The Temptation

"If Thou be the Son of God..."  Matthew 27:40

Those seven words spoken by the dying thief echo Satan's words in the wilderness.  What was it in the question regarding Christ's relationship to God that was a temptation to Jesus?  It wasn't pride about the connection, it could not have been fear of being misjudged.  What was it about not being the Son of God that would have tempted Jesus?

It seems to me that Christ's biggest weakness, had He had one, was His great desire, rather His overwhelming need to save us. That is something that could only be done by the Son of God. He was healer, teacher and friend.  But, Son of God, that was His own atribute that He cherished most of all.  Not because of the connection to God, not because of the honor, but because being God's Son in the flesh allowed Him to save us from our sins.