Hebrews 4:15 NLT This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.
Can anyone here shed some light on this passage? How is it possible to be tempted, but without sin? For example, when someone is tempted to cheat on their spouse, isn't the temptation itself a sin? If we desire to steal, isn't the desire itself a sin? I don't understand how Jesus could be tempted but also free of sin.
Thanks
Huge difference between someone else TRYING to tempt you with sin as satan did to Christ and being tempted TO SIN by your own desire to sin as in being tempted or being interested in committing the sin. Inside temptation VS. outside temptations/testings.
So Christ was tempted to sin by satan (externally) but was not tempted (interally) to commit any of those sins. Tempted can be used two different ways in the English.
Was Christ tempted to sin? Yes, by satan. Was Christ tempted by those sins to want to commit them? No.
Being tempted by satan to try to make/trick you to sin is very different from being tempted to sin because you would like to sin or you find that sin to be attractive. The english word can have different meanings but that actually translated into two very different Greek words:
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.
G3985
pe??a´??
peirazo¯
Thayer Definition:
1) to try whether a thing can be done
1a) to attempt, endeavour
2)
to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quantity, or what he thinks, or how he will behave himself
2a) in a good sense
2b) in a bad sense, to test one maliciously, craftily to put to the proof his feelings or judgments
2c) to try or test one’s faith, virtue, character, by enticement to sin
2c1) to solicit to sin, to tempt
2c1a) of the temptations of the devil
2d) after the OT usage
2d1) of God: to inflict evils upon one in order to prove his character and the steadfastness of his faith
2d2) men are said to tempt God by exhibitions of distrust, as though they wished to try whether he is not justly distrusted
2d3) by impious or wicked conduct to test God’s justice and patience, and to challenge him, as it were to give proof of his perfections.
Part of Speech: verb
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G3984
Citing in TDNT: 6:23, 822
A better word would be TESTED.
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 TESTED like as we are, yet without sin.
(BBE) For we have not a high priest who is not able to be touched by the feelings of our feeble flesh; but we have one who has been tested in all points as we ourselves are tested, but without sin.
So, the error here is misunderstanding what it means to be tempted in all points. It does not mean Christ had internal desires for these sins and that he overcame them. It means he was externally tempted/tested to see if he had the internal desires and the result was that Jesus had no internal desire to commit sins like lust or lying etc.
