The Temptation of Christ (3)
Part one of this article argued that the humanity of Jesus neither sinned, nor was susceptible to sin. The second part attempted to establish that a redeemer who was susceptible to sin was neither desirable nor necessary. This third section explores the temptation of Jesus as found in the gospels and hopefully will confirm and expand some points already made.
Matt 4:1-11; Mark 1:12; Luke 4:1-13
The temptation is recorded in the synoptic gospels but not in John. Older writers said it was absent from John because John’s concerns were with the divinity of Jesus. This still seems a plausible explanation.
The temptation comes hard on the heels of Jesus’ baptism. It was the point when he publicly embarked on his messianic mission. Heaven had sealed its approval with the voice from heaven and the descending of the Spirit. All this was a kind of ‘spiritual high’. It is not surprising that it is followed by a period of intense testing, spiritual highs often are. Elijah’s deepest test was not Carmel but the aftermath, Horeb. Elijah failed miserably. He was not the last to stumble after a deep spiritual experience, nor the first. Many of us can identify with his failure. Jesus, however, did not fail, on the contrary, The Tempter did.
The temptation, as we shall further see, is undoubtedly a role model for all Christians. However, its significance goes much deeper.
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About John
Hi there - I am a member of Greenview and have been for over 20 years. For a number of these years I functioned as an elder, however, indifferent health forced me to take more of a back seat. I see this as an opportunity to do a little writing, often focussing on issues that are a matter of evangelical debate today. Naturally the views expressed are my own and may not reflect the views of the elders or church at large, though differences are likely to be in the detail and not the substance.
These articles and sermons were written partly to clarify my own thoughts and partly with the intention of provoking thought in others who may read them. If you read one I hope you find it stimulating. Please feel free to give me feedback or discuss my articles in the forums.
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