Why Did Jesus...
Isaiah 53:7 is an oft-quoted Verse in many sermons. It reads, "He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth" (NKJV). This Verse, which prophesies of Jesus' trial, generally coincides with a teaching that we are to keep our mouths shut when people hurt us. We are not to try to defend ourselves.
I am not going to dispute that teaching, but I would like to shed a different light on this Passage if I may.
Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that Jesus understands every weakness we have, because He has gone through everything that we go through.
Since this is the case, I would like to turn to Luke 22:44, a re-telling of Jesus' actions in the Garden of Gethsemane just prior to His arrest. "And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Jesus was in so much emotional agony that His sweat became blood. This only happens when there is severe stress present. Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him. He knew the physical agony He would suffer. He knew the ridicule and hurt He would face.
This very Verse shows me that it is not a sin to feel stress. It is not a sin to be afraid at times. It is not a sin to feel emotional agony. It is not even sin to be negative at times. I believe the idea that these attitudes, these emotions, are sin originate from the same place as the idea that Jesus was setting an example of perfection for us by remaining silent with His accusers.
You see, when someone is under undue stress to the point of feeling emotional agony, there is no room for anger. We must remember that Jesus was not shy about expressing His holy anger during His earthly ministry. I think of the times He disputed the Pharisees. (The sayings "brood of vipers" and "whitewashed tombs" come to mind). I think of the time He formed a physical whip and drove the money-changers from the Temple. He expressed anger. But by the time of His trial and crucifixion, there were too many other emotions present to express that anger. He had gone through the emotional turmoil in the Garden. He had been beaten beyond recognition. He had been spit upon. He had been made fun of. He had been nailed to a cross. I am pretty sure that anger was not an emotion that He was feeling at that time. He was feeling hurt, humiliated, and close-to-death. Anger was not important during these final hours of His earthly life. I don't think He felt like talking at all. He said very little even while He was being crucified. "I thirst." "It is finished." I'm sure it took every ounce of physical energy to pray that His accusers, His taunters, be forgiven.
No where does the Bible say the reason Jesus remained silent. Neither the Gospel accounts nor the prophecy from Isaiah say why. We have formed a doctrine that says it is because He was setting an example for us. This coincides well with other parts of our doctrines of holiness. The ones that say we must not feel stress. The ones that say fear is the opposite of faith, and they cannot exist simultaneously. The ones that say we must always be positive.
I say if these doctrines are wrong about these ideologies (which, to me, the earthly life and death of Jesus proves), then we may need to shed some more appropriate light on other man-made interpretations.
Just some thoughts today.
I am not going to dispute that teaching, but I would like to shed a different light on this Passage if I may.
Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that Jesus understands every weakness we have, because He has gone through everything that we go through.
Since this is the case, I would like to turn to Luke 22:44, a re-telling of Jesus' actions in the Garden of Gethsemane just prior to His arrest. "And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Jesus was in so much emotional agony that His sweat became blood. This only happens when there is severe stress present. Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him. He knew the physical agony He would suffer. He knew the ridicule and hurt He would face.
This very Verse shows me that it is not a sin to feel stress. It is not a sin to be afraid at times. It is not a sin to feel emotional agony. It is not even sin to be negative at times. I believe the idea that these attitudes, these emotions, are sin originate from the same place as the idea that Jesus was setting an example of perfection for us by remaining silent with His accusers.
You see, when someone is under undue stress to the point of feeling emotional agony, there is no room for anger. We must remember that Jesus was not shy about expressing His holy anger during His earthly ministry. I think of the times He disputed the Pharisees. (The sayings "brood of vipers" and "whitewashed tombs" come to mind). I think of the time He formed a physical whip and drove the money-changers from the Temple. He expressed anger. But by the time of His trial and crucifixion, there were too many other emotions present to express that anger. He had gone through the emotional turmoil in the Garden. He had been beaten beyond recognition. He had been spit upon. He had been made fun of. He had been nailed to a cross. I am pretty sure that anger was not an emotion that He was feeling at that time. He was feeling hurt, humiliated, and close-to-death. Anger was not important during these final hours of His earthly life. I don't think He felt like talking at all. He said very little even while He was being crucified. "I thirst." "It is finished." I'm sure it took every ounce of physical energy to pray that His accusers, His taunters, be forgiven.
No where does the Bible say the reason Jesus remained silent. Neither the Gospel accounts nor the prophecy from Isaiah say why. We have formed a doctrine that says it is because He was setting an example for us. This coincides well with other parts of our doctrines of holiness. The ones that say we must not feel stress. The ones that say fear is the opposite of faith, and they cannot exist simultaneously. The ones that say we must always be positive.
I say if these doctrines are wrong about these ideologies (which, to me, the earthly life and death of Jesus proves), then we may need to shed some more appropriate light on other man-made interpretations.
Just some thoughts today.
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