Here’s John Piper’s answer to Justin Taylor’s question based upon Hebrews 4:15.

Can Jesus really identify with me when he doesn’t know the experience of indwelling sin raging war against the Spirit? Aren’t our temptations more powerful than those faced by Christ on earth?

I preached on this recently and suggested three illustrations to help understand this verse:

The Arithmetic Illustration

When we learn arithmetic, we don’t learn every single possible sum that can ever be learned. Instead, we learn formulas, methods, and techniques that we then practice using a sufficiently large representative sample of numbers.

In the same way, Jesus did not need to experience every single temptation possible, but only a sufficiently large representative sample that enabled Him to comprehend and understand every possible temptation in the world. In that sense we can say that He was tempted on all points through a sufficient sample, yet without sin.

The Temptation Meter Illustration

When we connect electricity to a voltage meter, the needle rises to a level that reflects the power of the supply. But imagine a voltage meter that was strong enough to resist the power; no matter how much voltage was applied, the needle didn’t move even a millimeter. The voltage is turned up until the power supply is maxed out at 100% and still not a hint of movement.

When the power of temptation comes into our lives, we often succumb so easily. The power level hardly reaches 20% or 30% when the needle starts to move as we incline towards the temptation and then give in to it. We, have no idea what it is to be tempted with 100% power because we cave in heart or in word or in action way before then.

But the power of temptation was turned up in Jesus’ life again and again until it maxed out in in the wilderness temptations and in the Gethsemane temptations; and His needle didn’t budge. He knows what it’s like to be tempted at 100% power because He was able to resist perfectly all along the scale. In that sense, we can say He was tempted on all points of the temptation scale, yet without sin.

The Stress Illustration

Every day we face temptations that challenge our minds, our emotions, and our bodies. Most of the time, unless we are climbing Everest perhaps, we are not stressing every part of us to the maximum. Sometimes, very rarely, perhaps we are close to 100% of our mental capacity or 100% of our physical capacity or 100% of our emotional capacity. But we are never maxed out in every domain at the same time, or at least for a long time.

However, the temptations that Jesus faced continually pushed him to the maximum of his mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual capacity and did so for lengthy periods of time. In the sense we can say that He was tempted and pushed on all points of His human nature, to the max possible level, yet without sin.

All Sympathy

Because Jesus was tempted by a sufficiently large and difficult sample of temptations, because He was tempted to the highest point on the temptation scale, and because He was tempted to the maximum stress of His whole human nature, we can say he was tempted on all points and therefore can sympathize on all points.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15.).

  • J_R2100

    Very helpful, but I don’t see where you addressed the specific issue of indwelling sin as our most difficult temptation. That’s what John Piper was driving at, and it’s what often keeps people in bondage to things like sexual orientation. Any thoughts on that issue?

    • David Murray

      Sorry if I didn’t make that clear. I was trying to explain that Jesus suffered far greater temptations than our temptations with indwelling sin, and because of the greater test can sympathize with lesser tests (not to say these are little tests)

      • J_R2100

        Oooh. Okay. I get it now. Sorry, I missed that on first reading. Gotcha.

      • http://atheistcards.com Andy Stout

        While you’re revealing what went on in the mind of Jesus, tell us, oh wise one, what his favorite colour?

  • Chad W

    I’ve always struggled with the meter illustration because it gives me the impression that Christians must always eventually give into this or that temptation – as though Satan will keep tempting us in the moment harder and harder until we finally give in. This does not seem to reflect the NT’s representation of the Christian’s life in the Spirit. But perhaps I’ve just always misunderstood this idea.

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  • http://atheistcards.com Andy Stout

    I can think of one temptation that Christians will never experience: the temptation to apply reason and think for themselves. Even if a Christ had existed, how would YOU, David Murray, have the slightest clue as to what went on inside his “perfect” mind?

    I yearn for a day when superstitious beliefs in gods arrives, and reason prevails.