Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: SEANNA@bnr.ca (S.M.) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Could Jesus have sinned? Message-ID: Date: 30 Jun 91 19:13:19 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Canada Lines: 25 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu I recently explored this question with a group of friends in an informal bible study. We were agreed that it was impossible for Jesus, being God, to sin. On the other hand, we felt that if He *knew* that He would not sin, then it was not a true temptation, or at least not in the same way we face temptation (contrary to Heb 4:15). We had previously discussed the possiblity that Jesus could have given up powers of deity while still retaining characteristics of deity (Phil 2), and decided that Jesus was not omniscient, based on His own admissions of ignorance ("who touched me?" (Mark 5:30); "no one knows about that day or hour, not even...the Son" (Matt. 24:36)). We ended up concluding that although it was impossible for Jesus to sin, He (Jesus as man) did not know that it was impossible. Therefore, from Jesus' point of view, despite the fact that the outcome was assured, He really was truly tempted, not only by Satan in the wilderness, but presumably in other incidents throughout His life. -- Seanna Watson Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Opinions, what opinions? Oh *these* opinions. No, they're not BNR's, they're mine. I knew I'd left them somewhere.