Why Jesus Was a Man of Sorrows

Have you noticed that Jesus never laughed during his three-year ministry of proclaiming the Kingdom? He might have chuckled as a child but all the biblical accounts picture him as being serious.

In the Old Testiment's greatest prophecy regarding Christ, we read of an individual who was deeply troubled. Isaiah 53:3 (BBE) prophesied, "Men made sport of him, turning away from him; he was a man of sorrows, marked by disease; and like one from whom men's faces are turned away, he was looked down on, and we put no value on him."

Our Lord knew in advance that he was headed for a brutal death and an even more brutal betrayal by one of his own disciples. We read in John 12:27 (BBE) how he felt as his impending crucifixion approached. "Now is my soul troubled; and what am I to say? Father, keep me from this hour. No: for this purpose have I come to this hour."

We also read that Christ knew when it wasn't time for him to die. After saying he was sent from God, the temple rulers wanted to arrest him. John 7:30 (BBE) tells us, "Then they had a desire to take him: but no man put hands on him because his hour was still to come."

But Christ did make a pun once. Simon received the name Peter, which means a little rock, after he declaired that Jesus was the messiah. Matthew 16:18 (BBE) tells us, "And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock will my church be based, and the doors of hell will not overcome it." The big rock was the truth of Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God.

Even so, Christ's life was anything but easy during his preaching ministry. It even started off with threats against his life. When Jesus read part of Isaiah chapter sixty-two in Nazareth, the people realized that he was declairing himself the messiah. Luke 4:29 and 30 (BBE) tells what happened next. "And they got up and took him out of the town to the edge of the mountain on which their town was, so that they might send him down to his death. But he came through them and went on his way."

In light of all this, there is a silver lining for us in his difficulties. Christ understands experientially what it's like when we suffer. Hebrews 2:17 and 18 BBE) informs us, "Because of this it was necessary for him to be made like his brothers in every way, so that he might be a high priest full of mercy and keeping faith in everything to do with God, making offerings for the sins of the people. For having been put to the test himself, he is able to give help to others when they are tested."

I'm putting together a book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Far too many churchgoers assume that their church affiliation and infant baptism will get them through the pearly gates but they're hellward bound.

On Thursday, I hope to post about how trials help us help others.