06.03. Why Did Jesus Suffer?

"WHY DID JESUS SUFFER?"

INTRODUCTION 1. The gospel message is that Jesus died and shed his blood for our sins... a. According to the Jewish Scriptures - 1 Corinthians 15:3; Isaiah 53:4-6 b. Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins - Hebrews 9:22; Ephesians 1:7 2. Yet it is not unusual to wonder: why couldn’t Jesus have simply died a quick death...? a. Animal sacrifices were killed with a quick slice of the knife b. Why did Jesus have to endure the scourging, mocking, and crucifixion?

[Why, then, did Jesus suffer? Before we consider the Biblical response to our question, let’s first note that His suffering actually included much more than commonly thought...] I. THE THINGS THAT HE SUFFERED A. BEFORE HIS PASSION...

1. For thirty-three years He suffered temptation, the daily struggles against sin we endure - Hebrews 4:15; Hebrews 2:18 2. He experienced rejection by His own hometown - Luke 4:16, Luke 4:28-30 3. There were blasphemous accusations when He was doing good - Luke 11:14-15 4. There was derision by the Pharisees - Luke 16:14 5. There were deceitful questions seeking to ensnare Him - Luke 20:20 6. There was defection by many disciples - John 6:60-61, John 6:66 7. He endured ridicule by members of his own family - John 7:3-5 8. He had to put up with ignorance among the multitudes - John 7:1-53 9. There was the anticipation that likely produced anxiety a. He knew what was coming, told His disciples on three occasions - e.g., Luke 18:31-33 b. The disciples’ lack of comprehension prevented them from being any source of comfort - Luke 18:34 10. At the Passover meal a. There were petty quarrels among His disciples - Luke 22:24 b. There were announcements of betrayal, abandonment, denial - Matthew 26:21, Matthew 26:31, Matthew 26:34

-- The indignity of such things was magnified by knowing who He was, yet He humbly "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant" - Php 2:7 B. DURING HIS PASSION...

1. In the Garden of Gethsemane a. There was the great agony as He prayed - Luke 22:44 b. There was His disciples’ laziness who could not watch with Him - Mark 14:37-41 c. There followed the betrayal with a kiss by Judas - Mark 14:1-72 d. Then He was forsaken by all His disciples - Mark 14:50 e. He was arrested and bound - John 18:13 2. Before Annas, father-in-law to Caiaphas the high priest a. Here Jesus was denied by Peter - John 18:17, John 18:25-27 b. Jesus was struck with a blow - John 18:22 c. He was sent away bound - John 18:24 3. Before Caiaphas, in an illegal night assembly of the council a. Jesus was falsely accused - Matthew 26:59-61 b. The physical abuse intensified - Matthew 26:67-68; Mark 14:65 1) They spit on His face 2) He was blindfolded 3) Some of the council beat Him 4) The officers struck Him with their palms 5) They mocked Him to prophesy who struck Him c. With many words they blasphemed Him - Luke 22:65 4. Before the council, in the morning a. After consulting, they bound Jesus - Mark 15:1 b. He was led away, delivered to Pilate - Mark 15:1 5. Before Pilate the Roman governor a. Unaccompanied by His accusers who wouldn’t enter the Praetorium - John 18:28-29 b. False charges were made against Him - Luke 23:2 6. Before Herod the puppet king a. The chief priests and scribes vehemently accused Him - Luke 23:10 b. Abused by Herod with his men of war 1) Treated with contempt and mocked - Luke 23:11 2) Arrayed in a gorgeous robe and sent back to Pilate - Luke 23:11 7. Before Pilate the second time a. Barabbas, a murderer, robber, and rebel is released in His stead - Luke 23:13-25 b. Demanded that He be crucified, Jesus is delivered to be scourged - Mark 15:15 8. Abused by the Roman soldiers a. Surrounded by the whole garrison - Mark 15:16 b. They stripped Him and put on a scarlet robe - Matthew 27:28 c. They put on a crown of thorns on his head, a reed in His right hand - Matthew 27:29 d. They bow the knee and mock Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" - Matthew 27:29 e. They spat on Him, struck Him on the head with the reed - Matthew 27:30 f. They mocked Him further, then stripped Him of the robe and put His own clothes back on Him - Matthew 27:31 g. They led Him away to be crucified - Matthew 27:31 9. The journey to Golgotha a. At first, He bore His own cross - John 19:17 b. A great crowd followed, including women who mourned and lamented Him; yet He mourned for them - Luke 23:27-31 10. At the crucifixion a. He refused sour wine mixed with gall (an anesthetic) - Matthew 27:33-34 b. They crucified Him, as He cried out for God to forgive them - Luke 23:33-34 c. The soldiers divided His garments, casting lots for them - Luke 23:34 d. People stood looking on, some blasphemed - Mark 15:29-30 e. The chief priests with the scribes mocked and sneered - Mark 15:31-32; Luke 23:35 f. The soldiers mocked - Luke 23:36-37 g. The two thieves reviled Him, one persisted in blasphemy - Mark 15:32; Luke 23:39 h. For six hours He hung on the cross - Mark 15:25, Mark 15:33 i. Finally He cried "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" - Mark 15:34 1) Perhaps indicating the burden of bearing the sins of the world - cf. 2 Corinthians 5:21 2) Perhaps indicating the greatest suffering He endured was the spiritual agony j. Then He died, possibly of a ruptured heart - Luke 23:46; cf. John 19:34

-- As prophesied, Jesus was stricken, smitten, afflicted, wounded, bruised, chastised, endured stripes, oppressed, led to the slaughter, cut off from the land of the living - cf. Isaiah 53:4-8

[Again we ask "Why?" Why did it please the Lord to bruise Him, to put Jesus to grief (Isaiah 53:10)? Why could His death for our sins have not been more merciful? Why did Jesus suffer...?] II. THE REASONS THAT HE SUFFERED A. TO BRING US TO GOD...

1. Thus Peter explained in his epistle - 1 Peter 3:18 2. God seeks to reconcile us back to Him - Isaiah 53:6; 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 3. Motivated by love, God sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins - 1 John 4:9-10 4. The suffering reveals the terribleness of sin a. The universality of sin - Romans 3:23 b. The consequence of sin - Romans 6:23 5. The suffering reveals the greatness of God’s love a. The love of the Father - John 3:16; Romans 5:8 b. The love of the Son - John 15:13; 1 John 3:16 -- Yes, He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities B. TO BE OUR HIGH PRIEST...

1. A good high priest must be compassionate - Hebrews 5:1-2 2. His suffering prepared Jesus to be the perfect high priest - He 2:10 a. To aid those who are tempted - Hebrews 2:17-18 b. To sympathize with our weaknesses - Hebrews 4:14-16 c. To appreciate the challenge of obedience in the flesh - Hebrews 5:7-9 3. Thus He lives ever ready to intercede for us - Hebrews 7:25 a. To provide mercy and grace in time of need - Romans 8:34 b. To provide strength to conquer in time of trial - Romans 8:35-39 -- His suffering makes Jesus the perfect high priest and intercessor on our behalf C. TO BE OUR EXAMPLE...

1. Of suffering for the sake of righteousness - 1 Peter 2:20-24 a. When we are mistreated for doing good b. How we should trust in God to judge rightly 2. Of persevering in our battle against sin - 1 Peter 4:1-4 a. As we seek to live for the will of God, not the lusts of the flesh b. As we endure the ridicule of those in the world 3. Of loving one another, and loving our enemies - John 13:34-35; Ephesians 5:1-2; Matthew 5:44-45 a. Loving one another as He loved us b. Blessing those who curse us, doing good to those who hate us, praying for those who persecute us -- His suffering illustrates how far we must go for the sake of love and righteousness

CONCLUSION 1. Perhaps we can now appreciate more fully why our Savior suffered... a. To pay the terrible price of sin b. To be our perfect Advocate (1 John 2:1) in our struggle against sin c. To motivate us to reach a higher plane in striving for love and righteousness 2. May contemplation on the suffering of Jesus ever serve as the inspiration for those... a. Who have yet to obey the gospel - cf. Acts 2:36-38; Acts 22:16 b. Who have obeyed the gospel, but have fallen back into sin - Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9 c. Who desire to live for Christ in an unfriendly world - 1 Peter 4:1-19 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: - 1 Peter 2:21

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. - 1 Peter 4:19