Dorothy Mae
Member
Today is the day the christians in many places think of the crucifixion of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. The story of these events is so well known, it seems unnecessary to quote them. But I think that in the traditional focus on Jesus dying for us, we might take a few moments to think of him and what he suffered, not what we got out of it. Maybe it might be pleasing to Him to think of Him and not us for a short time.
It is clear that he knew that this was before him and knew for a long time. Does not seem to make the time being ripe any easier. Anyone who knows that a loved one is dying knows that this awareness did not lessen the pain when it actually happens. Jesus asked if it were possible to have that cup pass him by but would submit to the Father's will nevertheless. This, I think, is not a small matter and I do not think we do his acute suffering justice by describing his agony as no big deal because his Father's will was paramount. If we are going to focus on the price he paid, this must be a part of it. He did not want to suffer which shows that the suffering was real, it was going to be real, and like anyone else, he did not want to suffer. Makes his doing so more precious, not less.
Then I learned today that when we are in great distress, the blood vessels around the sweat glands can actually burst and blood flows out the sweat glands. This, too, is a sign that he suffered knowing what he would suffer. The suffering was purely the emotional and mental anguish at that point as the physical has not yet started. His ordeal in the garden was real and indescribably painful. This too we can remember and take a moment to contemplate before rushing quickly into what we got out of it.
The beatings, I assume, you have heard of and that the whips had pieces of bone that stripped the flesh of muscle tissue down to the bone. The crown of thorns that pierced his head is also not new. The mental anguish is hard to estimate as he knew what was in man and knew the evil that men could do. But it ought to be said and not quickly brushed off.
The word excruciating comes from the Roman custom of executing people by crucifixion. We can assume it is the most painful death possible. There are other losses that he suffered. The men he had traveled with he loved deeply. He was leaving them. They would desert him in his hour of need but he loved and forgave them. This he too was laying down.
So maybe thinking of him and his loss and not chalking it up to nothing at all because of him being God is a good thing to do. After all, Jesus said "do this in remembrance of me" not "do this in remembrance of what I do for you."
It is clear that he knew that this was before him and knew for a long time. Does not seem to make the time being ripe any easier. Anyone who knows that a loved one is dying knows that this awareness did not lessen the pain when it actually happens. Jesus asked if it were possible to have that cup pass him by but would submit to the Father's will nevertheless. This, I think, is not a small matter and I do not think we do his acute suffering justice by describing his agony as no big deal because his Father's will was paramount. If we are going to focus on the price he paid, this must be a part of it. He did not want to suffer which shows that the suffering was real, it was going to be real, and like anyone else, he did not want to suffer. Makes his doing so more precious, not less.
Then I learned today that when we are in great distress, the blood vessels around the sweat glands can actually burst and blood flows out the sweat glands. This, too, is a sign that he suffered knowing what he would suffer. The suffering was purely the emotional and mental anguish at that point as the physical has not yet started. His ordeal in the garden was real and indescribably painful. This too we can remember and take a moment to contemplate before rushing quickly into what we got out of it.
The beatings, I assume, you have heard of and that the whips had pieces of bone that stripped the flesh of muscle tissue down to the bone. The crown of thorns that pierced his head is also not new. The mental anguish is hard to estimate as he knew what was in man and knew the evil that men could do. But it ought to be said and not quickly brushed off.
The word excruciating comes from the Roman custom of executing people by crucifixion. We can assume it is the most painful death possible. There are other losses that he suffered. The men he had traveled with he loved deeply. He was leaving them. They would desert him in his hour of need but he loved and forgave them. This he too was laying down.
So maybe thinking of him and his loss and not chalking it up to nothing at all because of him being God is a good thing to do. After all, Jesus said "do this in remembrance of me" not "do this in remembrance of what I do for you."