This has been a recurring thought ever since I began my spiritual journey, and it may or may not be important, but it FEELS important. Therefore, I have to get this out there.
DISCLAIMER: Before I get it out there, I have to make it very clear that I believe in God without a doubt. I believe Jesus is the Son of God, and the true messiah. So, for the sake of argument, even if you don't believe it too, just go along with it for now because it's important to this mindbender.
God sent His angel to tell Mary of her Divine, Immaculately Conceived pregnancy. The angel was directed to tell Mary the child's name, and that she would be marrying Joseph who, consequently, was also told by an angel that Mary was preggers and he was expected to play Daddy so that Mary wouldn't be stoned to death. Mary and Joseph both knew she was carrying God's Son right from the moment of conception. This is important.
Whether through divine knowledge, being taught by Mary and Joseph that he was Destined To Do Great Things and was The Son Of God, or both... Jesus grew up knowing he was God's Son. He knew every second of his life that he was God Incarnate. This is important.
When Jesus performed miracles, he knew that whatever he wanted to happen, would happen. He knew people would be amazed. Did his ability to perform divine feats such as turning water into wine make him giddy? Was he pleased or blase over being able to turn crusty, stale bread and a couple of sun-warmed fish into thousands of fresh loaves and fresh fish? Did he feel nervous when he walked on water? Or did he have the confidence that it would be just as if he were walking on solid ground? How about when he raised Lazarus and the sick little girl from the dead? Did he feel a sense of accomplishment? Or was it "just another miracle" for him? He performed the miracles with the utmost of seriousness, but did he delight and find amazement in what he could do? This is important.
When Jesus went into the desert to fast, without anything but the clothes on his back, he knew that Satan would be there to test him and tempt him. He knew there would be a light at the end of the tunnel. He knew he wouldn't need to call upon his angels to rescue him. He knew he wouldn't die from starvation, dehydration, snake bites or other wild animals, or exposure because he was God in human form. This is important.
Jesus knew who his true apostles would be, who would be swayed by his arguments and his teachings. He knew that as a rabbi (teacher) he was in a particular position to be able to affect people, because he was God. This is important.
Jesus knew he would be betrayed, persecuted, put on trial, questioned, mocked, tortured, beaten, and crucified. He knew every instant what to expect, and how to prepare. He knew that after all of the physical suffering, that he would come back to life. Through it all, he knew that he was God. This is important.
If he knew all of this, was it a true test? Could he truly suffer if he knew what to expect? Could he truly be a sacrifice for the world if he knew every single moment of his life, never forgetting, never losing himself, never questioning himself, never doubting his destiny or who he really was... if he was conscious his entire life that he was God... knowing what he knew, doing what he could do... was it really a test at all? Was it really a sacrifice?
3 comments:
Here's my thoughts on this mindbender, based on my Christian beliefs.
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Was it really a test?
No.
After forty days of fasting in the desert, the devil came to Jesus and presented Him with options that went against the teachings of God. Worship the devil and receive the kingdoms of the world. Turn rocks into bread and ease hunger. Jump from the mountain cliff and have the angels break the fall to prove divinity. It wasn't the devil who brought these options to Jesus, they were always open to Him. The devil brought Him these concrete situations with witch to address the lessons from the Book of Deuteronomy. This is a case of "do as I do". Jesus was a perfect person. As it is illustrated in His refusal of the devil's tests, His is the example for any Christian who is facing wordly temptations or wavering faith.
Jesus was God in corporeal form. Was His crucifixion a sacrifice? He knew it would happen. He was sacrificing himself to spare God's children from suffering and damnation. This was not substitutional death put upon Him from outside the holy trinity. This was His act of love for us. "And He Himself bore our sins..." Jesus suffered physical and spiritual death so that we don't. "My God, why have you forsaken me?" He never said "them". He bore the punisment as a substitute for us.
Jesus's life, His death, His suffering; these are all lessons to us. Nowhere in the bible does it say that you will never be given more than you can handle. Nowhere. People are OFTEN given more than they can handle. This is where faith in God comes in. Even in the moment of His physical death, Jesus never turned away from God. Even when Job was cursing his existance and wishing for death, he never turned away from God. Suffering comes to both the good and the evil, but God gave His only son so that the suffering can end with this life and not follow you for eternity.
oh, you can't fix typo's after you post. Bugger. Pardon my bad spelling.
Ooh great response Jill. Reminders of things I really ought to know as a Christian... but sometimes find hard to grasp.
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