We read in the synoptic gospels that Satan came to
tempt Lord Jesus in the desert. The question arises: Could have Jesus really
fall into sin? ; and furthermore, why would Satan try to induce Jesus to fall
into sin if he knew God cannot possibly sin? (Mt 4:1-11; Mk 1:12-13; Lk 4:1-13).
When Satan tempted Lord Jesus, he repeatedly
asked, “If you are the Son of God”
(Mt 4:3, 6), before making his evil offerings, which in turn contrasts with the
explicit declaration of different demons that Jesus was indeed “The Son of the Most High God” (Mt 8:29;
Mk 1:24; 5:7; Lk 4:34; 8:28).
When the Logos incarnated to carry on the divine
Plan of Salvation, the divinity of the Messiah was hidden from unbelievers and
demons, for two reasons:
The prime object of the redemptive plan was
centred in the humanity of the Redeemer, not in his divinity. The Logos of YHWH
became the person of Jesus of Nazareth at the incarnation, in representation of
the whole human race in order to carry on the vicarious atonement. To know that
He was divine was of no consequence to the world at this moment.
Secondly, to reveal his divinity to unbelievers
and demons would have obstructed his Ministry. Evil men would have worshipped
Him like a pagan god and demons would not have approached Jesus at all, making
the atoning death on the Cross impossible to attain.
In order to keep this secret, the Verb incarnated
by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of St Mary, event which was later
revealed only to close relatives (Mt 1:18-20; Lk 1:41-43) and kept covered
through the presence of St Joseph as a legal husband to Mary, thus giving the impression
that Jesus was the son of both parents, like any other human.
At Jesus’s baptism, God’s declaration that He was “his
beloved Son” was given in the presence of a few (Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22),
and from that day his Messianic claim became public.
When Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, he was not
fully aware that Jesus was indeed the Messiah promised to Israel, or as the Old
Testament calls the Anointed One, the “Son of God” (2 Sam 7:12-14; Psalm 2; Jn
1:49).
When the demoniacs in different occasions called
Lord Jesus “The Son of God”, they did it after the temptation in the desert
took place, by this time Satan and his angels knew that Jesus was the Messiah,
but a human being after all. At no moment they suspected Jesus was the Logos
from the God the Father and therefore God Himself, eternal and almighty, unable
to sin or die or be defeated.
Due to this ignorance, Satan tempted Jesus, hoping
to make the human Messiah fall into enmity with God through sinfulness; and
seeing that He would not surrender to his temptations, Satan instigated the
crucifixion of Lord Jesus, hoping to destroy Him before He brought about the
Kingdom of God on Earth.
Omar Flores.
I think your analysis is good. If you read Dr Michael Heiser's book "Unseen Realm", this become clearer though I think you stated it much better and more succinct.
ReplyDeleteGlory to God.
DeleteBlessings.
Satan and the demons must know that Jesus is the son of God, God in the flesh from Matthew 28When He had come to the other side, to the country of the [c]Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. 29And suddenly they cried out, saying, “What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?”
ReplyDeleteThey knew He was the Messiah, but ignored about his divinity. There is no other reason why Satan would have allowed Him to be killed and tempting as if He could fall, and ruin his ministry.
DeleteThank you for your insight this is a great explanation to the question, in my humble opinion.
ReplyDelete