Thoughts on the current lesson:
Sabbath Afternoon:
The quotation from Hebrews that Jesus was made a little lower than the “angels” (aggelos – Strong’s #G32, meaning a “messenger”) is from the Septuagint (the Septuagint, sometimes abbreviated as LXX, was the Hebrew Old Testament translated into Greek when they were the world's ruling power. It differs significantly from the Hebrew Old Testament and explains why many New Testament quotations from the Old Testament do not use the same wording as they are manly from the Septuagint) and not a translation from the Hebrew Old Testament even though it is a quote from Psalms 8:5 (which, although it reads the same in the King James Bible, reads “angels” but in the Hebrew Old Testament of Psalms 8:5 the word “angels” is the Hebrew word “Elohim” (Strong’s #H430) commonly translated as “God” in the Old Testament but was also translated to the English word “angel” due to the New Testament usage. However, there is indication that the original sense was “a little lower than God”.
Sunday:
The lesson is a little mistaken as a Hebrew slave to another Hebrew was to serve either unto the seventh year (Exodus 21:1-2) or unto the Jubilee Year, as mentioned in these texts. There was no reason to suppose, as the lesson does here, that every Hebrew slave could only regain his freedom every 50 years. The lesson does rightly use these texts to describe the relationship of the slave to his Redeemer (here exemplified by Christ in the grandest sense or as a type of Christ).
Once again, the lesson gets confused about what Adam’s sin did and did not do. The belief that we are condemned by Adam’s sin (even though they state, “our transgression”, which would be true, they lump this in with the results of Adam’s sin thereby making the death penalty part of his actions, which is not true), is also called “Original Sin” (since it occurred at the “origin” of man). Although many pastors and leaders have adopted this belief into Adventism it is not an Adventist belief and is to be objected to. In Ezekiel 18, God states that ancient Israel held a similar teaching, that is, that they charged God falsely by saying, “The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge”. (Ezekiel 18:2) Thus, they were being punished for something their ancestral fathers did. God vehemently denied this charge by stating, “As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel”. (Ezekiel 18:3) Everyone who dies the first death is bearing out a consequence of Adam’s Sin – this is true; but only those who sin, as Adam did (and we all will sin unless aided by the power of Christ) will receive of the second death. Though this may seem a technicality it is an important distinction because God has condemned the belief in Original Sin Himself. Ellen White also denies this belief in the following statement:
“Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me.” It is inevitable that children should suffer from the consequences of parental wrongdoing, but they are not punished for the parents’ guilt, except as they participate in their sins. It is usually the case, however, that children walk in the steps of their parents. By inheritance and example the sons become partakers of the father’s sin. Wrong tendencies, perverted appetites, and debased morals, as well as physical disease and degeneracy, are transmitted as a legacy from father to son, to the third and fourth generation. This fearful truth should have a solemn power to restrain men from following a course of sin. {Patriarchs & Prophets, page 306.3}
Tuesday:
IMPORTANT – Does everyone notice the problem of Jesus being like us “in all things” yet not having our tendencies? How He could be tempted yet not from within? This is where the lesson veers of an established “thus saith the Lord” for a “this is how we need to understand these verses”. In the second paragraph, the author separates (First…) from (Second…) when they say the same thing! Jesus did not commit sin (action or thought, commission or omission) and therefore was “holy, innocent, unstained, separate from sinner”. Notice, that is “therefore” and not First and Second – they say the same thing! Did Jesus share our nature? Yes or No. Was He in all things tempted as we are? Yes or No. I guess that depends on whether you are asking the Bible or a pastor (teacher, leader, etc.). The Bible answers are Yes! The lesson says Yes to being like us but No to actually being like us. What’s wrong? We have the Bible answers, let’s look at the Spirit of Prophecy.
Trials and temptations may come; but the child of God, whether minister or layman, knows that Jesus is his helper. Jesus is stronger than the strong man armed, and will rescue from the power of Satan every soul that relies wholly upon him. Although we may be weak and helpless in ourselves, yet all the forces of heaven are at the command of the believing child of God, and the hosts of hell cannot make him depart from the right course if he clings to God by living faith. Temptation is no sin; the sin is in yielding to temptation. “Count it all joy,” says the apostle James, “when ye fall into divers temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” God permits us to be placed under circumstances that will test us, to increase our love and to perfect our trust in him. Through self-denial and suffering with Christ, we grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth. Trials will come, but they are an evidence that we are children of God. Paul passed through great trials, but he did not despair as though his Father in heaven were dead. He rejoiced in tribulation; for he desired, through participation in the sufferings of Christ, to be conformed to his image. Let this hero of faith speak for himself. He says, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distresses for Christ’s sake.” {Review & Herald May 20, 1884, par. 8}
So, Jesus could be tempted, as long as He did not give in to temptation. But was He tempted with the same things we are tempted with?
In Christ were united the human and the divine. His mission was to reconcile God and man, to unite the finite with the infinite. This was the only way in which fallen men could be exalted through the merits of the blood of Christ to be partakers of the divine nature. Taking human nature fitted Christ to understand man’s trials and sorrows, and all the temptations wherewith he is beset. Angels who were unacquainted with sin could not sympathize with man in his peculiar trials. Christ condescended to take man’s nature and was tempted in all points like as we, that He might know how to succor all who should be tempted. {Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, page 201.1} 1871
Christ must bear the sins of the world. As they were now laid upon Him, they seemed more than He could endure. The guilt of sin was so terrible, He was tempted to fear that God could no longer love Him. {Story of Jesus, page 102.2} 1900
Even doubts assailed the dying Son of God. He could not see through the portals of the tomb. Bright hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the tomb a conqueror and His Father’s acceptance of His sacrifice. The sin of the world, with all its terribleness, was felt to the utmost by the Son of God. The displeasure of the Father for sin, and its penalty, which is death, were all that He could realize through this amazing darkness. He was tempted to fear that sin was so offensive in the sight of His Father that He could not be reconciled to His Son. The fierce temptation that His own Father had forever left Him caused that piercing cry from the cross: “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” {Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, page 209.3}
Sunday afternoon I spoke in the same hall on the subject of temperance to a good congregation, who listened with the deepest interest. I had freedom and power in presenting Jesus, who took upon himself the infirmities and bore the griefs and sorrows of humanity, and conquered in our behalf. He was made like unto his brethren, with the same susceptibilities, mental and physical. He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin; and he knows how to succor those who are tempted. Are you harassed and perplexed? So was Jesus. Do you feel the need of encouragement? So did Jesus. As Satan tempts you, so he tempted the Majesty of heaven. Jesus, as your representative and substitute, did not yield on the field of conflict; and in his strength you may resist and conquer. Every fallen son and daughter of Adam may rejoice that they are prisoners of hope, and that Satan can be vanquished. {Review & Herald February 10, 1885 par. 7}
Satan had pointed to Adam’s sin as proof that God’s law was unjust, and could not be obeyed. In our humanity, Christ was to redeem Adam’s failure. But when Adam was assailed by the tempter, none of the effects of sin were upon him. He stood in the strength of perfect manhood, possessing the full vigor of mind and body. He was surrounded with the glories of Eden, and was in daily communion with heavenly beings. It was not thus with Jesus when He entered the wilderness to cope with Satan. (What was “not thus” with Jesus? That the effects of sin were, therefore, upon Him? It must be as she goes on to say…) For four thousand years the race had been decreasing in physical strength, in mental power, and in moral worth; and Christ took upon Him the infirmities of degenerate humanity. Only thus could He rescue man from the lowest depths of his degradation.
Many claim that it was impossible for Christ to be overcome by temptation. Then He could not have been placed in Adam’s position; He could not have gained the victory that Adam failed to gain. If we have in any sense a more trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its liabilities. He took the nature of man, with the possibility of yielding to temptation. We have nothing to bear which He has not endured. {Desire of Ages, page 117}
The human family have all the help that Christ had in their conflicts with Satan. They need not be overcome. They may be more than conquerors through Him who has loved them and given His life for them. “Ye are bought with a price” ( 1 Corinthians 6:20). And what a price! The Son of God in His humanity wrestled with the very same fierce, apparently overwhelming temptations that assail men—temptations to indulgence of appetite, to presumptuous venturing where God has not led them, and to the worship of the God of this world, to sacrifice an eternity of bliss for the fascinating pleasures of this life. Everyone will be tempted, but the Word declares that we shall not be tempted above our ability to bear. We may resist and defeat the wily foe. {Selected Messages, Vol. 1, page 95.3}
I think it is very easy to understand what the Bible is trying to tell us.
-Bill Wennell
