Did Jesus ever use divine power for His own benefit?

[Ascetic X]

Your automatic, knee jerk reaction may be to shout NO!

But think about it.

I think this topic is similar to how most preachers keep repeating. “Jesus spoke about hell more than He spoke about heaven”.

Once a popular pastor makes some riveting remark, all the other Christian leaders pick up on it and echo it, without checking it out.

According to Strong’s Concordance, there are 104 references to heaven associated with Jesus, but only 28 references to hell.

Back to how Jesus operated His divine power, while abandoning many of His celestial privileges, to identify with ordinary humans.

Jesus used His divine power for His own benefit when He walked on water, told Nathanael that He saw him under a fig tree, entered a locked room without opening the door, calmed the storm, vanished when done talking with two disciples He met on the road to Emmaus, passed through the midst of the mob that wanted to throw Him down a cliff.

There are also other times when Jesus mysteriously evaded enemies.

In John 8:59, after claiming, "Before Abraham was born, I am," the Pharisees picked up stones to kill him for blasphemy, but Jesus hid himself and left the temple.

 

[Ascetic X]

When Jesus walked on the water, He also performed another miracle that benefited Him and His disciples.

They had spent roughly 9 hours fighting the headwind and were stuck in the dead Center of the lake. At minimum they still had 4 hrs yet to go.

They were exhausted and still miles from safety. The exact moment Jesus stepped into the vessel, God bypassed time and physical distance entirely.

Instead of spending the rest of the morning rowing to shore, the boat was instantly docked at Capernaum.

The Gospel accounts show a double miracle took place on the water that night: Jesus stilled the violent weather, and He instantly transported the disciples to their final destination.

Note that with no storm, normal time to cross from the middle of the lake to Capernaum would be about 5-8 hours.

 

[Deacon]

In other words, you're asking, 'Was Jesus ever selfish?'

As God incarnate, everything Jesus did revealed something about God.
He is the very image of the invisible God (Col 1:15).

Rob

 

[Armchair Apologist]

Your automatic, knee jerk reaction may be to shout NO!

But think about it.

I think this topic is similar to how most preachers keep repeating. “Jesus spoke about hell more than He spoke about heaven”.

Once a popular pastor makes some riveting remark, all the other Christian leaders pick up on it and echo it, without checking it out.

According to Strong’s Concordance, there are 104 references to heaven associated with Jesus, but only 28 references to hell.

Back to how Jesus operated His divine power, while abandoning many of His celestial privileges, to identify with ordinary humans.

Jesus used His divine power for His own benefit when He walked on water, told Nathanael that He saw him under a fig tree, entered a locked room without opening the door, calmed the storm, vanished when done talking with two disciples He met on the road to Emmaus, passed through the midst of the mob that wanted to throw Him down a cliff.

There are also other times when Jesus mysteriously evaded enemies.

In John 8:59, after claiming, "Before Abraham was born, I am," the Pharisees picked up stones to kill him for blasphemy, but Jesus hid himself and left the temple.

One thing that really strikes me regarding Jesus's earthly ministry was the impact he made on his disciples concerning his PRAYER LIFE! They were not saying "Lord, teach us to walk on water," or "Lord, teach us to heal and raise the dead!" What we do see is where his disciples ask "Lord, teach us to pray!" If I were to continue my education and go for my PhD, I think I would do quite well if I did my doctoral dissertation on this!

Many things we can examine here. First of all, we reject the idea of "Kenosis" but it seems quite clear that Christ operated mostly from the standpoint of humanity than his deity. Jesus is "Truly Man and Truly God" and these two natures are distinct from each other yet inseparable. I believe that in Jesus's humanity, he had the ability to sin but in his deity, he did not and this is where we read that he was "tempted in all manner such as we, yet without sin" and he needed to be tempted as a man, he needed to fulfil the law as a man so that he could die as a man and as the "Second Adam," be the propitiation for the sins of the world.

I am not sure how to fully explain this but Jesus walked in his humanity and as a man, he was COMPLETELY DEPENDENT on the Father! I believe this was where the disciples saw Jesus's vibrant prayer life and the relationship he had with the Father! This is where we really need to "let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus!"

I would therefore say "NO" as emphatically as I possibly could! Where there instances in which Jesus operated in the supernatural? Of course he did, pretty much every time he performed a miracle, healed the sick, or raised the dead! Did Jesus do anything that his disciples didn't do after his resurrection during the apostolic era? How did the apostles perform many of the same miracles as Jesus had done during his earthly ministry? I would say that they were completely dependent upon the power of God just as Jesus was completely dependent upon the power and will of the Father!

Now after the resurrection, I believe all bets were off and Jesus then walked through walls at will and appeared wherever he desired!

My thoughts FWIW

 

[Ascetic X]

One thing that really strikes me regarding Jesus's earthly ministry was the impact he made on his disciples concerning his PRAYER LIFE! They were not saying "Lord, teach us to walk on water," or "Lord, teach us to heal and raise the dead!" What we do see is where his disciples ask "Lord, teach us to pray!" If I were to continue my education and go for my PhD, I think I would do quite well if I did my doctoral dissertation on this!

Many things we can examine here. First of all, we reject the idea of "Kenosis" but it seems quite clear that Christ operated mostly from the standpoint of humanity than his deity. Jesus is "Truly Man and Truly God" and these two natures are distinct from each other yet inseparable. I believe that in Jesus's humanity, he had the ability to sin but in his deity, he did not and this is where we read that he was "tempted in all manner such as we, yet without sin" and he needed to be tempted as a man, he needed to fulfil the law as a man so that he could die as a man and as the "Second Adam," be the propitiation for the sins of the world.

I am not sure how to fully explain this but Jesus walked in his humanity and as a man, he was COMPLETELY DEPENDENT on the Father! I believe this was where the disciples saw Jesus's vibrant prayer life and the relationship he had with the Father! This is where we really need to "let this mind be in you which is also in Christ Jesus!"

I would therefore say "NO" as emphatically as I possibly could! Where there instances in which Jesus operated in the supernatural? Of course he did, pretty much every time he performed a miracle, healed the sick, or raised the dead! Did Jesus do anything that his disciples didn't do after his resurrection during the apostolic era? How did the apostles perform many of the same miracles as Jesus had done during his earthly ministry? I would say that they were completely dependent upon the power of God just as Jesus was completely dependent upon the power and will of the Father!

Now after the resurrection, I believe all bets were off and Jesus then walked through walls at will and appeared wherever he desired!

My thoughts FWIW

But you slid past the times when Jesus manifested supernatural powers to benefit Himself.

He was on a mission. There wasn’t nothing wrong or selfish about Jesus doing things to escape mobs, pass through walls of locked rooms, walk on water, or make a boat instantly arrive at Capernaum.

Why do people think using power to benefit yourself is somehow bad?

 

[Ascetic X]

In other words, you're asking, 'Was Jesus ever selfish?'

As God incarnate, everything Jesus did revealed something about God.
He is the very image of the invisible God (Col 1:15).

Rob

No, that is not my question. Doing things that benefit yourself is not being selfish.

Have you never done anything in your life that was of benefit to you? I hope you did not feel guilty about it.

Eat a meal, exercise, attend college, go to the dentist, buy new clothes, get an haircut, etc.?

 

[Armchair Apologist]

But you slid past the times when Jesus manifested supernatural powers to benefit Himself.

He was on a mission. There wasn’t nothing wrong or selfish about Jesus doing things to escape mobs, pass through walls of locked rooms, walk on water, or make a boat instantly arrive at Capernaum.

Why do people think using power to benefit yourself is somehow bad?

How did he do things to just benefit himself? Everything he did had some sort of reason or purpose including his walking on water and the other miracles. Would it have been wrong for Jesus to turn the stones to bread as the Devil suggested? Such would certainly be an action that would benefit himself! The reason why he did not was because it was not the will of the Father. I am sure that after fasting for 40 days, Jesus was hungry to the point of starvation and that Idea about the bread probably seemed like a really good idea especially since you were God and could make it happen in an instant. Perhaps the greatest aspect of Jesus's temptation was that as God, he could do anything but was required to walk in the frailty of his humanity and in order to fulfil the law for us, had to express complete dependence on the Father! Sort of like a police officer cuffing Superman and Superman resisting the temptation to just bust right out of those cuffs?

As I said, after Jesus's resurrection the law was fulfilled and redemption's plan was done! Christ could therefore be "God" to his heart's desire walking through walls and just appearing wherever he wanted!

Jesus passed right through the multitude because the Father providentially protected and delivered him because it was not yet his time! Pretty much in the very same manner that Peter was supernaturally delivered from his prison because his time was not yet come?

 

[Ascetic X]

How did he do things to just benefit himself? Everything he did had some sort of reason or purpose including his walking on water and the other miracles. Would it have been wrong for Jesus to turn the stones to bread as the Devil suggested? Such would certainly be an action that would benefit himself! The reason why he did not was because it was not the will of the Father. I am sure that after fasting for 40 days, Jesus was hungry to the point of starvation and that Idea about the bread probably seemed like a really good idea especially since you were God and could make it happen in an instant. Perhaps the greatest aspect of Jesus's temptation was that as God, he could do anything but was required to walk in the frailty of his humanity and in order to fulfil the law for us, had to express complete dependence on the Father! Sort of like a police officer cuffing Superman and Superman resisting the temptation to just bust right out of those cuffs?

As I said, after Jesus's resurrection the law was fulfilled and redemption's plan was done! Christ could therefore be "God" to his heart's desire walking through walls and just appearing wherever he wanted!

Jesus passed right through the multitude because the Father providentially protected and delivered him because it was not yet his time! Pretty much in the very same manner that Peter was supernaturally delivered from his prison because his time was not yet come?

You know why Jesus did not do what the devil suggested? Because Jesus did not want to obey the devil.

You can directly face the fact that using power to benefit yourself is not necessarily a selfish or sinful act.

Jesus did several things that benefited Him, and that’s okay.

He passed through a hostile mob that had taken Him to the edge of a cliff to throw Him down. This is a great example. He likely exercised some kind of supernatural ability, because angry crowds typically do not let their intended victim just pass on through unscathed. Did Jesus render them temporarily blind, befuddled, paralyzed, or similar?

You and I do things all the time that benefit us. Haircuts, meals, education, dentist visits, marriage, relaxation, sleep, clothes shopping.

 

[Armchair Apologist]

You know why Jesus did not do what the devil suggested? Because Jesus did not want to obey the devil.

Quite true but Jesus was at the point of starvation and was genuinely tempted.

You can directly face the fact that using power to benefit yourself is not necessarily a selfish or sinful act.

Of course not but your question was "Did Jesus ever use divine power for his own benefit?"

I guess we could ask if it were possible that one day Jesus may have waken up with a head-splitting migrane headache and instead of taking a couple of "Excedrin," he used his divine power to heal himself? If I were the Lord Jesus Christ and had the ability to do so, I certainly would've but what about that passage that says "We have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmaties?"

Jesus did several things that benefited Him, and that’s okay.

He passed through a hostile mob that had taken Him to the edge of a cliff to throw Him down. This is a great example. He likely exercised some kind of supernatural ability, because angry crowds typically do not let their intended victim just pass on through unscathed. Did Jesus render them temporarily blind, befuddled, paralyzed, or similar?

The passage says that Jesus walked through the midst of them and went about his way. This is all that has been said.

Was Peter being busted out of prison any less miraculous than Jesus being delivered by the angry crowd that wanted to throw him off the cliff?

Jesus declared "I AM HE" to the soldiers who had come to arrest him and they are all thrown back violently when he spoke the words. Did Jesus do so for his own benefit or was it for the benefit of his disciples and to the soldiers that they knew that Jesus was very much in control and could've just killed them all with his spoken word and walked away? Jesus pretty much said as much telling them he had 10 legions of angels standing by waiting for his command!

You and I do things all the time that benefit us. Haircuts, meals, education, dentist visits, marriage, relaxation, sleep, clothes shopping.

Of course! I am certain that Jesus got up every morning, washed his face, trimmed his beard, and perhaps prepared himself some breakfast and coffee before starting the day. Absolutely nothing wrong with any of this but you specifically asked whether Jesus used his DIVINE POWER for his own benefit?

Of course Jesus is God almight (singular) just God the Father and the Holy Spirit are God almighty (singular) and there is no conflict or disunity within the Godhead but everything was accord to God's sovereign plan of the ages!

And of course everything is ultimately for his own benefit as the scriptures state that "Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things" (Rom 11:36) and all things are ultimately to his glory!

So even his death on the cross was for his own benefit!