Temptation

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

From April 12-17,1937, there was a reunion of the clergy who two years earlier, under the leadership of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, had established the seminary of the Confessing Church in Finkelwalde, near Stettin, and had finished the first course. Dietrich Bonhoeffer introduced each day with a Bible study on Temptation. The manuscript survived, and needed only to be put in order. E. B.

Genres: Theology

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Works of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Protestant theologian of Germany, concern Christianity in the modern world; for his role in a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, people executed him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer served as a Lutheran pastor. He, also a participant in the movement of Resistance against Nazism and a member, founded the confessing church. Members of the Abwehr, the military intelligence office planned his involvement, which resulted in his arrest in April 1943 and his subsequent hanging in April 1945 shortly before the end of the war. His secular view influenced very many people.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietric...

Reviews

[Emil Henriksen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through the book, Bonhoeffer contrasts the temptation of Adam with the temptation of Christ, and offers theological insight, together with provoking hope and practical advise for encountering temptation in flesh and spirit. Short, concise and nice.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonhoeffer captures temptation very well. He says there are temptations that particularly frighten us because of how they wreck upon us. When we find ourselves suddenly caught in the temptation we often give up very quickly. In the moments of temptation God becomes unreal to us. We lose all reality of God and only desire is left for us blaring in our faces and capturing our every thought. In fact, to enter temptation is to have all your strength stripped from you and to be forsaken by God (2 Chron 32:31). In temptation all we can do is run to the cross of the crucified Christ. We must overcome by the blood of the lamb

Bonhoeffer describes 2 temptation stories in the Bible. The temptation of Adam and the temptation of Christ. If the Adam in me is tempted, I am doomed to fall. If the Christ in me is tempted, then I am bound to conquer. He offers long details of the two temptation narratives. All temptation is an attempt to isolate us from God, but we must remain in Christ being bound to the Word of God, which is our defense.

God allows the devil to tempt us in order to execute the death of the sinner, and by dying, the Lord makes him live. In temptation, our hearts are revealed. When sin is revealed, then it can be known and therefore forgiven. By being driven into the void and darkness of temptation we are driven back into the hands of God.

Bonhoeffer leads us to pray as Christ taught us, “lead us not into temptation.” We know that in Christ, our prayer is heard and conquered for all time.

Super short book!

[Brad Dell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult to wade into because it’s dense and the writing can be unclear at times — Bonhoeffer tends to fluctuate between straightforwardness and roundboutness. Much as I love his ideas, another classic move by him is to speak in absolutes that startle and at times make me wonder if he’s gone too far.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Either we are tempted in Adam or we are tempted in Christ. Either the Adam in me is tempted- in which case we fall. Or the Christ in us is tempted- in which case Satan is bound to fall."

"...no temptation is more terrible than to be without temptation."

Bonhoeffer does it again...excellent commentary and one of the best I've read.