Just a simple puzzle of which I am curious to see the answers of. Now it is a well told story in the bible that Jesus was tempted.
The key issue is that the sentence "Jesus was tempted" needs to come out true. I'm going to assume that this is straightforwardly true, that is, that Jesus was tempted. It's hard for me right now to understand temptation sans desire to do the thing tempted. If so, Jesus could have acted on such a desire, and if so, in what sense of "could?"
ah, well, if i understand you right, you're saying how could Jesus be tempted in the first place, that is in his being?
He is fully man and fully God. He could have chosen to sin at anytime.
Some verses showing his humanity.
Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."
37He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38Then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
Now, as I reread what you wrote, I can say of myself, I have little desire to do things wrong, but I do things wrong.
I recall one time an offer by someone to do wrong. But, having scripture in mind, first thing came to mind, is run, actual verse came to my mind at the time:
Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Now, satan is most likely not one who tempted me in that offer, was the cop. His own sin. We sin because we desire to and have free will to do so, and we don't sin cause we don't desire to, or have determined not to.
Which I did, flee, in a spiritual sense, and walked away.
Went to my husband told him. He could have cared less, (we're still friends but marriage not a good one.) I also called this persons boss and told him what occured as was a cop, and I was a stranger walking my dog in a small town.
So for me, the desire to do wrong played many times thruout my marriage, to commit sexual immorality, but God's word spoke louder to me, and I made firm boundaries. Ex and I maybe had sex 8 times in 8 years.
So, was very difficult..so desire was there, but Gods word was the louder voice.
That's an example of me a sinner.
And as to other things, surely failed many times..but didn't in that area in marriage.
So imagine now, everything Jesus speaks He says:
My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.
Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him,
"Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.
"When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.
Now, I don't fully grasp some of this and have never looked into it. I'm not very studied in this area of Jesus being human on earth, yet being God.
We see he does miracles, forgives, heals, teaches, casts out demons, hungers, thirsts, tires, gets lonely, angry.
I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"
Jesus is saying in above verse, I am, which is exact same I am as used on old testament, when Moses said to God, who should I say you are? God said, I am that I am. My name is I am. (paraphrased)
So when Jesus said it, not only was He claiming to be God as the Jews well knew the scripture, but He was also saying; I existed in Abrahams time. Abraham is in the beginining of the Old Testatent some I don't know
4000 years prior (not sure on years..but even if 2000.)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood[
a] it.
Above, substitute Word for Jesus as is what it's saying. Note was with God in the beginning. Also thru Jesus all things were made that has been made.
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of the LORD, the Eternal God.
Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
God is eternal, no beginning and no end.
All that to say...I'm just human and the word of God has a very deep impact on my life. I fail often, but the point is a very deep impact.
God has changed my life; i fail, but I have been changed by His word, and God indwelling me, as indwells all believers.
Jesus said if we had the faith of a mustard seed we could tell a mountain to move from one place to another (paraphrased.)
So, not only do we have little faith compared to what we can have (some have more some have less we are all differnt) but nonetheless, it's fairly small compared to what it could be.
We also dont' fully trust God and lean on Him for everything. If we did, we'd be on mountaintops every day, but as it is, such is not common, as we go thru trials and struggles, and many times don't even turn to God, but turn to others or ourselves. We all vary, but most struggle, with valleys and mountains..Some are stronger, some weaker.
Many times we go thru valley's with God.
Point of this all, is I'm describing what we are like, however, Jesus was different.
He fully depended on the Father while on earth. He fully trusted. He never had any doubts of course, cause he and God are one, and so you can see then, while human, having such a relationship with the father, that the desires of this world were nothing to Jesus.
Why would he desire to sin, when He knew where He came from and where He was going, and He is God.
He came from heaven, He's God, He was worshipped in heaven, always was, always existed, then born to a virgin, to teach, heal, forgive, and die for our sins.
So, if I was able to get thru the 9 years, during much temptation because of God's word and God in me, imagine how Jesus was.
For us, this is not our world. Same with Jesus.
We live in this world, and while I can say, be nice to be well off, and never troubled about money, because I'm human and think such will sustain me. Which while nice to have will pay bills and one less worry, but other worries will still be there.
Jesus didn't desire such as wealth, He is God and created all their is; it all belongs to God. No desire for earthly things.
Satan so tempted him of course:
and Jesus first reply:
after fasting 40 days satan tempted him said turn this stone to bread:
4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'[
then satan said throw yourself down for angels will protect you (paraphrased.)
Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test
satan offers kingdoms, world and splendor:
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.
God owns the earth, made the earth, Jesus is the creator of all things.
He had no desire for such, but yet was tempted, and turned away when tempted, and it's written tempted like you or I so faced same temptations we do, but he never sinned; for his desire was the same as the Fathers, he could sin but didn't.
Sounds like I'm saying two things here but he was tempted but did not sin. His desire was to do the Fathers perfect will. That's I suppose why He didn't consider such as we would.
sorry so long to make point.
and probably didn't even answer your question..may have misuderstood..
blessings,
tapero
