Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Temptation

   Concerning Christ's temptations, I think that He of course knew of the temptations, but wasn't fazed in the slightest bit by them at all. Instead of His temptations being like ours, where we are either offered a temptation but not really desiring it, or actually being tempted to partake in the thing being offered, he was always merely just "offered" the temptation. I think that was the case because He was both 100% human and 100% divine. Due to his human side, he was aware of all of the temptations and sin that he could have partook on, but because of His divine side, He didn't really pay attention to it, or let it worry him. For example, it's kind of like the way humans feel about the sky. We all know that it's always above us, and it won't collapse, so when we wake up every day, we don't worry that the sky is going to fall on our heads and crush us, we already know and expect that it's gonna stay where it is. This is like how Christ felt. He knew the sin was going to be there and because He already expected it, He didn't pay attention to it.

   Relating to what I just said, I think that Satan tempted Christ in the form of where he didn't desire to do it. God is above all things, especially sin, which, compared to Him, sin is just pety. For example, in Matthew 4:4, after Satan tries to tempt him into turning the stones into bread, He replied saying, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" That verse was a great example of how Christ is so above sin, it's like He doesn't even see it, and even greater doesn't need it like humans seem to. I also think that Christ wasn't tempted because He knew that He had everything He could ever need, so therefore had no need for whatever the devil tried to offer Him. This was on display in Matthew 4:10 after the devil tried to offer Christ all the kingdoms and splendors of the world if Christ would bow down to Him. Ironically, Christ already had all of those things  being offered and more! He answered the devil calmly and patiently saying, "Away from me Satan! For it is written: 'Worship The Lord your God, and serve him only.'" And as a result, the devil left Him alone.