Jesus' Anguish

[darinhouston]

I was mediating on this well-known hymn today in church, and the following verse stood out to me. I haven't ever really considered what was causing Jesus' anguish apart from what he would be enduring. What do you think?

I stand amazed in the presence
Of Jesus the Nazarene
And I wonder how He could love me,
A sinner condemned, unclean.

How marvelous, how wonderful
And my song shall ever be.
How marvelous, how wonderful
Is my Savior's love for me.

For me it was in the garden He prayed,
"Not my will, but thine"
He had no tears for His own griefs,
But sweat drops of blood for mine.


He took my sins and my sorrows,
He made them His very own;
He bore the burden to Calv'ry,
And suffered and died alone.

When with the ransomed in glory
His face I at last shall see,
'Twill be my joy thro' the ages,
To sing of His love for me.

[mattrose]

I would say it was a both/and situation.

To say He had no tears for His own grief is a too anti-kenotic or anti-incarnational to me

But I do think the fact that the disciples weren't even strong enough to stay awake and pray kept his focus on human weakness.

[Paidion]

I agree, Matt.

If Jesus's focus was entirely on our grief, why would He have prayed, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from me," or why would He have exclaimed, "My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?"

[steve7150]

If Jesus's focus was entirely on our grief, why would He have prayed, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from me," or why would He have exclaimed, "My God! My God! Why have you forsaken me?"





You think "the cup" was the spiritual separation from his Father?

[Paidion]

You think "the cup" was the spiritual separation from his Father?

Not at all. In fact there was no "spiritual separation from His Father." As a complete human being taking the cup of suffering, Jesus FELT as if the Father had forsaken Him, though the Father was right there all the time! We too, when we endure intense suffering may feel that God has forsaken us.

Like any other human, Jesus didn't wish to endure suffering, and so He prayed, "If it is possible, let this cup pass from me." If He had no concern for his own impending suffering, why would He have prayed thus?