From the TeachingtheWord Bible Knowledgebase

Part two of a series. Read part one.

In absolute contrast to the first Adam and all his progeny, the Second Adam went into the waters of the Jordan in obedience to His Father, and having come up out of the water went immediately into the wilderness in which He endured forty days of deprivation and direct temptation by Satan, "yet without sin."

In the previous installment we briefly examined the history of the abject failure of the nation of Israel, brought up miraculously out of the waters of both the Red Sea and Jordan River dry-shod, to obey the God who delivered them as they traveled through the wilderness and as they entered the Promised Land. We also saw that Israel's sin was the sin of all humanity from Adam's fall onward. Indeed "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and

As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one." (Romans 3:10-12)

But in absolute contrast to the first Adam and all his progeny, the Second Adam went into the waters of the Jordan in obedience to His Father, and having come up out of the water went immediately into the wilderness in which He endured forty days of deprivation and direct temptation by Satan, "yet without sin."

Answering Temptation With Scripture

It is especially noteworthy that in answering Satan's temptations Jesus three times used the words that He, Jehovah, had first commanded to Israel in Deuteronomy - but which they had disobeyed - to defeat Satan.

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the Devil.

And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the Devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.' " [Here Jesus quotes the commandment He, Jehovah, had given to Israel in Deuteronomy 8:3.]

Then the Devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the Devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.' " [Here Jesus quotes His commandment to Israel in Deuteronomy 6:16.]

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.' " And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.' " [Here Jesus quotes His commandment to Israel in Deuteronomy 6:13.]

Now when the Devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. (Luke 4:1-15)

"When the Devil had ended every temptation" is a noteworthy phrase in the original. The use of the Greek word panta signifies "every applicable temptation" or "the full range of temptation." Jesus was indeed "tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15). The word panta is again used, signifying Jesus' having been subjected to the full range of temptation:

Seeing then that 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 was in all [panta] points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Only one Man was qualified in the eyes of God to "justify many." Only one Man lived a life of "personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience" (as the Westminster Confession of Faith puts it) to every jot and tittle of God's holy Law. Only one Man was born without Adam's sin nature. That man is Jesus Christ, God made flesh. As the Holy Spirit puts it through the writer to the Hebrews, "For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners..." (Hebrews 7:26).

The writer of Hebrews under divine inspiration piles one adjective upon another to emphasize not merely Christ's experiential sinlessness, but His impeccability - His inability to sin. The original Greek of this verse is very specific. Jesus is "holy" - hosios, religiously right and holy, as opposed to that which is unrighteous or polluted. Jesus is "harmless" - akakos, void of evil. Jesus is "undefiled" - amiantos, free from contamination. Jesus is "separate from sinners" - kechoorismenos apo toon hamartooloon, literally, divided asunder from those who miss the mark.

The Messiah is the Messenger of the Covenant at Sinai given to Israel, in that He not only gave it from the throne-room of Heaven, but He also came into the world to keep it perfectly, so that His perfect righteousness could be imputed to undeserving sinners who live under the hopelessness of the Law and the futility of their efforts at Law-keeping.

Whereas the first Adam failed to resist Satan's temptations and thus plunged the entire created order into sin, the Second Adam secured the victory over the tempter and demonstrated Himself qualified to be both perfect High Priest and perfect Propitiation for sin. His perfect obedience is imputed to sinners through faith in His person and work. He is our forerunner in glory.

Three Great Lessons

What lessons are we to learn from Christ's triumph in the things in which all of Adam's race has failed?

First, He is worthy of all honor, glory, and praise:

Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; and we shall reign on the earth."

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!"

And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and [ever!" Then the four living creatures said, "Amen!" And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever. (Revelation 5:8-14)

Second, Scripture is our great weapon in dealing with temptation, and with spiritual enemies. It is the power of Christ for life in this present evil world:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints... (Ephesians 6:10-18)

For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)

For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

Thirdly, we may have absolute confidence that our salvation is sure because of the triumph of our great Forerunner who is now in glory:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20)

If [or more literally, since] then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)

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