Did Jesus Have an Advantage Over Us?

by Edcel; Bilon
(St. Laurent, QC, Canada)

Did Jesus have an advantage over us at the time of his incarnation? Did He use His divine power while being human?

Answer: In a sense, no, Jesus did not have an advantage - I assume you mean in terms of ability to withstand temptation. Paul tells us about Jesus incarnation:

"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Phil 2:6-8)

He left His divine power behind at the incarnation and met temptation as you and I can do, relying on the Father in heaven. Jesus regularly used "It is written ..." Any miracle He worked was for the benefit of others, not for Himself and they were all done by the power of His Father:

"Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." (John 14:10)

There is the difference that when we become Christians, often in our adult years, we bring to that new life a previous life of bad habits that require a stern fight with self but provision is made for that too.

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil 4:13)

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." (1 Cor 10:13)

And, Jesus actually had a disadvantage in that He was the special target of Satan's temptations. Satan himself tempted Jesus after His 40-day fast in the wilderness. We can be thankful that Jesus kept to His mission of revealing God's character as we are called to do also.