Did Jesus Suffer More Than Any Other Person?

Mike Hosey, Elder

All my Christian life I have heard it said that Jesus suffered more than any other person in history.

That claim is a staple of much armchair theology, but it has always stricken me as being rather overblown. I mean think about it, a guy being nailed to a wooden cross is supposed to have suffered more than a guy thrown feet first into a shredder by Saddam Hussein, or to have suffered more than an innocent boy or girl raped daily by an evil man for whom there is no hope of overpowering? 

On the surface, that claim just doesn't hold water. But like so many claims about Jesus, there's more to it than just what we see on the surface.

The suffering of Jesus can be organized into two main categories. 

First, there is the suffering of Jesus on the cross. This particular suffering has two facets as well. Obviously, there is the suffering from a real physical pain caused by the spilling of blood and the tearing of flesh. We all have the ability to relate at a very small level to this part of his suffering, because we have all had our bodies damaged in some way. But Jesus suffered more than just physically. He suffered spiritually. He bore our sins in his body while on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). And this is difficult (maybe impossible) for us to relate to on any level. Just try to imagine what it must be like to undeservedly feel the weight of all the past, present and future sins of humanity. You probably can't. Even so, it's not unreasonable to assume that such agony is greater than any physical torture - especially considering that he knew so many would reject the gift he was giving to them through all of that torture.

The second category of suffering for Jesus is far easier for us to appreciate because those of us trying to walk our talk deal with this kind of suffering every day.  It is this: Jesus suffered from temptation (Hebrews 2:18). As a man he was met daily with the temptations common to all men (Hebrews 4:15). And yet,  he never sinned. He never gave into that temptation. Ever. In fact, he resisted temptation all the way to death!

How long do we suffer temptation before giving in? Why?

The Season of Our Joy

Nelson Plasencia, Elder (and Family)

This is the last in a three part series by Elder Nelson Plasencia on the Feasts of Israel

The seventh and final of the feasts given by God to Israel and listed in Leviticus 23 is the Feast of Tabernacles. Our Jewish friends call it Sukkot (pronounced soo-coat) which is also translated “booths or huts”. It is the third of the Fall Feasts of Israel and the most joyful and festive of all seven feasts. During this week, the people live temporarily in huts built with branches where they can see the stars at night. The reason given by God for the people to live in huts temporarily is so “that your generations may know that I had the sons of Israel live in booths when I brought them out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”( Leviticus 23:43 NASB)

Tabernacles is also called The Feast of Ingathering because it is observed at the time “when you gather the fruit of your labors from the field” (Exodus 23:16 NASB). Kevin Howard and Marvin Rosenthal in the book The Feasts of the LORD explain: “The feast was celebrated with great joy. The joy was twofold, for it commemorated God’s past goodness and provision during their wilderness sojourn, and it commemorated God’s present goodness and provision with the completion of the harvest.”  It is because of this joyfulness that Sukkot is also called The Season of Our Joy!

As a community of believers in Jesus, who desire to know the Real God, we have much reason to be joyful! We realize that Jesus has set us free (past goodness) from habits, hurts and hang-ups that used to steal our joy so that we can serve and worship Him. We also thank Him because in His present goodness, He is the source of our physical and spiritual sustenance. Lastly, we know that this life with its pains and hardships is temporary and we look forward to that day when “He will wipe every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 NASB)

The Day of Atonement

Elder Nelson Plasencia (and Family)

This is the second in a three part series on Jewish traditions and holidays by Nelson Plasencia, Elder.

The holiest day in Judaism is Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. This year it begins Friday evening September 13. 

In Old Testament times, this was the only day in which the High Priest was allowed to stand in the presence of God. 

After having made a sacrifice; first on his own behalf, and then on behalf of the people; the High Priest would make his way into the Holy of Holies or Holiest Place where the ark of the LORD was kept. By reason of the blood he was then able to stand and make atonement for the sins of the nation. In the Holy of Holies he would stand in the very presence of the God of Israel. No one could come before His presence at any time except him who had been appointed High Priest, and then only once a year at a specified time, and only after having been ceremonially cleansed.

When Jesus died on the cross, Scripture tells us that the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Mat 27:51) thus signifying that the way into the true Holy of Holies was now open to all (see Heb 9:6-8). By reason of having put our trust in the blood of “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), you and I can come Into His Presence and in His Presence, stand!

The Day of Atonement was not the Day of Judgment but the Day of Forgiveness. This was the only day in the calendar when the people were commanded to fast -- which means to abstain from food. Fasting was to be done as a sign of humility, in obedience to the Word of God (Lev 23:27). It is a declaration to God that we humble ourselves before Him and confess Him as the source of our sustenance, both physical and spiritual. In keeping with the Spirit of the Law, not necessarily the Letter of the Law, I invite you to fast for one morning this coming Sunday (September 15) as we worship together in His Presence!

May Your Name Be Inscribed

Nelson Plasencia, Elder (and family)

This week's installment of reflections is written by Elder Nelson Plasencia. Enjoy:

The next few weeks in the calendar present to us a number of Holy Days rooted in the Bible (Leviticus 23:23-44). Starting the evening of September 4^th and extending through September 6^th, our Jewish friends celebrate Rosh Hashanah or the New Year. 

While the modern observance has lost much of the biblical overtone, the date itself was set by God to be observed and memorialized forever. Ten days later is the holiest day in Jewish tradition, the Day of Atonement and five days later is the last of the Fall Feasts of Israel, the Feast of Tabernacles.

 A common greeting during this New Year celebration is “May your name be inscribed (in the Book of Life) for a good year”. Many Jews believe that when God opens His book during this time that He determines over the coming days who will live and who will die and thus the reason for well wishers that the person’s name be inscribed in the Book of Life for another good year. Before the book is believed to be closed, many people engage in penitential acts of good works with the hope of gaining God’s favor

Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Feast of Trumpets because God commanded that it be memorialized by blowing (Lev 23:23-25). Rabbinical tradition maintains that the priests were to blow the ram’s horn shofar. The themes of repentance, redemption, relationship, awakening, and preparation are found during this season.

As we seek to become a community of believers in Jesus that think biblically, may we learn from God’s word about approaching a Holy God.  May we also embrace the opportunity to engage in self-examination as we anticipate His coming: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” 1 Thes 4:16-17.