The contribution from Mr. Blakey in the September issue of The Testimony covers a great deal of ground, and is not lacking in detailed expositions of numerous side-issues, but it is unhelpful in the task of identifying the tempter of Jesus.
In the eighth column of his article, he writes: “The point which we wish to learn from Scripture testimony is whether the temptation was (from) his own sinful flesh (Romans 8:3) or from an outside source altogether, and we shall now begin to examine the evidence,” Quoting Matthew 4:3, he says: “These statements could only be used of a second person.” Unwary readers may be deceived into regarding this assertion as evidence in support of the theory of an external tempter. I would therefore remind Mr. Blakey that it is common ground among us that the narrative takes the form of a dialogue, but that is essential, whether the temptations were objective or subjective.
When the Prodigal Son came to the end of his resources, he resolved to return to his father’s house, and his mental reflections and decisions are given in the form of a monologue, whereas even in the story the words were entirely subjective. Without some such dramatisation, knowledge of the details of mental conflicts would be confined to the actual participants. It is only fair to your readers to point out that the dialogue form of the Temptation narrative accords equally well with the subjective theory as with the theory of an external tempter.
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Author: P. H. Adams
Keywords: Evil Inclination, Yezer hara, Yezer ha ra, Yeser hara, Yeser ha ra, Yetzer, Yetser, Yetzer ha ra, Yetzer hara, Satan, The adversary, Devil, Evil One, Angel of Death, Death angel, Fallen angels, Dualism, Jesus's temptation, Jesus' temptation, Temptation in the wilderness, Temptation, Jesus tempted, Jesus tempted in the wilderness, Tempted in the wilderness, Tempter, Yetser hara, Yetser ha ra, Evil impulse, Evil urge
Bible reference(s): Matthew 4:3-11, Mar 1:12-13, Luke 4:2-13
Source: “Readers’ Problems,” The Testimony, Vol. 6, No. 61, January 1936, pp. 30-2.
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