Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1877-07-05
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CONDUCTED By
REV. ROBERT LATHAM.
THE TEMPTATION. Matt. iv: I'LL.

Immediately after his baptism. We should
remember that in the ordinary sense of the
word, Christ was not baptized at ALL The
baptism of John was "unto repentance" and
the baptism which Christ, after bis resurrec-
ton, commanded his disciples to administer,
was for "the remission of SINS" Jesus Christ
never sinned, and consequently could not re-
pent, and hence could not be baptized into
Johns baptism.
The baptism which is now practiced in the
church, had no existence prior to the resurrec-
ton of Jesus Christ. Before Jesus was cru
cited, he instituted the sacrament of the sup
per, and gave the broken bread and poured
out wine to his disciples Of this supper he
did not partake. After the resurrection of
Jesus and previous to his ascension, he COM
manded the eleven disciples to "go and teach
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost" Matthew, %: 19.
1t is clear, from the nature of the thing it.
SELF that the baptism of Jesus Christ was
neither baptism unto repentance, nor bap-
tism for the remission of sins; but ceremo'
NAL act by which he was publicly set apart
and indicted into the priests Office. Imme.
diately after this public induction into Office,
and before he had entered upon the duties Of
the Office of priest, Jesus Christ, we are in
formed, was led by the spirit into the wilder
naaa IN he temnted of the devil.
In this passage of Scripture, there are some
things that are worthy of special attention.
In the ordeal, if we may 80 speak, through
which Jesus was called to pass, both the holy
spirit and Satan we're concerned. The holy
spirit led him up into the wilderness and the
devil tempted him. Jesus was tempted by
both the holy spirit and by Satan, but not in
the same way and with same design. The
word which is translated tempt in this passage,
literally means Ito try" Ito prove" Its Sec
ondary meaning is to allure or to entice, or to
provoke to do wrong God never allures, en-
tices or provokes any one to do wrong but he
proves all. Satan never attempts to prove
any one. His whole powers are exerted in
alluring or enticing Gods intelligent and &C.
constable creatures to violate Gods holy laws.
The object which the holy spirit had in
view by thus leading Jesus into the wilder.
ness to be tempted of the devil, was to show
to the world that Jesus Christ was both God
and man. That he might be redeemer of
sinners, it was necessary that be be both God
and man. To prove that divine and human
nature were mysteriously, but really united in
one person in Jesus Christ, he was led into
the wilderness to be tempted.
The first event which transpired is recorded
to show that he was man. 1t is said he
tasted. Had he not been man, or had he
been only divine, he could not have tasted.
To abstain from food, to experience hunger
or thirst, cannot be predicated of God. 1t
is said that Jesus tasted forty days and forty
nights. We read in the Scriptures of long
abstinences from food, but in all these cases,
it was only partial abstinence. Some times
the Jews tasted during the day but eat at
night; in other cases they only abstained from
palatable food, and eat coarse diet. In no
case was the fast absolute or during both
night and day. The fact that Jesus tasted
forty days and forty nights, proves that he
was more than human. No mere man can
abstain from food for one.fourth of that time.
Whilst goaded by hunger, the tempter
came and said, tauntingly: "If thou be the
son of God, command that these stones be
made bread" No filter time could have been
chosen by Satan to allure Jesus, if it had
been possible, to give vain exhibition of his
power The cravings of the appetite are ex.
ceedingly strong. Men have been known to
offer every thing they possessed, and even
their lives, for food. Jesus replied to Satan
that it was written: "Man shall not live by
bread alone; but by every word that pro-
ceedeth out of the mouth of God"
The devil failing in this attempt took Je-
sus into the holy city and set him on the pin.
nacle Of the temple. How Satan conveyed
Jesus into Jerusalem, which we suppose to
be meant by the holy city, and set him upon
the pinnacle of the temple, We can not tell.
Tradition says that the pinnacle of the tenn.
pie overlooked deep chasm. Such place
was ftly selected. A mere human being
would have grown giddy, and been ready to
do rash act. The object of Satan seems
to have been to entice or provoke Jesus to do
a rash act or give vain exhibition of bis
power; hence Satan said, "Cast thyself down,
for it is written God shall give his angels
charge concerning thee and in their hands
they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou
dash thy foot against stone." This passage,
which is quoted from the ninety-6rst Psalm,
Satan introduced, no doubt, for the purpose
of inducing Jesus to neglect the ordinary
means to preserve bis life. In this particular,
Satan's object was to provoke Jesus to violate
the laws of Gods providence 1t will be
seen that Satan quoted only part of the
passage. He left out the words Ito keep thee
in all thy ways" 1t would seem that Satan
made the omission intentionally, for the pur
pose, apparently, to induce Jesus, in his
emergency, to neglect the use Of the proper
means to preserve his life. With the utmost
propriety, Jesus replied: "Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy God"
Foiled again. Satan took Jesus "up into an
exceeding high mountain and showed him all
the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of
them and saith unto him: Gall these will 1
give thee if thou will fall down and worship
me-" What mountain is meant and how Sa-
:.,ta L da not knaru