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Well-Known Member
Interesting Article on Ego and God's use of numbers ----thought I would post it -----food for thought -----
https://www.calvaryccm.com/devotions/8-9-14/did-jesus-have-an-ego
Did Jesus Have an Ego?
Years ago, I read an article in which the writer speculated that Jesus had no ego because His focus was primarily upon the Father and secondarily upon others, but not upon Himself. From time to time, I’ve contemplated that proposition and wondered about the truth of it. I’ve come to the conclusion that because Jesus came to Earth as a man, He did have an ego, as all men do, but that He willingly surrendered it to the Father as He willingly surrendered His life for the benefit of others; i.e. us.
People generally think of "ego" as an inflated feeling of pride in oneself, and it’s true that is one meaning. However, "ego" is also thought of as the part of us that experiences and reacts to the outside world. And both these meanings are impactful to a Christian; that is, excessive pride and connection to the world.
When we look at Jesus’ 40 days and nights in the desert, we see that Satan tries to tempt Jesus via His ego. In other words, Satan wants Jesus to embrace His ego, rather than surrender it to the Father. I believe this passage of Scripture is a picture of the Christ follower’s life-long struggle with ego, pride, and worldliness. In Scripture the number 40 is very symbolic. Noah’s flood involved 40 days and nights of rain. For 40 years the children of Israel wandered in the desert. Moses was in Egypt for 40 years, in Midian for 40 years, and then in the desert for 40 years. Solomon reigned for 40 years. These are just a few of many, even hundreds, of examples.
Most Bible students feel that 40 represents a time of trial and testing, which it clearly does. But also consider this: the average gestational period of a baby in the womb is 40 weeks, and with God nothing is coincidence (Proverbs 16:33). It seems then, as if the number 40 – a time of trial, remember – represents on a grand scale, the trials of our physical lives as a whole.
So what does this have to do with Jesus’ ego? We will see that in Satan’s three temptations of Christ, and His response, a way that we also can sublimate and surrender our own ego and thus draw closer to God.
In the first temptation, in Matthew 4:3-4, we see Satan tempting Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus refuses, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: "…man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Bread represents the physical existence and Jesus denies it completely; showing that real truth lies in the spiritual realm with God beyond the physical experiences of the world. Jesus here controls His emotions and desires, which are the things that anchor us to the physical world.
Then Satan, in the second temptation (Matthew 4:5-7), tells Jesus to prove that He is the Son of God by casting Himself off the highest pinnacle of the temple; allowing Himself to be caught by angels. In response, Jesus again quotes from Deuteronomy, which says, "Do not put the LORD your God to the test…" (Deuteronomy 6:16). Here Jesus humbles Himself by continuing to surrender His ego and submitting Himself completely to God. Similarly, regardless of how we may judge ourselves in comparison to others, humility and submission are important keys. Jesus had nothing to prove, and neither do we.
In the final temptation recorded in Matthew 4:8-10, Satan takes Jesus to the highest mountain and offers Him all the kingdoms of the world if He will fall down and worship him. And once again, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13, which says, "Fear the LORD your God, serve him only…" Here, Jesus shows Himself as completely submissive by rejecting every glorious thing and all the power that the world has to offer. The takeaway for us now is to remember at all times that we are merely pilgrims on this earth; seeking a heavenly Kingdom. It is also well worth noting that during this time, Jesus was involved in some pretty serious fasting, prayer, and contemplation. It is also worth noting that after Satan’s three temptations fail, he flees.
Jesus’ experiences here allow us to see the ego for what it really is; how it attaches us to the world and all it offers. It produces negative desires and emotions that we need to control and conquer. The ego is driven by our sin nature, and this is what we must overcome as Jesus did. He showed us how to do it: through fasting, prayer, and complete submission to God. We have absolutely nothing to prove to the world or anyone in it. We are established, anointed, and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22), children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
Read: Jonah 3:4, Hebrews 4:15
Love this last line for it is so true and Powerful ------We have absolutely nothing to prove to the world or anyone in it. We are established, anointed, and sealed by God, children of God and co-heirs with Christ
https://www.calvaryccm.com/devotions/8-9-14/did-jesus-have-an-ego
Did Jesus Have an Ego?
Years ago, I read an article in which the writer speculated that Jesus had no ego because His focus was primarily upon the Father and secondarily upon others, but not upon Himself. From time to time, I’ve contemplated that proposition and wondered about the truth of it. I’ve come to the conclusion that because Jesus came to Earth as a man, He did have an ego, as all men do, but that He willingly surrendered it to the Father as He willingly surrendered His life for the benefit of others; i.e. us.
People generally think of "ego" as an inflated feeling of pride in oneself, and it’s true that is one meaning. However, "ego" is also thought of as the part of us that experiences and reacts to the outside world. And both these meanings are impactful to a Christian; that is, excessive pride and connection to the world.
When we look at Jesus’ 40 days and nights in the desert, we see that Satan tries to tempt Jesus via His ego. In other words, Satan wants Jesus to embrace His ego, rather than surrender it to the Father. I believe this passage of Scripture is a picture of the Christ follower’s life-long struggle with ego, pride, and worldliness. In Scripture the number 40 is very symbolic. Noah’s flood involved 40 days and nights of rain. For 40 years the children of Israel wandered in the desert. Moses was in Egypt for 40 years, in Midian for 40 years, and then in the desert for 40 years. Solomon reigned for 40 years. These are just a few of many, even hundreds, of examples.
Most Bible students feel that 40 represents a time of trial and testing, which it clearly does. But also consider this: the average gestational period of a baby in the womb is 40 weeks, and with God nothing is coincidence (Proverbs 16:33). It seems then, as if the number 40 – a time of trial, remember – represents on a grand scale, the trials of our physical lives as a whole.
So what does this have to do with Jesus’ ego? We will see that in Satan’s three temptations of Christ, and His response, a way that we also can sublimate and surrender our own ego and thus draw closer to God.
In the first temptation, in Matthew 4:3-4, we see Satan tempting Jesus to turn stones into bread. Jesus refuses, quoting Deuteronomy 8:3: "…man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Bread represents the physical existence and Jesus denies it completely; showing that real truth lies in the spiritual realm with God beyond the physical experiences of the world. Jesus here controls His emotions and desires, which are the things that anchor us to the physical world.
Then Satan, in the second temptation (Matthew 4:5-7), tells Jesus to prove that He is the Son of God by casting Himself off the highest pinnacle of the temple; allowing Himself to be caught by angels. In response, Jesus again quotes from Deuteronomy, which says, "Do not put the LORD your God to the test…" (Deuteronomy 6:16). Here Jesus humbles Himself by continuing to surrender His ego and submitting Himself completely to God. Similarly, regardless of how we may judge ourselves in comparison to others, humility and submission are important keys. Jesus had nothing to prove, and neither do we.
In the final temptation recorded in Matthew 4:8-10, Satan takes Jesus to the highest mountain and offers Him all the kingdoms of the world if He will fall down and worship him. And once again, Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:13, which says, "Fear the LORD your God, serve him only…" Here, Jesus shows Himself as completely submissive by rejecting every glorious thing and all the power that the world has to offer. The takeaway for us now is to remember at all times that we are merely pilgrims on this earth; seeking a heavenly Kingdom. It is also well worth noting that during this time, Jesus was involved in some pretty serious fasting, prayer, and contemplation. It is also worth noting that after Satan’s three temptations fail, he flees.
Jesus’ experiences here allow us to see the ego for what it really is; how it attaches us to the world and all it offers. It produces negative desires and emotions that we need to control and conquer. The ego is driven by our sin nature, and this is what we must overcome as Jesus did. He showed us how to do it: through fasting, prayer, and complete submission to God. We have absolutely nothing to prove to the world or anyone in it. We are established, anointed, and sealed by God (2 Corinthians 1:21-22), children of God and co-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17).
Read: Jonah 3:4, Hebrews 4:15
Love this last line for it is so true and Powerful ------We have absolutely nothing to prove to the world or anyone in it. We are established, anointed, and sealed by God, children of God and co-heirs with Christ
