Was Jesus Impeccable?
Theologians hold two positions on the nature of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (Mt. 4:1–11). One position teaches that Jesus was impeccable, the English version of a Latin word meaning “not capable of sinning or liable to sin,” thus making it impossible for Jesus to sin when tempted. The other position teaches Jesus was peccable, or able to sin, when He was tempted but chose not to sin. Both views teach that Jesus never sinned while on Earth.
Those believing Jesus was peccable teach that if He was impeccable and could not sin, none of the Devil’s temptations were real for Him.
But the Devil genuinely tempted Jesus, even though it was impossible for Christ to sin. The Spirit of God led Jesus “into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (v. 1), but God never tempts any man to sin (Jas. 1:13).
Matthew’s use of the names Jesus (speaking of His humanity; Mt. 4:1) and the Son of God (a title given before His incarnation; v. 3) indicate Christ was tested not only as a Man or as God but as the God-Man, a whole person. Therefore, the Devil legitimately tempted Jesus in the wilderness.
Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (apart from sin; Heb. 4:15). He possessed a sinless nature and did not sin in thought, word, or deed. Without a sin nature, He could not succumb to sin, even though He faced genuine temptation.
To better understand impeccability, think of a man in a small rowboat who tries to sink a battleship with a bow and arrow. The attack and intent to sink the battleship are real, but the attacker cannot possibly sink a battleship with a bow and arrow.
Jesus’ attributes as the God-Man support His impeccability:
1. Jesus is omniscient. He knew all the Devil’s motives and methods to tempt Him to sin while in the wilderness but did not succumb because it is impossible for the God-Man to sin.
2. Jesus is omnipotent. He has complete sovereign power and authority over the universe (Mt. 28:18). Since Jesus the God-Man possesses all power and no weakness, He cannot sin.
3. Jesus is immutable. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). His divine nature always overruled His perfect human nature in His decisions while He was on Earth (Jn. 6:38–40). He remains unchangeable forever.
God allowed Jesus to be tempted to prove that Jesus was impeccable, incapable of sin, even when tempted.
