Curtis Elliott I am a husband, father, happily married 40 years.

I believe the level of distress felt by Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane was so great that it led to agony and blood. Someone can be under such distress that they emit blood in their sweat glands.

April 06 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

I believe Jesus' suffering occurred at 2 levels. 

1. Jesus suffered mental, emotional and physical agony as the Son of Man - a human being. This suffering had already begun when he began to pray in the garden. Judas, a close friend had already betrayed him. Peter had boasted of his devotion but would soon deny him 3 times. His close friends couldn't stay awake to pray with him so he was alone alone. This suffering as a human was just beginning. It would include false charges, kangaroo court trials, being mocked and slapped in the face, a crown of thorns pounded into his head, scourging with a whip ripping open his flesh, carrying his cross to the mocking of the crowds, crucifixion on the cross and ultimately death. This suffering was primarily the "wrath of Man" which God used to punish his Son for our sins - as a human being just like us.

2. But I believe Jesus also suffered in the spiritual realm, as the Son of God, by taking the wrath of God upon himself. I think we begin to get a glimpse of this spiritual agony with the drops of blood. Satan also knew what was happening in the spiritual realm because he came to test Jesus while he was in the garden. As always Satan wanted Jesus to exercise the authority he had as the Son of God and call down legions of angels to get him out of his predicament. But after praying 3 times for another solution, Jesus knew this suffering was the will of God.

Because we can't see into the spiritual realm, it is hard for us to understand the magnitude of this spiritual agony that Jesus suffered. But the Bible is full of examples of what God's wrath looks like when his people sin and disobey his will. I think the clearest example we have is in the book of Revelation.

Some people believe that the entire 7 year tribulation will be the Wrath of God. Personally, I think the wrath of God begins with the 3 woes when the fifth trumpet is sounded. Open up the book of Revelation and read what happens during the 5th and 6th trumpet. Then the 7th trumpet announces the 7 bowl judgements which pour out the wrath of God in full intensity upon the earth. 

I believe that the physical suffering which people will incur during these judgments gives us a physical picture and a glimpse into the spiritual agony that Jesus suffered by taking the wrath of God upon himself.

Many human beings suffered physically as much as Jesus did under Roman rule, including crucifixion. Other Christian saints suffered even greater punishment for their faith. Lawrence, the treasurer of the Roman church, mocked the Caesar of the time by revealing the real treasures of the church and was fried alive by burning on an iron plate. Only by the grace of God was he able to say, "You can turn me over now, I`m done on this side."

But, no one except Jesus suffered the wrath of God against all of the sin of the whole world - committed by all the people who have ever lived or will ever live for all time. That agony was willingly taken by Jesus alone. Because of that suffering, the door of eternal life with God has been opened for every person who believes that Jesus' suffering was sufficient to pay the penalty for all their sin.

In addition to the physical agony that Jesus suffered as a human being, I encourage you to meditate on the spiritual agony he suffered as the Son of God. Philippians 2 and the Revelation judgments give us a good place to start.

April 06 2018 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

粉々になった 離れて

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." That explains a lot of what he felt.

April 08 2019 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report