Tested for Our Sake: The Temptations of Jesus in the Light of Hebrews

Abstract

In this paper, I illustrate that there has been a neglect to consider what Hebrews has to say on Jesus’ temptations in studies on the temptations of Jesus. I therefore conduct an exegesis of Hebrews, whereby I argue that in the epistle, the purpose of Jesus’ temptations is understood as designed to enable fully his priestly role of intercession for those in temptation whom he represents before God. Such an anthropocentric understanding of the purpose of Jesus’ temptations makes them highly devotional in their application as I demonstrate in applying them to the experiences of the Baganda Christian martyrs of the 19th century, with the edification of Uganda Martyrs’ Seminerians in view.