山道期刊

Trial and Temptation: A Biblical Theology Discussion

WONG Fook Kong

The article looks at the concepts of trial and temptation in the Old Testament and comes to the following conclusions. Firstly, the line between test/trial and temptation is not clear cut. Failure of a test/trial may result in sinning against the LORD. This ambiguity is also reflected in the translations of the word in different translations. This means that the possibility of falling into sin as a result of a test or trial is never totally absent. Secondly, while humans' testing of God is viewed negatively, the opposite is not so. God's testing of humans is presented in a positive light. There is a didactic function to the test/trial, whereby believers learn to fear God and keep His words. It is as if God uses an “app” which repeats the questions continually until the “students” have mastered the lessons. Although the possibility of sinning is never eliminated, God does not test believers in order to cause them to sin. He tests them or brings them through a trial to teach them to love and obey Him better.

With regard to James 1:2, 12, 13-15, the distinction between trial and temptation is not a semantic distinction. They have overlapping meanings in both Hebrew and Greek. Instead, the distinctions are conceptual. In 1:2, 12, “trial” refers to God's testing of humans in order for them to learn to keep His words. This is why the trial produces steadfastness. Like the app metaphor, the more a student takes the tests, the better he becomes. He gets the answers right more and more consistently as he learns the materials. The temptation mentioned in 1:13-15 is also a test or trial. However, it does not have a didactic function. Its purpose is purely to cause believers to sin. According to James , this comes from our sinful nature and not from God. Therefore, although James used similar words to describe trial and temptation, they refer to different concepts in his usage. One is good while the other is bad.

The Meaning and Function of OT Citations in Matthew's Temptation Narrative

Jonathan W. LO

Although Matthew's Temptation Narrative contains valuable lessons for the Christian life in regard to avoiding temptation, I have argued that it is primarily a Christological text. Its purpose is to inform the reader about Jesus in relation to the broader themes in the Gospel (eg Jesus and the Law, Jesus as the Teacher, Jesus in relation to Israel, etc.). I identified two specific functions of Matthew's depiction of Jesus' use of the OT: (1) to establish a Jesus-Israel typology, and (2) to reinforce the portrayal of Jesus as the Teacher of Israel par excellence.

First, the original contexts of the citations, as well as the larger context of Deuteronomy 6-8 enable the readers to clearly see the similarities between Jesus and Israel's wilderness situation, as well as the contrasts in their responses to temptation. In addition to the other typologies that may exist in the Gospel of Matthew (eg Jesus and Moses, Jesus and David, etc.), “Jesus and Israel” is also an appropriate and significant typology. Through the concept of corporate solidarity, the parallels between Jesus' temptations and Israel's wilderness experience (Disobedience in the Wilderness of Sin, Testing God at Massah, and the Golden Calf Incident), and relating the Temptation Narrative with Jesus' baptism, I have demonstrated that Matthew presents Jesus as the true “Son of God” who emerges victorious out from the wilderness, approved and ready to do God's work.

Second, Jesus' use of the OT not only endorses the authority of the Law, but also embodies what the Law emphasizes: loyalty to God, especially in the face of uncertainty and adversity. Jesus' use of the OT contributes to his worth as the only one authorized Teacher of Israel. Not only does Jesus quote Scripture knowledgeably and skillfully, his actions are consistent with his use of Scripture, unlike his Jewish opponents in the Gospel of Matthew, the scribal elite who do not practice what they teach. And unlike the Pharisees and scribes, who practice their righteousness to be seen by others, Jesus reveals the authenticity of his righteousness through obedient acts of self-denial and trust in the wilderness. In the same way that Jesus is the Son of God, not only because God conferred to him a title but because he was also faithful to that calling, he is Israel's one teacher because he is qualified for and deserving of such a task. The Temptation Narrative demonstrates that Jesus, who represents Israel in identity and mission, is truly the Son of God, “the Beloved one in whom God is well pleased” (Mt 3:17), not just in name but also in essence and praxis.

Temptation and Trial in Vita Antonii: The Shift from Origen to Athanasius

Nathan K. NG

Vita Antonii is a Christian classic on monasticism. Its view on temptation and trial was followed by many Coptic monastic societies. This article aims to demonstrate how the hagiography reflected the Athanasian instead of the Origenist tradition.

The article first reviews the cosmology and soteriology of Origen and Athanasius and hence points out the difference in their spiritual ideals. For Origen, Christian spiritual effort is a journey from one's distorted divine image to the pure likeness of God in which the essence of a human soul is enhanced. Although there will be temptations in the spiritual journey, they are actually trials from God and are good for Christians.

However, for Athanasius, Christians should keep focus on God so as to maintain their own goodness. The function of demonic temptations is to disturb and mislead one's soul from divine contemplation. Although the devil and its demons have been weakened by Christ, they can still hinder those Christians who yield to them and cause them to fail. Those temptations are evil in nature and should always be handled with caution. Such view of temptation and trial was not only reflected but also expounded in details in Vita Antonii.

The Paradox of Trial: Mother Teresa's Spiritual Experiences

PAN Yi Jung

When I was writing this paper, Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread throughout the world. Due to the unprecedented nature of the outbreak, anxiety and fear permeated Hong Kong's society in the past months. It seems that churches and Christian believers are facing a new stage of unknown. Mother Teresa's (1910-1997) spiritual life, testimony, and service for suffering persons not only inspired many people's reflection in dilemma, her spiritual journey of love have encouraged different Christian and non-believer's life.

In the book Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the “Saint of Calcutta,” which was published only after the tenth anniversary of her death (2007), the editor Father Brian Kolodiejchuk introduced Mother Teresa's letters and personal writings. This important document revealed Mother Teresa's inner life and described her deep longing for God's presence. On the one hand, her heart was burning with a blazing flame of love for Jesus Christ. On the other hand, she was suffering from a kind of separation from His loving presence. Therefore, she experienced a situation of soul's “darkness” and anguish. Bearing such painful struggles , paradoxically, her spiritual life was thus purified and transformed.

Mother Teresa once said, “If I ever become a saint—I will surely be one of 'darkness.' I will continually be absent from Heaven—to light the light of those in darkness on earth.” On September 4, 2016, Mother Teresa indeed was made a saint by Pope Francis at a ceremony at the Vatican. Obviously, this sentence is quite a significant description to Mother Teresa's devotional life. Based on this expression, this paper is divided into four parts: (1) Burning the flame of love; (2) Trial of “darkness”; (3) Paradoxical “darkness”; and (4) Exploring the paradoxical trial of Mother Teresa in facing of unknown. Finally, this article will elaborate how Mother Teresa's paradoxical experience can inspire contemporary reader's spiritual experience in contemporary context.

From Temptation to Salvation: The Christology of Colin E. Gunton

Andres S. TANG

Regarding the issue of the temptation of Jesus Christ, Colin E. Gunton develops his Christology by following Edward Irving's suggestion that the human nature of Jesus Christ is fallen or sinful. Concerning the sinfulness of Jesus Christ, Gunton introduces the third way, namely, that “He was enable not to sin” which is better than the two traditional stances: “He was unable to sin” and “He was able not to sin.” For Gunton, the latter two make the temptation of Jesus Christ unreal. Furthermore, since what Christ has not assumed He has not saved, Gunton thinks that we need to assert Irving's suggestion. It is only in this way that Jesus Christ truly shares and represents the human being before God the Father. However, how did Jesus Christ overcome the temptation of committing sin? Instead of employing the doctrine of two natures, Gunton develops a kind of Pneumatological Christology to solve the problem. It is only through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit that Jesus Christ is able to offer His life in an obedient way to God the Father.

A Christian Reflection on Pastoral Sexual Misconduct

King-tak IP

Preventing and responding to pastoral abuse of power has become a new and distinct professional field since the mid-1980s. Among cases of power abuse, sexual misconduct is especially reprehensible. The problem has received an unprecedented public profile. There is no returning to the days of secrecy, cover-ups, and denial. This paper attempts to give a Christian reflection on pastoral sexual misconduct. In section one, the author explains what behaviors have been classified as sexual misconduct. Section two deals with the question of why pastoral sexual misconduct is immoral. In section three, the author elucidates the harms that sexual misconduct brings to churches, pastors, victims, and their families. In addition, it attempts to handle the question of whether forgiveness is possible. Since pastoral sexual misconduct brings serious harm to all stakeholders, it needs to be prevented at all cost. Section four encourages pastors to take practical steps that could help them resist sexual temptation and be held accountable for meeting their professional expectation. The last section covers the measures that churches should take to prevent pastoral sexual misconduct and recommends procedures for handling cases of sexual misconduct in a fair manner.

Faith and Status Quo: What Can Post-Handover Hong Kong Churches Learn from Liberation Theology?

Ann Gillian CHU

In a city that is focused on its financial progress and struggling to grapple with its post-handover political situation, what would help those in the Christian community to reflect on their current theological and spiritual situation? The presupposition of liberation theology—that is, the relationship between faith and politics—is one of many helpful paradigms for post-handover Hong Kong churches, as it balances the churches' inward-looking narrative by creating greater awareness and interaction with the secular world through the lens of faith. One critique of Hong Kong churches is that they are too inward-looking, and liberation theology may be a way to recalibrate their perspective toward the world. First, this article will analyze and critique the thinking of Gustavo Gutiérrez, one of the first liberation theologians, and second, it will examine whether and how liberation theology can impact the existing social and political structures in Hong Kong. The author points out and responds to the two major arguments of liberation theology in Hong Kong: first, that the city's historical and cultural context do not allow for revolutionary-style theology, and such theology only ends up in academic discussions; and second, that liberation theology is eisegesis rather than exegesis. The article asks whether liberation theology has a place in post-handover Hong Kong churches. The author reaches the conclusion that Christians are not called to maintain the status quo, but to critically reflect on whether current socio-political structures are in accordance with God's will.