I have heard many people, young and old, carry on one of the great debates of our time with fervor and conviction only to part ways more divided than before. One side brings up this topic, in a casual way, because, “who in their right mind would disagree?”, the other responds with an inordinate amount of incredulity, and the battle has begun. Relationships are left in tatters, the fortifications are assembled, no quarter is given, and the mad kings/queens return to their courts where only like-minded individuals are allowed - In this case, probably a Comic Book store. Because in this case I’m referring, of course, to the great debate between Batman and Superman. It’s probably one of the top volatile issues of our time... at least in an archetypal/symbolic sort of way.
Credibility of a Leader
The main grievance against Superman I have most often heard is that he has no weaknesses (which is only partially true), so he can’t help but be strong. Who can relate to a being that doesn’t struggle against life in the same way that I do? He doesn’t understand my life because he’s just so high above me. Then we have Batman, a (mostly) normal human being who simply uses the resources available, struggles against himself, and must constantly train his mind and body to stand up against the tyranny and suffering that plagues the city he loves. I won’t be so presumptuous as to tackle such a lofty topic, so now I’ll transition to the Bible... I don’t believe it’s a stretch at all to draw a connection here to the way we can view Jesus. We read that Jesus was fully man yet fully human, was the son of God and never sinned, yet faced the exact same temptations and hardships we have all faced. But our minds get jammed up, how could he have sinned? He was perfection incarnate and had His own “God superpowers”, He couldn’t help but obey the Father, how am I supposed to take that seriously as an example? (Phil 2:7, Rom 8:3, Col 2:9, John 10:30, Heb 4:15) These are perfectly reasonable questions and not uncommon. It can feel much easier to relate to most other examples in scripture, especially the New Testament, simply because we see how flawed the characters are and how life could be tough for them. We get it, we see ourselves when we see disciples doubting or being petty, when they are terrified by a storm or can’t even stay awake to help out a friend. The same is true for pastors or when we share our testimony with others. The fight against the flesh provides credibility, and gives people hope that they can overcome it too. So if this is something we intuitively feel and recognize, how do we reconcile this difficulty in relating to our Lord?
Perspective Change
Well the easiest answer would be: Because the Bible says so. The Bible, as I previously pointed out, is pretty clear that Jesus was in fact human and truly did face every temptation. I think in many cases we do need to learn to trust the Word more. If we don’t understand something, we would do well not to change the word of God to fit our own understanding, but instead change our understanding so that we see how we fit into God’s word. So what else does the Bible say on the matter? I would like to consider a fact we may be overlooking. I will break this down into a logical sequence to help keep my thoughts in order.
1. Jesus had spent eternity past with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He saw, felt, tasted, smelled, heard, and truly was the power of God. They were one and words will never be able to adequately describe just how good that was. Therefore, while Jesus was present on earth he could remember exactly what that was like. (John 1:1, John 10:30)
2. The disciples spent just a few years with Jesus and they started to see what Jesus saw too. John 6 has one of my very favorite passages, here are verses 68 and 69:
“Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.’”
In this passage, if you start in verse 60 you see that even though the teachings of Jesus were difficult, and dozens of people decided not to follow him, the 12 remained. Peter explains how, yes it is difficult to follow Jesus, but now that they have seen the truth- anything less would simply not satisfy. In other words, the 12 had reached a crossroads: Follow Jesus or turn away. In Peter’s mind there was no choice at all. Having been in the presence of God and His work gave them the strength to trust and obey.
3. Therefore, how much more would Jesus, when reaching his own crossroads in life, could easily remember the community and presence of the Father and, like the disciples, choose the path of eternal life? Jesus, having much more than a glimpse of God’s presence, could not only choose to follow the Lord every so often, but do it every single time. There was no doubt in his mind that living for the flesh would not satisfy, there was truly no other option because he knew better.
The way I understand it, there wasn’t some cheat code Jesus used to beat Satan in the final round, while the rest of us have to tough it out on “hard mode”. Jesus held fast to the knowledge of the Father’s goodness and His presence. I will point out that I’m not stating this as the definitive way to understand the topic, it’s simply something to consider and something I am continuously learning from.
Conclusion
The cut-and-dry solution would be to simply spend more time in the presence of God, and it is the right solution. But there are many ways to accomplish this and it takes practice to learn the optimum methods each of us can use to find our way to the Lord. Some clear examples from Jesus include:
- Quiet time with the Father (Lk 5:15-16, Mk 1:35-37)
- Prayer in the temple (Mk 1:35-37, Lk 3:21)
- Discussions of theology with other believers (Lk 2:46-49)
- Service (Jn 13:3-5)
- Vulnerable moments with a small group of friends (Mt 17:1-13 & 26:36-45)
- Fasting (Mt 6:16-18)
These are just a few examples of course, but I would emphasize using the time after these methods to reflect on what’s most effective for you. No comparisons or self-doubt, just practice, write down or discuss how you felt, and make a point to spend more time doing what works and not worrying about what doesn’t (I’m not suggesting to avoid any one spiritual practice, but rather not panicking if your friends/family prefer one yet you prefer another). I want to make sure I point out that we will face resistance. Our flesh will always look for a way out, a loophole, to avoid engaging with our weaknesses or obstacles. Like a frightened animal, our selfish desires hate being fenced in and will scurry and claw through the tiniest crack looking for the counterfeit freedom of foolishness. Learn to recognize those tendencies when they creep up, acknowledge them, and let them pass on by. As our wells begin to fill, and we feast on the Words of God, we will encounter the Father’s presence on a regular basis. Then, when we arrive at the next crossroads - the narrow and wide paths before us - we can remember how good it was to be with Jesus and know that nothing is worth separating us from that.