The Judge—the Son of Man and the Son of God #4

Thursday, July 8, 2021

“For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (John 5:22,23 KJV).

Why has God the Father committed all judgment unto God the Son?

In chapter 4, the writer of Hebrews penned: “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. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (verses 15,16). Also, chapter 2, verse 18: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour [aid, comfort] them that are tempted.” Obviously, these refer to Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12,13; and Luke 4:1-13. Here, Satan challenged Jesus—or, better yet, where Jesus allowed Himself to be tested or proved as per the Father’s plan. “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:…” (James 1:13). Since God cannot be tempted, and John’s Gospel Record focuses on Jesus Christ’s Deity, John does not record Christ’s temptations.

As described in 1 John 2:16, Satan’s evil world system uses at least one of three avenues to entice us: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” The order of Christ’s temptations in Luke 4:1-13 follow this pattern: “the lust of the flesh” (bread, or “I want it!”), “the lust of the eyes” (kingdoms, or “It looks good!”), and “the pride of life” (angels, or “I deserve it!). It was also the configuration of Satan’s attacks on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden: “good for food,” “pleasant to the eyes,” and “a tree to be desired to make one wise” (Genesis 3:6). Where Adam and Eve failed, of course, Christ triumphed. He was the perfect Son of Man, able to fairly judge other sons of men….