The Suffering of Christ by Guido Rocha

Explain how a Christian would use the example of Christ’s suffering to help them deal with painful situations. (7 marks)

Response to the problem of evil: The Suffering of Christ

Glossary Atonement The reconciliation of God and humankind through the actions of Christ’s life, suffering, and death. Christians believe that Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross so that human sin could be forgiven.

Redemption The deliverance or salvation from sin. Christians believe that by showing God you are truly sorry for your actions you can atone (make up) for your guilt and then your sins will be forgiven.

Repent To ask forgiveness for the sins you have committed.

The suffering of Jesus Christ is one of the most important aspects of and forms the basis for the key beliefs within Christianity. For Christians the idea that God has an understanding of the trials and frailty of what it means to be human allows believers to have a more personal relationship with God. Jesus is God personified and yet he shows fear and weakness in the face of death, real human emotions that allow Christians to see God in a more ‘human’ light which helps them when dealing with issues of pain and suffering.

Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

Here Jesus begins to fear what God expects of him, he asks God to re-consider His choices and find another way for Jesus to atone for humankind’s sins.

“ The sorrow in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me.”

“[Jesus] prayed that, if possible, he might not have to go through that time of suffering. ‘Father’ he prayed. ‘my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want.”

Jesus repeated this prayer three times before his arrest in the garden.

Jesus is tried and sentenced

Jesus was taken first to the home of the high priest where he was accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death but before being taken to Pilate, Jesus was blindfolded and beaten

“Some of them began to spit on Jesus and they blindfolded him and hit him”

Pilate then questioned Jesus and is concerned about having to sentence him to death but by this point Jesus is reconciled to the fact that this is what has to happen. Pilate asks Jesus if he believe he is ‘King of the Jews’

Jesus replies “My Kingdom is not of this world… No my kingdom does not belong here”

Pilate orders that Jesus be flogged and then crucified.

When the soldiers had finished mocking Christ they made him carry the heavy wooden cross that he would be crucified upon through the streets of Jerusalem and

up to Golgotha (The place of skull).

At 9am Jesus was nailed to the cross.

At 3pm Jesus cried out:“My God, my God, why did you abandon me?”

“It is finished”

Jesus is mocked

“They put a purple robe on Jesus, made a crown out of thorny branches and put it on his head. Then they began to salute him: ‘long live the king of the Jews!’ They beat him over the head with a stick, spat on him.”