The Temptation and the Incarnation

I am continuing here a short series on the passage in Luke’s Gospel recounting the temptation of Christ at the hand of Satan in the wilderness. The first post examined the propriety of Milton’s dubbing the event “paradise regained,” while the second post focused on this as a seminal moment for Christ discerning his divinity and calling. Perhaps he had discerned this before, but at the very least he left the wilderness with a clear sense of his calling as was demonstrated by his subsequent declaration in the synagogue in Nazareth. This should dismiss the more spurious understanding of Christ’s acknowledgment of his deific status promoted by Nikos Katzanzakis and the infamous Oliver Stone film “The Last Temptation of Christ.”

Moving on from there, I come to talk in this post about something a little closer to my heart: the way this event allows us to identify with Christ as our fellow man, and fellow sufferer in the face of temptation and the machinations of Satan.

For Christ was certainly tempted in the wilderness. The author of the Hebrews takes pains to make us assured of this: “Therefore, he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become and merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (2:17-18, ESV). And again, a couple of chapters later we read this beautiful passage: “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need” (4:14-16, ESV).

Christ was not only tempted, but he was tempted in every way. Yet he did not sin. And he endured this, went through this, not only to make his Godhead true, but in order that it can no longer be said that he does not identify with us in our pains, temptations, and desires.

In the midst of Job’s hardships he put the following question to God: “Have you eyes of flesh? Do you see as man sees? Are your days as the days of man, or your years as a man’s years?” (10:4-5, ESV). This question was answered in the incarnation. Christ had fleshly eyes and endured the tumult of devouring time just as we must. Perhaps the most encouraging part of the story of the temptation is just this: Christ has been there. He was tempted in every way that I am. He knows what its like. He can no answer Job’s question, yes.

There is nothing approaching this in any other of the world’s faiths. God could not become like us and be tempted with the sins we are tempted with. The idea if blasphemous, irreverent. Yet the Bible tells us it also happens to be true. Therefore, we are able to bear up under this world. We have one who has gone before us to guide us and keep our feet from slipping.