Like Me?
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 NIV
In every way – Do you really think that Yeshua was tempted in every way just like you and me? Does that seem possible? Certainly his cultural setting was radically different. No commercialization. No internet. No continuous media distraction. He lived in a world I can barely imagine. How is it possible that the author of Hebrews can claim he was tempted in every way? Even more startling, how can this author claim that he did not sin? You and I sin all the time. Barely a day goes by that we don’t struggle with temptation, often failing if only for a moment. We don’t know anyone who is without sin. Except for the claim about this man. How is that possible?
Please don’t tell me that it’s because Yeshua is God. That heresy (called Docetism[1]) removes any possibility that Yeshua was actually like us. If he did not sin because he really wasn’t human (that is, he was God disguised as a human), then there is no reason for me to try to be like him and there is no grounds for the claim that his temptations were real. No, if he is truly like me, then he has to be as human as I am. But somehow he didn’t fall like I do.
We read this verse for comfort. When we are tempted, we are comforted in knowing that he understands. But the verse has another unintended consequence. It also makes us pointedly aware of our failures. If he could be tempted in every way and yet didn’t sin, then what’s wrong with us? Why are we so vulnerable, so fragile, so misdirected? If he is truly human, what about us? Are we less than human because we fall so often? Are we really unacceptable because we can’t be like him (or maybe we won’t be like him)?
These questions remind us of a previous insight into the psychological state of Naomi. Naomi recognized her unworthiness. But it didn’t help. Naomi thought she rightly deserved punishment because of her selfishness. Even though she recognized this flaw, she continued on the same path. Her actions toward Ruth display the same attitude that got her into this situation. She didn’t change until Ruth’s hesed radically altered her view of God’s grace. Naomi had a God of reprisal instead of a God of grace. It took the action of an outsider to restore Naomi’s view of God.
Perhaps you and I are much more like Naomi than Ruth. We think about our pitiful sins. We imagine that we are rightly punished. We interpret the difficulties of our lives as the justified consequences of our failures. We think God is exercising judgment upon us. And we deserve it! No one needs to convince us that we deserve it. We know the truth of our sins.
But there is an outsider among us. He is not an alien. He’s as human as we are, but he comes to us from outside our myopic concentration on our selfishness. He knows the heart of the Father like no other. His actions express God’s true character. He overcomes our self-defeating despair by calling us his friends—despite our failures. His hesed overcomes our morbid self-assessment. Maybe, just maybe, God loves us anyway.
Was he tempted in every way like us? It would be difficult to imagine a savior who wasn’t. If he is going to rescue us from our self-imposed verdict of unworthiness, he will have to understand why we feel so estranged from the Father. He will have to know our pain and our longing. Perhaps it is absolutely necessary that he be an outsider. He doesn’t belong in our corrupt world, but he is there anyway. And that gives us real hope.
Topical Index: in every way, sin, Naomi, hesed, Docetism, Hebrews 4:15
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docetism
He was a stranger and a pilgrim here, but so am I. I started out assuming I ‘belonged’, but the further I aged, the more I actually grew to feel like stranger and a pilgrim, too. This world of woe, and this body of sin, is not where I was made to be. A fish in the sea, they say, does not understand water from an objective viewpoint: it does not know what WET is. Adam and Eve in the garden did not know what innocence was, either. Until they lost it, that is. Until I began to experience my salvation, I did not know what lost was, either: I only knew that I hurt. So many times, I have to be delivered from a sin, and look back at it, before I know enough to be really sorry and repentant. I am really sorry once I have been separated from it. Before then, I wasn’t even aware of how I was dead in that place, which makes sense, because dead people, even in this life, don’t know that they are dead. That’s what dead means, after all.
He came to take my dead status from me, by doing it Himself. Skip is right: the cross was about death. He died so I can live. I didn’t even know that, until I started to breathe the air of heaven, in His place. When God’s love has been restored in me, I then have a place to look back and see the valley of bones He pulled me out of. Being connected with heaven and earth is all the difference between Flatland and Earth. My lungs are no longer smashed flat. I can breathe. I didn’t know what that space was before. That life that got squeezed out of Him, I get. Only when I experience it can I begin to appreciate what He gave up for me, because I am who He gave it to. Halleluah!
Hey Laurita, just some other thoughts that struck me as I read this TW and your response. When Eve was focused on the wrong tree, death showed up, and day 2 says that the activities we engage in eventually rule over us. It’s kinda like the cancer patient that gets a bad report and although they attempt to fight, they become focused on dying, so they do. Yeshua said, let the dead bury the dead, you….follow me. Living is being in and walking in covenant with the living God. Isa. 51:16 …..”I’ve appointed you to plant heaven, and to found the earth……lets get on with the living, we’ve been given the gift of life for His glory.
Robert, I have found that to be true in my life in a profound way. Our minds think according to the set of our hearts, and our bodies follow suit. Stinking thinking has killed many who have fallen for the temptation to believe in their hearts that God doesn’t love them, they hate others and cannot stand themselves. A killer disease of the body is probably not going to be far behind in agreement.
Eve got curious as to why YHVH did not want them to ‘know’ (experience) death. The fruit represented the choice of that experience.
“No, if he is truly like me, then he has to be as human as I am.”
Such a moving word today, Skip. Thank you. My only question that came from this (well… my only theological question) is whether Yeshua was born with the same Yetzer Ha’ra as I was. Though he may have been “tempted” in every way, was that temptation as strong as what I’ve faced? Or was he just so acutely in touch with the love of the Father than Hesed simply overwhelmed his Yetzer, never giving it the chance to take hold in him? I love what you said, that it’s pointless for us to try to be like him if he wasn’t like us. I’d never thought of that before and it’s something I’ll enjoy chewing on. Thanks.
Only God could conceive such a plan.
Isaiah foretold that “the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son,
and shall call His name Immanuel.”
Scripture further says this Immanuel knew no sin but the Father
made Him “to be sin for us.”
I have always believed that it was in the Garden of Gethsemane
when the Master took on the sins of mankind and endured suffering
like no other man “and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”
Are you sure about “taking on the sins of mankind”? Read Cross Word Puzzles and see what you think.
Luk 4:1 Now Jesus, full of holy spirit, returns from the Jordan, and was led in the spirit in the wilderness”
I believe Jesus was tempted in every way just like us, without sinning, but He seemed to have a tremendous advantage over us, He was full of (the) holy spirit. So, was He just like us in every way?
Can’t you be full of the Spirit of God working in you?
I know you can be full of the Spirit of God working through you. The prophets are witness to that. Trinitarianism states that ‘God’ the Spirit resides in each ‘believer’, as I understand it, as a sort of ‘down-payment’. Or is it the Spirit of God that resides? A bit confusing, as it has been preached to me.
the Spirit of God, as the text indicates. But, of course, the text does not indicate the this is somehow a separate “person.”
Skip, Docetism is a view that Jesus’s body was a phantasm or had no true reality. This is only one view of the deity of Yeshua. It was called heresy by the First Council of Nicaea because it states that the body of Yeshua was either absent or illusory, not that Yeshua was God. I only state this because your statement leaves this to be the only definition. And your use of the word heresy. I do not have time to elaborate now but I will later when I am home.
Thank you for your time and work in putting out the Word Study.
Right. Docetism was the denial of the physical reality of the Messiah as human. It basically claimed that Yeshua was God but not human. Adoptionism is the heresy of believing Yeshua was only a man tested by God and granted the status of Messiah. You can see all the various heresies surrounding this issue at
http://coldcasechristianity.com/2014/historic-heresies-related-to-the-nature-of-jesus/
One more comment. You know my position on “heresy,” so I will let you elaborate on that. But just to clarify the Docetic point. If the body of the Messiah was only a phantom body, and He was really just God disguised as a man, then, or course, He didn’t sin because He was God, not because He shared anything human with us. That was my point. I didn’t mean to state that Docetism said Yeshua wasn’t God. In fact, just the opposite. Docetism says that Yeshua wasn’t really human. Sorry that the sentence order in the TW didn’t make that clear enough.
“I’m only human,” is no longer an excuse! (So was He!)
~ And without controversy (? – lol!) great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory ~ 1 Timothy 3.16
the Greek verb translated “manifest” in 1 Tim. 3:16 is phaneroo, a verb that means “to show, to reveal.” It does not require the spiritual origination of the revealed object, that is to say, it can be used in a sentence like, “Today I am going to show you this photograph.” So Paul could quite legitimately be saying, Yeshua was shown in the flesh, that is, we saw him as a human being. He looked just like any one of us. No pre-existence, Trinitarian position is REQUIRED in order to understand what Paul is saying. The mystery is not the inexplicable origin of “Jesus” but rather the fact that the Messiah was one of us.
the Greek verb translated “manifest” in 1 Tim. 3:16 is phaneroo, a verb that means “to show, to reveal.”
This further clarifies His words.. “he that has seen Me has seen the Father!” If we want to know what God is like, or the life that pleases our Father, we need look no further than the Second Adam. Was He God? Yes. Was He human? Yes. Both. Fully God and fully human. Virgin born? Yes. Sinless life? Yes. Vicarious death? Yes. Resurrected from the dead? Yes. This Man truly was the “only begotten Son of God.” Mary wasn’t the only one to “ponder these things in her heart,” and perhaps we would do well to heed her words: “whatever He says unto you — do it.”
But Carl, you have expanded the simple meaning of the text to include the doctrinal position of the Trinity. The text doesn’t say this. It simply says that he was human, not a ghost. You have expanded this to claim he was BOTH human and God. Where did that come from?
Skip, what do you make of this statement by Irenaeus of Lyons, in his treatise Against Heresies?
1. The Church, though dispersed through our the whole world, even to the ends of the earth, has received from the apostles and their disciples this faith: [She believes] in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them; and in one Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who became incarnate for our salvation; and in the Holy Spirit, who proclaimed through the prophets the dispensations of God, and the advents, and the birth from a virgin, and the passion, and the resurrection from the dead, and the ascension into heaven in the flesh of the beloved Christ Jesus, our Lord, and His [future] manifestation from heaven in the glory of the Father “to gather all things in one,” and to raise up anew all flesh of the whole human race, in order that to Christ Jesus, our Lord, and God, and Saviour, and King, according to the will of the invisible Father, “every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess” to Him, and that He should execute just judgment towards all; that He may send “spiritual wickednesses,” and the angels who transgressed and became apostates, together with the ungodly, and unrighteous, and wicked, and profane among men, into everlasting fire; but may, in the exercise of His grace, confer immortality on the righteous, and holy, and those who have kept His commandments, and have persevered in His love, some from the beginning [of their Christian course], and others from [the date of] their repentance, and may surround them with everlasting glory.
There is a bit of a controversy with the word “God” in that verse, possibly arising from
scribal error and the Codex Alexandrinus.
The favored (and most likely) reading is “He/who was manifested in the flesh.”
Thanks, Drew.
Through Messiah I can do all things (within godly wisdom). Since I overcame the food addiction issue some years back, the other temptations to sin have been falling like dominos. Just maybe, the first sin that had to do with food in the garden and Yeshua’s first temptation in the desert of had to do with food, implies a deep message about how to obtain release. I’ve certainly experienced this but, not without numerous trials.
Overcoming food lust and eating to live plant based for optimal nutrition may just be the golden thread that unravels our sin nature.
“Sin shall no longer have dominion over you.” Oh? Does this mean I now have the freedom to choose a different path? We (now) have the mind of Christ. (For many, this “gift” has not yet been unwrapped!)
God hates sin. And what about us? How do YOU feel about it? Do you, (I’m asking) WANT to sin? Or is the pursuit of holiness now your goal? Do you (now) WANT to please God with every thought, word or action? Why? Do these words from God’s word ring true in your heart? “Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my Strength and my Redeemer?” Do you recognize these words as being a wonderful prayer? And speaking of prayer, may we now also pray and say, “Our Father, holy is Your Name?”
Beloved, “NOW” are we the sons of God.. (1 John 3.2) Is this truth? Are we “now” the sons and daughters of El Elyon?
“Whosoever will” may come.. – And just who does this “whosoever” include?
~ But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His Name..~ (John 1.12)
Do you believe Him? Have you received Him? If not, – why not?
“And when they saw HIm, they worshiped Him!!” But, what about us? Is this sinless, sacrificial Lamb sent from God worthy of our worship?
Lol. What sayest thou?
Token of reverence, in Greek- proskyneō meaning to prostrate one’s self –bow To –someone in authority as a sign of deep respect, to their authority. Worship of any man (of/ in the flesh), and of angelic messenger is idolatry!
ONLY YHWH is to be worshipped!
There is NO verse in Greek where Yeshua said to Worship Him. So any Bible that renders the word “worship” does so to support Nicene Creeds.
” worship the Father” – John 4:21, Yeshua himself told the woman of Samaria.
Now, simple question, seriously-
is the Father, the son; is the son, the Father;
can the son be the Father/father; can the Father/father be the son?
Are you your FATHER?
Yes, Yeshua came to reveal/ manifest the Father’s name/character, as we are to reveal ABBA’s character.
Check out these translations-
Matthew 2:11 WEY: 11 So they entered the house; and when they saw the babe with His mother Mary,
they prostrated themselves and did him homage, and opening their treasure-chests offered gifts to him–gold, frankincense, and myrrh
Matthew 8:2 YLT: 2 saying, ‘Where is he who was born king of the Jews?
for we saw his star in the east, and we came to bow to him.’
Matthew 15:25 DBY: 25 But she came and did him homage, saying, Lord, help me.
Matthew 20:20 Darby Bible Translation -Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee,
with her sons, doing homage, and asking something of him.
Learning to unlearn, is a great blessing.
Hi All. Lot to mediate on. Something else in the records, He although he was the Son learnt obedience through what he suffered. Now this says what… Yeshua was disobedient to what and why? If the rest of biblical history is taken into account we are only disobedient when we sin… Nature of sin not relevant but if we suffer to learn it seems like an addiction… of some sort.
If the rest of biblical history is taken into account we are only disobedient when we sin…
I wouldn’t think that is necessarily true, to be disobedient to a false authority (even if you love them) can bring suffering. Perhaps as an example, if one were to contend with the “rabbinical” authorities in Yeshuas time, (consider that traditions were maintained at all costs, ie; the man born blind) where would suffering come from? Do you think his arents were concerned about living in that community and what the consequences might entail? The issue is about obedience to the true authority and the choices to do so even at great cost. Not much has changed as far as I can tell. Dualism is a dangerous critter, it’s the world’s explanation to cover themselves and we would do well to escape it at all costs.
YHWH bless you and keep you……….
that would be…parents
Robert, we were guaranteed suffering (the way I read Yeshua’s prophecy) as a direct consequence of following the way of the cross. I think you are right. To be obedient to heaven is to challenge all other authorities to reveal the source of their authority. It is the prerogative of every believer to validate or repudiate any and all authorities in accordance with whether they acknowledge or deny their subservience to heaven, simply by standing directly upon that obedience. To trade in our rebellion against heaven is to agree to engage in the challenge of all other rebels against heaven. We are supposed to make the rebels squirm – not by challenging them, but by requiring them to answer to heaven in their conduct towards us. Um, I think that would be – from the viewpoint of the world, anyway – more like lambs to the slaughter than anything else….
I love what shadrach, meschac and abendego (?) (but they weren’t Babylonians) said, God can deliver us, He may not, I ain’t bowing! Lambs? yes and no. The world often mistakes grace for weakness and so do we. The Kingdom concerns life.
YHWH bless you and keep you…..
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Jacob wrestled against the angel… and overcome.
Now we need to wrestle against a different power…
A very interesting shift from before the cross to the struggle after the cross…
I’m not so sure that the typical explanation of who Jacob wrestled with is correct. Read Crossing, and see what you think.
Thanks Skip. Nice link. Concise and informative. Sorry about the word “heresy”. I know that you meant that the council was the group that defined it as heresy. The word has been used to hurt so many in the past and used way too liberally to defend doctrine.
Got it. You and I both know that “no” isn’t the way to learn and that difference of opinion is critically important.