He was “tempted in all things as we are” (Heb.
4:15). Discuss and relate to counseling theory and practice.
“Therefore, since 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 cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has
been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to
the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in
time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)
Jesus knew the glories of heaven
as the Son of God, eternally present with the Father. When He became flesh among us (John 1:14) He
came to know by experience what life is like as a human being.
Jesus was born as a baby like you and I (though unlike us in holy deity
(Colossians 2:9), and virgin conception (Matthew 1:25)). As a child Jesus experienced physical growth,
cold and heat, the senses of smell, touch, sight, hearing, hunger, pain, all
that comes along with being human. He felt as we do desires, and would have
experienced the draw to sin. He felt the
temptations to lie, lust, covet, steal, hate, and more. We read specifically of
three temptations put before Jesus in the wilderness by Satan in Luke 4, and
Matthew 4. Satan tempts Jesus to use His
power to get food instantly, to prove His power by throwing Himself off a high
temple so angels would come to His rescue, and Satan also told Jesus if He’d
worship him then he’d give Him rule over all the kingdoms of earth. Through each temptation Jesus did not sin,
and He skillfully spoke back God’s Word as truth to dispel the lies of
Satan.
When Jesus lived he would have
felt all of the emotions we do; anger, joy, disappointment, contentment….. He never once acted sinfully on His emotions, but always had
self-control, patience and wisdom to respond in grace, truth and love to
others, even His enemies like Judas, the Pharisees, His executioners and
more.
Knowing the humanity of Jesus, we
can come to Him confidently because we know He understands the realities and
struggles we face because He lived human life, faced it’s temptations, pain,
struggles, and challenges, and yet did not sin.
Having a Saviour who understands by experience is comforting. Knowing He overcame temptation brings hope
that we can do the same, and an example of how to do so as we examine His life,
and reaction and response to Satan’s attempts to tempt the Son of Man.
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