I wonder why MarkBnsr would think that Jesus would have had any difficulty whatever in resisting Satan's temptations — "It took all that Jesus had to withstand satan, no?"
The short answer: NO. Satan has zero power over us — unless we give him power over us by falling for his blandishments....
Does Mark really think the Son of God — Logos, Alpha and Omega — quails before the supposed power of the Father of Lies?
Thank you ever so much for writing, Dr. E, and for the ping to your outstanding essay/post!
The short answer: NO. Satan has zero power over us — unless we give him power over us by falling for his blandishments....
Does Mark really think the Son of God — Logos, Alpha and Omega — quails before the supposed power of the Father of Lies?
Why not reread the passage?
1 1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2 He fasted for forty days and forty nights, 2 and afterwards he was hungry.
P 3 The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread." 4 3 He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'" 5 4 Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, 6 and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and 'with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" 7 Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'" 8 Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, 9 and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." 5
10 At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'" 11 Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.
By your logic, there was no point in saying that Jesus fasted for 40 days and 40 nights and he was hungry. Can God be hungry? Or that satan flew Jesus around the world (instead of vice versa) and tempted Him. Does satan have enough power to tempt Jesus? Can God be tempted? If Jesus was tempted, does that not indicate something? Can you tempt God? At the end, the angels came and ministered to Him. What? What does that mean? Does God need somebody to minister to Him? Does that even make sense, unless we have the illustration of Jesus the man. Note the parallel with the Passion - at the end, He cries out. In the Garden, He is tempted to do His best to avoid Crucifixion.
Scripture says tempt. I never said that He would fail, but that it took all He had to overcome that temptation, just like in three years - in the Garden.