language, of any temptation at all.
Therefore, it seems, he was *not *tempted. That little passage is just a poorly constructed story.
Imagine if Jesus blinked, even for a second. Now that would be a story.