Jesus and Sin?

Question: Glenn asks, “Referring to Romans 8:3, the author of the footnotes in my Bible says, ‘Jesus, as God, took on our human nature, a nature that was susceptible to temptation. Although He was tempted, He never sinned.’ I don’t believe that Jesus took upon himself our sinful nature. Is there a difference to what the author says in my Bible? Thanks.”

Answer: Both you and the author have a point. The Lord Jesus took upon Himself our humanity–a real human nature, but a sinless nature (Heb. 4:15). (Humanity’s corruption was avoided through His miraculous conception in the womb of the virgin Mary, Lk. 1:35.)

Think of the serpent in the wilderness, to which Christ compares Himself in John 3:15-16 (cf. Num. 21:5-9). It was like the poisonous snakes infesting the camp, but without the poison. Similarly, God sent “His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Rom. 8:3). Notice it does not say “in sinful flesh” (implying that He too was corrupted by sin). Nor does it say simply “in the likeness of flesh” (implying that He was not a real human being).

I am a little more bothered by the phrase “susceptible to temptation” in your Bible’s footnote. If the author means Jesus could be tempted, we know that is so (cf. Matt. 4:1-11). But is he inferring some weakness in the face of temptation? (Susceptible means: admitting of, or accessible to.) Then he is incorrect. The Lord Jesus Christ not only did not sin, He could not sin and still be who He is (Jas. 1:13). He could be attacked by the devil–and was. And the attack was all the more intense because He consistently resisted it without succumbing. But He could not fall.