There are no details given in the Scriptures concerning Jesus’ childhood except for the account of His session with the Jewish authorities in the Temple at the age of twelve. (Luke 2.41-50) This one episode gives us a very small clue to how Jesus’ early years might have been. It is true that the Bible tells us that after this event Jesus went back with His parents and was subject to them (Luke 2.51), but we are certain this could have been no ordinary lad.
What child ever grew up from birth filled with the Holy Spirit? John perhaps was one, but he was not additionally the literal Son of God. John was not the Creator of the universe wrapped in a fragile human body. He was not the great I AM. What child never commits a sin?
I am sure Jesus never tried to be exceptional in the years between infancy and the beginning of His public ministry – He simply was different. I repeat: Jesus was the Son of God. This of itself sets Him apart from His supposed peers.
There is however at least one thing about John’s life that was parallel to that of Jesus: no one wrote authoritatively about the developing years of either one of them, the Son of God or His herald. We know of the one quasi-public appearance of Jesus, but we have not even that about John. All we have is the following:
“ (80) And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” (Luk 1:80 RSV)
There is not the slightest information given us about John’s developing years. I have a wispy, unsubstantiated theory or two on why this was so with Jesus and John, but I cannot speak with any certainty on the matter, therefore I will say nothing further on it.
How long was John the Baptist secluded in the desert? He was there until “the day of his manifestation to Israel.” (Luk 1:80 RSV) As it was with Jesus, it seems likely that John’s career did not begin until he was well into his adult years.
Whatever sins children and adolescents commit, Jesus was not guilty of any of them. As the Son of God, He was God and could not be snared by any sin. Now you want to know what about Jesus’ 40-day temptation in the wilderness – was it real? Take the word of the author of the book of Hebrews:
"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." (Heb. 4:15)
This makes it clear that Jesus was indeed tempted severely, but without yielding in the least measure. What I have stated previously, that God cannot sin, is not a contradiction to Heb. 4.15. Jesus, as the human he was, slogged through the 40-day temptations. Moreover, He was more severely tried than any other mortal would have been in the same circumstances because He was the Son of God and the fate of mankind and the entire universe hung on the outcome.
And yet we know that God can never sin. It is apparently a contradiction in terms to 1) stoutly state that God cannot sin and 2) maintain at the same time that Jesus was actually tempted during the assault on His faith in the wilderness. If Jesus, who is God, cannot sin, how could there be a temptation for Him to sin?
Looking at the situation closely, I think it is likely that Jesus experienced temptation to sin only during His 40-day wilderness ordeal. It was a window that was opened just for that period of time. It was in this time, and only by special providence, that
“Jesus was tried in a ‘genteel’ manner; He was assaulted fiercely in an all-out show of Satanic force. Satan attacked Jesus in direct ways and he approached Him in insidious, indirect fashion. Billows of longing washed over His Being at times; and anger and greed assailed Him. Hatred attempted to force its way into His heart. Jesus ran the gamut of temptation, ‘yet without sin.’ Yet without sin.” (The Life of Christ in Five Phases Revised)
There was no need for Jesus to undergo further tempting; the forty days were more than enough for Jesus to establish an experiential bond of temptation with His fellow humans. But do not think Jesus was not tested in other ways during the remainder of His career. Each day brought Jesus face to face with His mortal enemies who wanted to refute His every word and who eventually had Him crucified. With each day’s dawning Jesus knew there would be another trial of His faith. Yet He never wavered and later, when the physical body would falter, Jesus pressed on through the adversity that seemed to be His birthright and was faithful to His Father’s will in all things.
The conclusion of the matter it this: We have the perfect example of a perfect life before us – now let us do our best, by the grace of God, to push toward the same perfection in our lives.
Recent Comments