Here is some food for you to digest.
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 (Hebrews 4:15).
Did you know that we do not have a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities? No, we do not. What we do have is a high priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and one who was tempted in one point as we are.
Did we say one point? We are terribly sorry. We meant to say is that we do have a high priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and one who was tempted in two points as we are.
Wait a minute, what did we say? Two points? Again, we are so sorry, but we think we got it this time. We do have a high priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and one who was tempted in several points as we are.
Are you telling us that we got it wrong again? The passage didn’t say several times? Man! Alright then. This time we will copy the wording directly from the passage and let us see if we can finally get this thing right. We do have a high priest who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities and one who was tempted in all points as we are.
Finally! We believe we got it this time. Our high priest was not tempted in one point as we are, or tempted in two points as we are, or tempted in several points as we are. No, no, no! He was tempted in all points as we are. Now that is some serious food for you to digest, and we have some dessert to go with the food as well. We hope that you are ready for it. Here it is. While our high priest can sympathize with our weaknesses, understands our failings, and has compassion on our infirmities because he was tempted in all points as we are, he did not give in to the temptations, for he was without sin. This means that:
He was tempted with all unrighteousness, with fornication (the desire for immoral sex), and with wickedness (the desire to be dangerous, disgusting, mean or wicked), yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted with covetousness (the desire to take someone else’s property), with maliciousness (the desire to be harmful), and with malignity (the desire to do evil), yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be full of envy (the desire to want what someone else has), to be a murderer (the desire kill someone), and to be deceitful (the desire to deliberately mislead), yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be a whisperers (the desire to spread rumors), to be a debater (the desire to talk or argue about anything), and to be a backbiter (the desire to make spiteful remarks), yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be hater of God, to be despiteful, to be proud (the desire to be arrogant conceited, self-righteous), and to be an extortionist (the desire to obtain something illegally), yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be disobedient to his parents, to be without understanding, to be a covenant breaker, to be without natural affection, yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be implacable (the desire to be impossible to appease or pacify), to be unmerciful (the desire to show no mercy or to go beyond reason), and to be a thief, yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be an idolater (the desire to worship idols), to be an adulterer (the desire for extramarital sex), and to be a drunkard, yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be a reviler (the desire to attack someone verbally with abusive language), and to be an inventor of evil things, yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted to be an abuser of himself with mankind and with all sexual immoralities, yet he did not give in to it.
He was tempted with effeminateness (this one you will have to look up), yet he did not give in to it.
The fact is our high priest, Jesus Christ was tempted in all points as we are, yet he did not give in. He was without sin. This is huge. Think about it this way, he was tempted not just with a few sins or some sins but he was tempted with every possible sin that is known to man, yet he did not sin. Now how awesome is he? (to be continued)
Enjoy your blessings - KW
Great commentary! Sometimes we want to excuse behavior or yielding to temptation by saying that things are different now and that Jesus can't understand what we are going through---But obviously, he can. Thanks for the reminder. It is an added blessing to my day. Shel
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a reader of our blog and for your comments; they are greatly appreciated. Continue to seek the truth in God's word and you will find that which you seek. Blessings be upon you.
Delete