Why do people keep saying Jesus suffered so much?

Question

Have you even read about the Armenian Genocide, the Potato Famine in Ireland, POL POT?

Answer 1

So your saying that because of the Armenian Genocide, the Potato Famine in Ireland, POL POT Jesus didn't suffer???

That is the most illogical argument I've ever heard.

Answer 2

The suffering of Jesus was more than just physical pain. Remember that there were others on each side of Jesus also dying on crosses, as many others had before them.

Spiritually, Jesus bore the weight of all our sins on his back. Can you imagine having the sins of everyone who ever lived poured onto you, even the sins of those yet born? How could anyone bear that except that the power of love was even greater.

Jesus, had never sinned, and had always been with the Father. Yet now on this cross, physically and spiritually suffering, he cries out in anguish, "Father, why have you forsaken me?"

No movie could ever depict the true suffering of the Savior when he died on the cross bearing my sins, as well as yours, and the whole entire world that was, is and yet to come.

Answer 3

Physical pain is only one form of pain, and pain can be said to be relative to the individual. No doubt Jesus suffered immense physical pain from the way he was tortured. And that is not to say others' suffering is insignificant.

However, is that the focus? Consider that if Christ had the answers to every heart's desire, the key to happiness, prosperity, and well being, i.e., the solution to the ills of the world, and that He understood that fully in all its implications, yet virtually everyone rejects it, that would be unbearable suffering. You have the solution, the gift of joy and happiness, and no one will take it.

Consider a partial, but relevant example. A parent knows her or his beloved child, like everyone, seeks to be happy and fulfilled, but is making a horrible choice that will ruin his life and bring disaster. The parent tries to reason with the child and show him his mistake, yet the child chooses to continue in the same vein as before. The parent, knowing he can do nothing, suffers unbearable pain though outwardly the parent continues to live.

The source of the pain is the parent's knowledge and understanding of the consequences, both in this world and in the world to come for that child. For Christ, multiply that knowledge and understanding by every person, each of whom he considers His child spiritually (the reality of that child), who exists or will exist in the future and we can vaguely, certainly not thoroughly, appreciate His suffering. That is possibly the issue to which this Biblical verse refers.

Answer 4

The suffering of one person or group does not negate the suffering of another.

Jesus died a very painful death, and yes, he did suffer. The tragedies you mention don't change that.

My mother suffered the pain of terminal liver cancer - should I have told her, "look, it's not that bad, at least you didn't have to live through the potato famine? Who needs morphine after that?"

Suffering is suffering, and should not be compared for validity.

Answer 5

The truth is.... He represented thousands of people who were crucified for either petty crimes, or race, or religion. Many Pagans were crucified. Many slaves during that time suffered just as much, or more, but the suffering was symbolic to the strength and virtue he possessed by not falling into the Devil's temptation, or Earthly desires.

Answer 6

Jesus did the one thing that no one else could have: He took the full weight of everyone's sins upon Himself.

1 Peter 2: 22-24: "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed."

He suffered for every vicious, vile, filthy thing that anyone had ever done since the beginning of time until the end. Every rape, murder, act of greed, genocide, that anyone ever did or will do was placed upon Him.

And that was in addition to the physical agony of being whipped with a bone and metal studded whip, tortured by Roman soldiers, having a crown of thorns hammered into His Head, falling three times while carrying a heavy Cross, and having nails driven through His wrists and feet.

Then there were the horrors of suffocation, unbearable thirst, and heart failure. Crucifixion was the most terrible form of execution at the time because it could last for days before the victim finally died. It was agony from start to finish.

Please understand -- I'm not negating anyone else's sufferings. Pain in any form is hideous, no matter if it's caused by disease, torture, starvation, or genocide.

But taken altogether, I think that Jesus' mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical agony exceeds anything ever known, before or since.

Answer 7

Jesus suffered physical pain but also emotional pain because of unbelievers. He was sent to save man and was rejected and he suffered for their sake.

Answer 8

Your right, but not for the reasons you give. Its hardly a sacrifice if you get to take it back 3 days later.

In fact, seeing as all time Jesus was on earth was separation from perfection, death was the best way to return to heaven and perfection. Life would be suffering, not death.

Answer 9

Has anyone ever been nailed to a cross (after being whipped until thier bones were visible, and carrying a cross 1/5 of a mile, being spit on, beaten on the way) while enduring the punishment for every man's sin: past, present, future?

It was more that physical torture.

That's why.

Answer 10

Jesus was not alone with pain....what makes Jesus' pain more than any other tortured person. Youd think being the son of god, he'd have a better sense of humour