the sufferings of Christ

I have hesitated to write this blog post for two reasons.

First, I cannot properly articulate the sufferings of Christ, because I do not and could not possibly know the full extent of His pain and suffering. Second, I cannot understand the sufferings of Christ as I ought, for Christ suffered willingly, knowingly, and lovingly. He came to earth as a man with the full knowledge that He would suffer and die. He went through unimaginable agony in rescuing sinners such as myself. He knew He would. He did it anyway. 

This sort of suffering is not the type I am familiar with. I am more familiar with suffering unwillingly, stumbling into suffering because I cannot see the future, and hating the pain. I am often quite selfish when it comes to suffering -  I do not willingly give myself over to suffer for the sake of others, not too often anyway.

Yet, the sufferings of Christ are extremely pertinent to the Christian faith, and so I will write about them, though you must forgive my fumbling attempts to explain what I barely perceive. 

I often think of the different aspects of Christ's earthly life, and wonder what could be termed suffering. Really, all of it could be, in some measure or another. The humility of humanity, the weakness and fragility, the physical limitations, the stubbed toes, the whacked thumbs, the muscle strain, the heat stroke...all these things that the Son of God had never before endured, being omnipotent, God, Almighty. His very earthly life was in itself a form of suffering. And He did it willingly, for you and for me. I speak of His willingness a lot, because it is so astounding to me. 

Then you come to the mockery, the accusations, the attempts of the scribes and Pharisees to trip Jesus up and catch Him in His words. They never did, but Jesus was grieved at their hardness of heart and their willful unbelief. 

Imagine the pain of betrayal. Yes, Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, but I doubt that lessened the pain of it in any way. Judas was a close disciple, with Jesus for years. Judas witnessed Jesus' ministry, His mercy, His healing of the sick, the leprous, the weak, the frail, the dead. He still betrayed Him. 

Then there is the physical pain of the flogging, the carrying of the cross on which He would be crucified on His stripped back, the striking fists of the Roman soldiers, the hatred of the crowd, the crucifixion itself, the separation from God...Jesus endured a life of suffering. 

He was despised and rejected by men;

a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

(Isaiah 53:3 ESV)

Yet the sufferings of Christ have brought forth the joy of salvation. As 1 Peter says, suffering is not the end, but rather glory:

inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (1 Peter 1:11 ESV)

Christ's suffering brought for the joy of salvation, victory over Satan, sin, and death, and reconciliation to God. 

Yet the sufferings of Christ have brought forth the joy of salvation, victory over Satan, sin, and death, and reconciliation to God. We ought to look at our own suffering in the light of Christ's. He knew that His suffering was for a purpose. 

Often I forget that my own suffering is doing something, affecting me according to the merciful plan and purpose of God. I dwell on the pain instead of on the "subsequent glories". 

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18 ESV)