Why Was Jesus Tempted?

It's interesting how you can go for years and suddenly realize something that alluded you. I just realized that Adam and Eve (like Jesus) had NO sin nature. They were created perfect without a sin nature. They acquired a sin nature AFTER giving in to temptation.

So maybe there was a possibility of Jesus in His weakened condition after 40 days and nights of fasting giving in to temptation, but He showed that even under the most difficult times we can resist sin. Unfortunately, we too often give in to sin a bit too easily.

We blame our sinning on our sin nature. Adam and Eve didn't have that luxury. Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent. Neither of them could say, "God, you shouldn't have given us this sin nature" since they didn't have one.

 

:thumbs::thumbs:

He was tempted for me, and in Him I have resisted the temptation of the Devil.

 

Jesus wasn't tempted to see if he would pass the test, to see if he was truly God, the Savior of the world.

He was tempted to SHOW that he was God, the Savior of the world. It wasn't to see if He was genuine, but to authenticate his credentials.

 

This is error. God in heaven cannot be tempted with evil, but Jesus could and was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin.

Jesus obtained this ability to be tempted through the flesh he inherited from his mother.

The scriptures say Jesus has the same nature as us.

Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus came with the nature of men. He "suffered" being tempted. He was not oblivious or immune to temptation, he felt it's pull and enticement just as much as we do, but he never obeyed his fleshly lusts when they would have caused him to sin.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

To deny that Jesus came in the flesh and suffered being tempted as we are is the spirit of antichrist.

1 Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world

God in heaven does not have a fleshly body, he does not feel temptation. But Jesus had a fleshly body just like ours and felt every temptation we do, yet he never sinned.

This is why I object to the term "sin nature". Jesus had the same exact nature as us, he came in the "flesh". If we have a sin nature, then Jesus had one too. I refuse to accept this whatsoever. We are born "flesh" with lusts and desires. I believe it more accurate and scriptural to say we have a "temptation nature". Our flesh tempts us. But only when we obey our fleshly lusts and sin do we have a sin nature.

 

"It is objected to the truth of Christ’s impeccability that it is inconsistent with His temptability. A person who cannot sin, it is argued, cannot be tempted to sin. As well might one reason that because an army cannot be defeated, it cannot be attacked. ‘Temptability depends upon the constitutional susceptibility, while impeccability depends upon the will. So far as His natural susceptibility, both physical and mental, was concerned, Jesus Christ was open to all forms of human temptation, excepting those that spring out of lust, or corruption of nature. But His peccability, or the possibility of being overcome by these temptations, would depend upon the amount of voluntary resistance which He was able to bring to bear against them. Those temptations were very strong, but if the self-determination of His holy will was stronger than they, then they could not induce Him to sin, and He would be impeccable. And yet plainly He would be temptable’ (W.G. Shedd, 1889)."
http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/d...the-impeccability-of-christ-by-arthur-w-pink/

 

Classic. Instead of believeing what the scriptures say, men invent a false doctrine. The scriptures say Jesus could be touched with the feelings of our infirmities. He had a body just like ours and felt temptation.

This is denying that Jesus came in the flesh.

 

Though you seem to have a myriad of scriptural and theological problems, the problem you are exhibiting here is not, really, one of scripture or theology--it is of understanding the English language.

Of course, as Hebrews says, Jesus was tempted. Again, these were real temptations. Satan did his best.

What you seem not to understand is that Jesus was insusceptible to those temptations. Like the person who has been inoculated against, say, measles, Jesus was inoculated (by nature, being God) against temptation.

You would never suggest the measles virus that invades an inoculated person wasn't real. Why, then, does the inoculated person not come down with measles? Because he or she is immune to the virus. In the same manner Jesus was immune to the temptations of Satan. Though the temptations were very real, Jesus could not have succumbed to them. Why? Because He is, by nature, God and is, therefore, immune to evil and the temptation to sin.

I still marvel how you, and others, do not seem to understand that the power of the temptation does not in any way depend on a person's susceptibility to it.

I won't even begin to address the conflagration of of insanity that suggests Jesus had a sin nature, at least in the way you mean sin nature. If you suggest that Jesus had a human nature which was able to be impacted by sin--aging, death, etc.--the OK. However, He could not have had a sin nature like we have.

The Archangel

 

The scriptures say he could be "touched with the feelings of our infirmities"

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

The scriptures say he "suffered" being tempted.

Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Jesus wasn't merely tempted. He "suffered", he felt those temptations just like you and I do, but he never sinned.

When the devil tempted Jesus to turn stones to bread, Jesus was very hungry.

Luke 4:2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

The problem with your theory (and that is all it is), is that it denies Jesus came in the flesh. Jesus got hungry just like you and I. He felt it.

Does God in heaven get hungry? Does God in heaven have to eat to sustain himself?

So, this is where you make your error. Jesus came in the flesh, he had a fleshly body just like ours that had real needs. He got hungry and had to eat, he got tired and had to sleep.

Does God in heaven get tired and need to sleep?

So, it is obvious your view is error.

 

I think this raises a question that needs answered. What is meant by Him being tempted? Here is what I mean. If someone comes to me and offers me a joint to smoke or to shoot some drugs they have offered a temptation to sin. However I feel no compulsion to oblige. Not even in the slightest. Yet even with no desire I could still decide to take them up. In other words I have a choice even if no desire is present.

However some gal may be dressed in a manner that does catch my eye and I would need to fight the temptation to look to please the eyes. In this case I have a battle to work through which also requires a choice.

Which way was the Lord tempted? Was it like the first example or the second? If we say like the second then I have a real problem because that means He felt to murder, lie, steal, commit adultery, homosexuality and every other kind of sin we battle against but He just grit his teeth and did not do them. I don't buy that.
Personally I feel He was tempted in all manner even as we, as scripture says, but did not have any desire in any of the areas tempted to sin. His temptation would be like my first example. It was real and He could have done it but He had no desire to do so He did not sin yet He was tempted.

I believe that He had to be tempted to be able to relate to our temptations and yet prove that He was above sinning. I do not believe it is enough to just not commit the deed. I believe He had to be able to not even desire the sin.

 

James 1

3 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.​

The order of events : Lust first (Notice it is "of his own lust"), then enticement, then sin, then death.​

To say that Christ had the possibility to sin is to say that there existed "his own lust" in His heart or this process above is impossible.
Dare any of us make that accusation about Christ?​

Why then was He allowed to be tempted?​

To prove the very point of His sinlessness via the infallible record of the scripture.​

Yes, Jesus has come in the flesh (human, mortal and subject to death) but even at that He was not exactly like one of us.​

Were any of us born of a virgin?
Have any of us pre-existed our birth?​

Have any of us existed from eternity in the hypostatic union with the Father?​

John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.​

John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.​

HankD​

 

Great summary. Jesus had no sin nature. We have a sin nature. Jesus could not/did not sin. We can/do sin. What a great sinless Savior!

 

That is a great question. Sometimes it is easy to distinguish between temptation and sin. For example, I once found a wallet with several hundred dollars in it. It was just lying on the sidewalk and I picked it up, nobody saw me. When I saw all that money it did occur to me that I could put that money in my pocket and throw the wallet in the bushes. In fact, at the time I really needed money, so it was a real temptation to keep it. At the same time I knew it would be wrong. Fortunately, I did not let my temptation overcome me and returned the wallet and all the money to the owner.

In this example, it is easy to distinguish between temptation and sin. Having a desire to keep the money is a temptation, actually stealing the money is sin.

But mental temptation is more difficult to distinguish. If you see a very beautiful woman, it is natural to admire her beauty. Men are especially susceptible to this. I think that a man might begin to imagine having an relationship with this woman, but then realize these are sinful thoughts. I think if a man realizes this and purposely looks away and tries to think of other things, this is temptation. But if a man continues to imagine sinful thoughts and enjoys them after he has realized it is wrong, then it has crossed over from temptation to sin.

So, this is far more difficult to distinguish.

 

I agree. Jesus did not have a sin nature. Jesus came in the flesh and could be tempted. He felt this temptation just like we do.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

What does touched mean? Touch is a sensation you can feel. Jesus felt temptation, he was not oblivious to it as some here teach.

Here is what Matthew Henry said of this verse.

Barnes Notes

You guys don't even agree with your own scholars. These men correctly say Jesus SUFFERED being tempted. He was tried. It was a real struggle.

 

As related to Jesus, I believe He actually felt some kind of "pull" on His flesh when tempted but it was external as opposed to anything being awakened or originating within Him. Of course He always overcame.

This is indeed a difficult topic.

HankD

 

I agree with you Hank, except I believe he felt temptations that arose from his human flesh and nature. Jesus had a body just like ours. His body had the same desires and lusts our bodies have, yet he never obeyed these lusts and sinned.

But he had more than a body like ours, he had a human nature. Earlier I quoted half a dozen scholars, most who were Calvinists, and they all said the Jesus had a human nature.

What victory is there if there is no struggle? Jesus became man so he could endure the same exact temptations we endure.

You have all these fellows here calling me a heretic, and yet all these Reformed scholars agree exactly with me.

Where folks go wrong is they cannot distinguish between temptation and sin. They are not the same thing. Jesus came in the flesh, he could be tempted. Or, as I have said, he had a "temptation nature".

JESUS DID NOT HAVE A SIN NATURE!

 

And further, look what Barnes said that directly refutes those who say Jesus was oblivious to temptation.

If Jesus could not literally feel our temptations, he could not relate to us. As Barnes said, he would be cold and unfeeling. But Jesus knows exactly what it feels like to be tempted, and so he can sympathize and feel pity for us. He knows how difficult it is to resist temptation.

Psa 103:13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

Jesus "knows" our frame. He has felt it, he has experienced it directly. This is how he can pity and sympathize for us.

 

First, we do not need a sin nature to have feelings. The feelings are a natural part of human nature. Jesus was the God/man. He naturally expressed both natures in His unique being.

Who was tempted? Was it Jesus or Satan? Jesus demonstrated His power over temptation, but it was Satan who suffered defeat in this trial.

I think Jesus lived a rhetorical life for the benefit of man. He asked questions that did not require an answer. Examine His time in the garden. If it be possible....He knew the answer, but still asked the question....for our benefit...the question magnified the life and death of Jesus the man.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Man, you guys are stubborn.

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

What has tempted you in life? Whatever has tempted you has tempted Jesus. He was tempted in ALL POINTS LIKE AS WE ARE.

This is not complicated language, some simply refuse to believe it.

 

Yes, Jesus was tempted with the "lust of the flesh" the "lust of the eyes" and the "pride of life" in the 3 temptations. No one has denied this.

 

I don't believe Jesus had a sin nature. He had a human nature. Our human nature is tainted with sin; His human nature was not tainted with sin. In this manner Jesus was both completely human (without sin) and completely God.