Wasn't God's sacrifice of his "only son" rendered somewhat meaningless by the Resurrection?

Question

I mean I'm sure crucifixion was the opposite of fun, but there are lots of worse and much more drawn out ways to suffer. And apart from people saying they didn't believe in him, what other suffering did the guy go through before being given this brilliant eternity?

Flippantly worded perhaps, but serious question.

naj please don't patronise me, especially when you have so obviously missed my point entirely.

Does this logic you claim to be so fond of let you see the possibility that someone who wasn't taught this stuff from birth might be interested in it? Does it also let you allow for the possibility that this was asked as an academic question in line with my belief that not only is the Bible the work of man but that it isn't even internally consistent?

And please, if you do have a point to make, doing so in actual words rather than in txt spk will go some way to you being taken seriously.

Answer 1

Wow, I am not sure if your question has been answered to your satisfaction. I am not sure that what I will submit will help, but here goes.

First, I do not believe God has a son. Jesus was his prophet this is true, GOD is without gender, without progeny. So, for me, the sacrifice/resurrection issue is not important.

Second, I believe that GOD made it appear that Jesus was crucified.

"They claimed that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the messenger of GOD! In fact, they never killed him; they never crucifed him; they were led to believe that they did." Quran 4:157

This answer is probably not helping you with your question. Sorry. It was a sincere effort on my part though.

Peace.

Answer 2

Well, it is a mistake to think that the only thing that Christ ever suffered was the direct physical pain of the crucifixion. Before the crucifixion (and this is often not understood), he suffered in mind and body for the sins of every man and woman in the Garden of Gethsemane. It mentions that he was suffering so much that he sweat drops of blood. In that moment, he was taking upon himself the punishment for all the sins that were ever committed in all the world.
After that terrible suffering, he was then led captive and was beaten nearly to death by the Roman soldiers.
Then came the crucifixion, where besides having nails hammered through his hands, wrists, and feet, and being hung in a terribly painful position, he again felt the weight of the sins of all mankind.
So the crucifixion itself was certainly not the only pain he felt before he died. The sacrifice of God's only Son was an infinite sacrifice in which he suffered the pain, sadness, sickness, and penalty for all humans that ever lived on the Earth and that ever would live. It is utterly incomprehensible. There has been no human, nor could there ever be, that suffered as much as Jesus Christ did. For his sacrifice and for his perfect life, he was immediately received into eternal glory with his Father, which, I'm sure you'll agree, was greatly deserved.

Answer 3

The Romans were notoriously brutal. Crucifixion was not only a physical toture, but mental as well since you were strewn out naked, unable to fight off birds and insects that would swarm around your wounds with hecklers to laugh and spit on you as they walked by. Certainly modern toture technics are worse, however the crucifixion on a tree fits nicely with God's story of redemption (Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of a tree).

The Ressurection is however not meaningless as it is the proof that the sacrifice made on behalf of man is found acceptable by the Father and wrath is no longer resting upon those who believe in Jesus for salvation (Romans 8:1).

Other sufferring would be the 40 days of fasting, scourging, beatings, and mocking He suffered before His death.

Thus, if Christ is not raised from the dead, our faith is in vain and we are to be pittied more than any other in the world (1 Cor. 15:17). But what if He is?

Answer 4

First question: no, because the sacrifice provided a way for God to fulfill the demands of justice. A perfect sacrifice was offered and accepted, which allowed for God to pour out all of His vengeance on sin on to His son instead of mankind.

"there are lots of worse and much more drawn out ways to suffer."
I'm not so sure about that. Not only did Jesus suffer the physical pains of the crucifixion, he suffered the emotional/psychological/spiritual pains of God's wrath against sinners. Even if we count him doing so for those who are saved, that's still a lot of wrath.

Answer 5

my dear, please stop for a minute and concentrate with me, God is a supreme deity, an all-powerful being. he is one, logically thinking please, does it seem logical that God, in all his grace, would share a trait with his creations, a trait that is birth, when he is the ultimate creator?? Jesus was not God's son, but his prophet, he was able to perform miraculous things like turning clay into a living bird, but those were miracles that God enabled him to do. alas, some people who lived with Jesus couldn't believe their eyes, and because of their ignorance decided to worship Jesus. God asked Jesus did u order ur people to worship u? and Jesus said no, and if i did u would have known for you are all-knowing. Jesus and his mother are special people, but not to the degree of being worshipped, after all they are human just like me n u. Jesus was taken up to the heavens, and will be back to fight a battle which will mark the coming of judgement day. just because u were taught something since u were young, doesn't make it right, or valid. please people, until when will you be lost and far from the right cause?? i beseech ur logic nothing else, God gave us brains that function logically, let's use them to find our peace with our maker, and learn the real purpose of what we are doing on this earth.
** i am not trying to patronize you, and i am sorry if i have offended, all i wanted was to state a point, and how do u know that i do not say this, and just write it? believe me, i have come to a point where i truly believe that every little thing counts, even if it's text. ok maybe i got carried away from what u were really asking, but that doesn't make me wrong. again accept my apologies. it's just that i am so worried about the people of this world being misled through changed books, that i try to bring light to the right faith. u would say why should i care, but surprisingly i do. call it compassion to fellow humans.

Answer 6

The physical aspect of the crucifixion was the most insignificant aspect. When Christ died He suffered infinitely as the Son of God, bearing the corporate guilt and its consequences of the entire human race upon Himself and He was cut off from His eternal union with the Father. Because He was true God, he was able to experience this in what appeared to men as a moment in time.
Actually His resurrection from the dead substantiates His claims, that He was in fact the Son of God.
"This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him." Acts 2:23-24
"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!"

Hebrews 9:14

Answer 7

The sacrifice and resurrection are two terms usually applied to the same thing.

Christ's life was an example for us to follow as to how to live a good life -- what we can do to please our God. His sacrifice (the crucifixion) and resurrection prove that he over came death and gives us the hope for eternal life in our spiritual "bodies".

Answer 8

You're right, just about anyone would enjoy the experience of death if he was sure that it would be for only three days. Besides, if Jesus was really a God in his own right, he could have willed himself to feel no pain at all. Also, being a God, he could have made himself the world's greatest actor, to make it all look very painful.
You have to believe that he's really God or not. You can't have it both ways.

Answer 9

Without a legitimate bodily Resurrection the sacrifice would have been meaningless. The purpose was for him to defeat death, so that we may live for eternity with him. If Satan did not have death to throw at God's people then he had nothing. If Christ would not have been resurrected then death would have defeated him and he could not possibly be the son of God.

Answer 10

It's a little bit like when you were a kid and you were mucking up and your Dad threatened to 'turn the car around and go straight home'.
Because he can.
It's all a proof of power / who's in control thing.
Lots of dads do it.
In fact I can see it now...
"If you lot don't start repenting, I'm going to give my only son as a sacrifice".
Then three days later, being the big softie that all dads are, he relented, and hey presto, resurrection.
Well, you think of a better way of putting it.