Term Paper on "Temptations of Jesus"
Term Paper 6 pages (2056 words) Sources: 1+
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Temptations of Jesus in the desert, as described by the gospels, can be viewed from the human and divine perspective. From the divine perspective, Christ was tempted to confirm his perfect obedience to God, and his willingness to follow the plan derived from the beginning of the world. From the human perspective, the temptations are proof that Christ was both human and divine. Furthermore it serves as an inspiration for Christians to withstand temptation in the way that Christ did. The temptations can also be seen within the context of the world in which it was written, as well as from the perspective of Christianity today. Indeed, those who believe in Christ today still derive comfort from the entire gospel, and particularly from the temptations.The imagery of the desert is interpreted in several ways (1). It could for example signify loneliness, remoteness, or a place where devils reside. In the context of Christ's ministry, the desert was usually where Jesus went to be alone and to pray. It is then here that Satan brought three temptations to Christ. These addressed three particular areas of human and spiritual life. Satan focused on the weakness of Christ's human nature, while Jesus on the other hand used the inner spiritual strength given by God to overcome the temptations.
In the context of Christ's world, it was common religious practice, especially for spiritual leaders, to separate themselves from the world to focus on the spiritual. Fasting was also common religious practice. While fasting and separation for spiritual purposes still occur in today's world, it is far less common than it was in the world of Christ. Indeed, the nature of society and life in the curren
download full paper ⤓
A more relevant today, as there are many more distractions in terms of luxury and earthly pleasures than was the case 2,000 years ago.
After his 40-day period of fasting in the desert, Jesus was subjected to three temptations.
The first focused on his physical needs:
And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread" (Matthew 4:1-3).(2)
The devil is absolutely in touch with Jesus' physical needs and knows where he is weakest at that point. The temptation is also leveled at the dual level of Christ's nature as the Son of God. As such, he has the divine means available to satisfy his human hunger (2). Christ however understands the problematic nature of obeying Satan. This would mean no longer obeying God or his plan. Jesus therefore, despite his ability chooses what he sees as the right path at the time. He chooses to obey God instead of Satan and thus continues on the perfectly righteous path to the cross. In this he guides his followers towards the correct course of action in temptation.
While Christ therefore had the unique advantage of being divine, he also understands the predicament of humanity. His physical, human body was hungry and he had the means at his disposal to satisfy that hunger. Nonetheless, his spiritual awareness overrides his human nature and he is able to choose the correct path.
In the same way Christians today are required to make choices on the grounds of their spiritual rather than their human nature. Christ's refusal to try and prove to the devil his nature as the Son of God is meant to be reflected in the spiritual nature of the human children of God. It
Quotations from the Bible are from the King James Version
Frank Stigall. "The Three Temptations of Jesus." In The Law is Not of Faith. Christ-Life Fellowship, 1992.
A is unnecessary to prove anything as long as there is the assurance of Christ's redemption. This redemption is furthermore also to inspire Christians not to succumb to physical temptation, even if the means of satisfaction are readily at hand.
Jesus' answer to the devil at this point is poignant: "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).
This is of particular significance in spirituality. Almost all forms of spirituality entail some sort of physical sacrifice to the spiritual ideal. Christ's spiritual ideal was to cleanse his body through fasting in order to come closer to God. The devil attempts to destroy this union through temptation. Christ however uses the security of his spiritual nature to overcome such temptation and to move closer still to his union with God (3).
The lesson for Christians here is not to literally fast 40 days, but rather to understand that union with God is important above all desires of the flesh. Actions should be taken to cultivate this union. Human beings should also understand the vitality to be gained from a relationship with God. It is therefore necessary for the very life force of the Christian to take time for prayer and bible study in order to achieve closer unity with God.
For the second temptation, the devil tempts Christ to display his religious power:
Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee..."
This temptation directly addresses the religious leadership and miraculous abilities of Christ. Jesus uses these later during his ministry in order to advance the relationship his followers
4. Stigall cultivate with God. The first temptation focused on the physical, whereas this one is focused more upon the purely spiritual. Jesus is tempted to show the devil something miraculous purely for its own sake. Christ however recognizes that miracles are to be used only when they further the message and glory of God. Succumbing to Satan's request in this instance would give power and glory to Jesus, but not to God.
The message inherent in this temptation is that God's power, while it can accomplish anything, is not to be used for frivolous purposes such as personal gain or its entertainment value. Many religious leaders today fall into this trap. It is easy to entertain people with special effects or the correct words. Without touching their hearts however, such religious services remain no more than empty entertainment filled with exciting words and the occasional parlor trick. This is reminiscent of Paul's treatise on love - if anything is not based upon the true love found in Christ, it is devoid of meaning.
For today's Christian this would mean an exercise in faith. Of course the world has made staggering developments in terms of technology and science. Human beings can do almost anything for themselves, and our advancements have become little short of miraculous. It is difficult to imagine Jesus and his miracles in our world. Nonetheless, Christians are required to have faith in him rather than in the temptation to demand spectacular miracles. The basis of faith should be trust rather than miracles. If truly spectacular miracles do occur, these should be seen to strengthen the faith that is already there. If faith rests only upon what can be seen it is no longer faith at all. This can be paralleled with Thomas and his inability to believe that Christ has risen before seeing him in the flesh. Seeing in Christianity is the result of believing, rather than the other way around.
Whereas the first two temptations focused on Christ's body and his personal glory, the third temptation was a direct attack on his soul. Christ was tempted to give up the entire purpose of his existence, including the death that would be the culminating point of his earthly ministry:
Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:8-9).
Christ's path of self-denial and eventual death before the glorifying resurrection is an impossibly difficult path. This difficulty is evident during the episode in the Garden of Gethsemane. Christ himself prays to be delivered from the painful death awaiting him. Nonetheless, he does not succumb to the devil's temptation for possessions and earthly kingdoms in exchange for the heavenly kingdom. In his ultimate sacrifice, and his ultimate refusal of temptation, Christ provides his followers with the cumulative example of… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "Temptations of Jesus" Assignment:
General Guidelines
1.The paper should be 6 pages in length (doubled-spaced).
2.The paper should have a title page and a bibliography. Leave the title page blank, I will fill it in.
Bibliographic or Internet Sources
1. Use at least 4 written sources for the paper, not counting the Bible. You must use the Bible as the primary source, but do not list the Bible in the bibliography.
2. Do not rely on the Internet sources too heavily.
Form of the Paper
*In Introduction
* State the topic and its significance.
* Identify relevant texts in the Scripture.
In Body
* Describe the historical and literary context of the passage.
* Make an outline of the passage by analyzing the literary structure of the passage.
* Analyze the passage. Explain what the verses meant in the original historical setting. Use insights from different translations, theological dictionaries, and commentaries.
* Explain what the verses mean today as you understand the application of these verses.
In the conclusion:
*Summarize what is learned.
Form and Style: Please use the Turabian writing style, that is basically a short version of the Chicago Manual of Style.
1. Parts of the Paper
* Title page
* Blank page
* Text
* Bibliography
2. Formats and Page Layouts
* Margins
Leave at least one inch margin on all four edges of the page. Two inch margin is required on the top of the beginning page that contains the title or the major chapter headings.
*Indentation:
Indent five to eight spaces (or half an inch) for the first line of each paragraph both in text and in footnotes.
*Spacing:
The text should be double-spaced except block quotations, notes, captions, and long headings.
*Pagination:
Number pages with Arabic numerals centered or flush right at the top of the page. For the first page that contains the title or a chapter heading, place the number at the foot of the page.
3. Rules of Quotation
(1) Two rules of thumb: Quotations must be kept short and they must be merged into the text if possible.
* If your own word or phrase is added to the quotation, enclose it in square brackets.
* The spelling, capitalization, and punctuation of the quoted passage must be faithfully reproduced.
* If more than two sentences are quoted, make it a block quotation. The block quotation needs to be indented rather than enclosed in double quotation marks.
4. Footnotes
* Position: Footnotes must be placed on the page where they are referred to. The text and footnotes are separated by a short line, or separator, usually 2 inches long.
* Format: When referring to a written source,the following basic information is required:
(for a book): Name of the author (First name followed by the last name), the title of the book (place of publication: Publisher, copyright date), page number. Other supplemental information such as the name of series, volume number, and the name of the editor or translator comes between the title of the book and place of publication.
(for an article in a journal): Name of the author, "title of the article," the name of the journal volume number (month year of publication): page number.
The full bibliographical information is needed only for the first reference. The subsequent reference to the same source should be abbreviated by mentioning only the author's last name and the page number. If more than two identical last names occur, the first name should also be included. If more than two sources of the same author are used, the abbreviated title of the books needs to be included. For journals, ancient literature, and the Bible, one should use the most commonly accepted abbreviation.
5. Bibliography
* Use single space.
* Do not indent the first line; indent the hanging lines instead.
* Allow an extra line space between entries.
* List authors in alphabetical order.
* Do not list the Bible and reference works (such as dictionaries and encyclopedia) in bibliography.
* Do not include page number for a book, but include page numbers for an article.
* The Format for a book:
Dalton, R. Bart. How is the World Going? Analecta Biblica Monograph series 148. El Paso, Texas: Pontificio Istituto Biblico, 2001.
*Format for an article in a journal:
Dalton, R. Bart "How we come together" Bulletin for
fun Research 11 (2001): 108-22.
Sources
* Use academic sources.
* Use variety of sources. Use both books and articles that reflect different views.
* Limit Internet sources to minimum. Do not use Internet sources if you do not know the author.
How to Reference "Temptations of Jesus" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“Temptations of Jesus.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2005, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/temptations-jesus/9936857. Accessed 28 Sep 2024.
Related Term Papers:
Temptations of Jesus Term Paper
Temptations of Christ
The temptation of Christ is a complete story with an introduction, three trials, and an ending. The temptation is mentioned in several other texts. The temptation is… read more
Term Paper 5 pages (1790 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Religion / God / Theology
Jesus Christ and the Word in the Book of John Term Paper
Jesus Christ and the Book Of John
John's Purpose
John the Man
John and His Gospel
The Validity of John
The book of John is quite unique from the other… read more
Term Paper 10 pages (2592 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Religion / God / Theology
Jesus Questionnaire Essay
Jesus
In the introductory material, key themes such as "sin," "sacrifice," and "relationship with God" emerge. How do these themes apply to the story of Jesus? Why are these themes… read more
Essay 2 pages (580 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Religion / God / Theology
Financial Temptations in the Church Term Paper
Financial Temptations in the Church
Money is considered to be one of the major areas of conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness in the sphere… read more
Term Paper 5 pages (2019 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Economics / Finance / Banking
Jesus and the Synoptic Gospels Term Paper
Gospels
The Bible is probably the most read and most controversial book in the history of humanity. Much of this controversy can be attributed to the first four books of… read more
Term Paper 30 pages (8212 words) Sources: 1+ Topic: Religion / God / Theology
Sat, Sep 28, 2024
If you don't see the paper you need, we will write it for you!
We can write a new, 100% unique paper!