Why does Jesus' suffering help us with our suffering?

[jonrgrover]

Why does knowing that Jesus suffered help us bear our suffering? I don't get it. I know of lots of people who suffer. It doesn't help me. I know that Jesus suffered, worse than I do. I don't see the connection as to how knowing this helps me. People seem to say this all the time. They often say something like Jesus' suffering will help you in your suffering. Can somebody please explain?

[dhchristian]

9 hours ago, jonrgrover said:

Why does knowing that Jesus suffered help us bear our suffering? I don't get it. I know of lots of people who suffer. It doesn't help me. I know that Jesus suffered, worse than I do. I don't see the connection as to how knowing this helps me. People seem to say this all the time. They often say something like Jesus' suffering will help you in your suffering. Can somebody please explain?

Welcome to Worthy Jonrgrover,

You will have to go to the welcome section and sign in to comment in reply.

Jesus Suffering allows him to sympathize with our suffering. God came in human form (incarnate) and lived as we live and died as we die, he Knows the pain we experience, the emotional suffering because of this. He is not some distant God who does not understand human weakness for he lived it as we do. He is a Holy God who demands justice, But he is merciful and gracious and loving beyond measure. His desire is that none should perish, But he will not force himself upon anyone we must choose to receive his free gift of salvation by grace. 

[Jostler]

His suffering was not finished with the cross.....He is still suffering, and will suffer as long as sin is not fully dealt with.  One of the highest motivations for submitting to His sanctification process, seeking the lost and being willing to sacrifice of ourselves to relieve the suffering of other people....especially Christians, is learning to love Him enough to do whatever it takes to hasten the day He will no longer suffer.

Every person who is suffering from lack of clean water to drink, every child that is abused....He suffers with them.  And He will never forget so much as a cup of cold water given to relieve His thirst...

Edited February 25, 2020 by Jostler

[Neighbor]

Gill's Exposition

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

For Christ also hath once suffered for sins,.... Not his own, for he committed none, but for the sins of his people; in order to obtain the remission of them, to make reconciliation for them, and to take and put them away, and finish and make an end of them; which sufferings of his, on account of them, were many and great: he suffered much by bearing the griefs, and carrying the sorrows of his people, whereby he became a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs, from his cradle to his cross; and from the temptations of Satan, being in all points tempted, as his members are, though without sin; and from the contradiction of sinners against him, in his name, credit, and character, abusing him as the worst of men; and he suffered in his soul, from the wrath of God, and curses of the law, which lay upon him; and in his body, by many buffetings, scourges, wounds, and death itself, even the death of the cross; and which being the finishing part of his sufferings, is chiefly here meant. The Alexandrian copy reads, "died for you"; and the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions read, "died for our sins"; and this he did once, and but once; he died once, and will die no more; he was offered up once, and will be offered up no more; there is no more offering, or sacrifice for sin; the reason is, because his one offering is sufficient to take away sin, which the legal sacrifices were not, and therefore were often offered; and the reason why this his one offering, or once suffering and dying, is sufficient, is, because of his divine nature, or eternal Spirit, by which he offered himself, and gave infinite virtue to his sacrifice and satisfaction: now, this is an argument for suffering patiently; since Christ, the head, has also suffered, and therefore, why not the members? and since he has suffered for their sins, therefore they should not grudge to suffer for his sake; and seeing also their sufferings are but once, in this life only, and as it were but for a moment, and not to be compared with his sufferings for them; and especially when it is considered what follows: 

the just for the unjust; Christ, the holy and just one, who is holy in his nature, and righteous in his life and actions, which were entirely conformable to the righteous law of God, and upright and faithful in the discharge of his office, and therefore called God's righteous servant; he suffered, and that not only by unjust men, by the Jews, by Pilate, and the Roman soldiers, but for and in the room and stead of unjust men, sinners, and ungodly, who were destitute of righteousness, and full of all unrighteousness; and since he did, it need not be thought hard, or strange, that sinful men should suffer at the hands of others; and still it should be borne with the greater patience, since Christ not only suffered for them, but since an end is answered by it, as is here suggested: 

that he might bring us to God; nigh to God, who, with respect to communion, were afar off from him; and in peace and reconciliation with him, who were enemies to him by wicked works; and that they might have freedom of access, with boldness, unto God, through his precious blood, and the vail of his flesh; and that he might offer them unto God, as the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions render it; as a sacrifice acceptable unto God, presenting them to him unblamable and unreproveable in his sight; that he might bring them into his grace and presence here, and, as the great Captain of their salvation, bring them to him in glory hereafter: 

being put to death in the flesh; in the human nature: flesh includes the whole of human nature, both body and soul; for though the body only dies, yet death is the dissolution of the union between them both; and such was Christ's death; for though the union between the two natures continued, yet his body and soul were disunited; his body was left on the cross, and his soul, or Spirit, was commended to God, when his life was taken from the earth, and he was put to death in a violent manner by men: 

but quickened by the Spirit; raised from the dead by his divine nature, the Spirit of holiness, the eternal Spirit, by which he offered himself, and by virtue of which, as he had power to lay down his life, so he had power to take it up again; when he was also justified in the Spirit, and all the elect in him. Now, as the enemies of Christ could do no more than put him to death in the flesh, so the enemies of his people can do no more than kill the body, and cannot reach the soul; and as Christ is quickened and raised from the dead, so all his elect are quickened together, and raised with him, representatively, and shall, by virtue of his resurrection, be raised personally, and live also; which is no inconsiderable argument to suffer afflictions patiently, and which is the design of this instance and example of the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ. 

[BeauJangles]

On 2/25/2020 at 2:36 AM, jonrgrover said:

Why does knowing that Jesus suffered help us bear our suffering? I don't get it. I know of lots of people who suffer. It doesn't help me. I know that Jesus suffered, worse than I do. I don't see the connection as to how knowing this helps me. People seem to say this all the time. They often say something like Jesus' suffering will help you in your suffering. Can somebody please explain?

Well Jon, what it comes down to is this. We as human beings are extremely self-centered. And one of the growing dangers I see in the world today is a strong sense of apathy. If we cannot understand the tremendous sacrifice our Lord made in our behalf, by stepping down from His throne to become flesh and suffer the same pains, temptations of sin, become hated by those He came to bring salvation to, was beaten beyond comprehension, made the sacrifice of Himself on the crucifixion of the cross, and bled and died for the sins of the world, then there's that lack of understanding on our part. Apathy is either not caring, or so choosing not to care enough about things in general. Hopefully, this might bring some illumination to you. You sound apathetic to me. Sorry if this sounds stern. It is totally unintentional. 

Edited March 2, 2020 by BeauJangles

[BeauJangles]

A further explanatory definition of the term: apathy. This is very prevalent in our world. 

 

1. apathy

   [ˈapəTHē]

    

   NOUN

   apathy (noun)

   1. lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.

      "widespread apathy among students"

      synonyms:

      indifference · lack of interest · lack of enthusiasm · lack of concern · unconcern · uninterestedness · unresponsiveness · impassivity · passivity · passiveness · detachment · dispassion · dispassionateness · lack of involvement · phlegm · coolness · listlessness · lethargy · languor · lassitude · torpor · boredom · ennui · accidie · acedia · mopery

Edited March 2, 2020 by BeauJangles

[AnOrangeCat]

There's another element to it in addition to redemption, IMO. Jesus living as a human means He faced temptations, hardships, and suffering. That gives us a common point. He knows what we're going through. No one can rightly say He doesn't know what it's like to be a human and have problems.

[Willa]

It helps me to know that Jesus empathizes with my suffering because He suffered so much more.  He is at the right hand of our Father and is praying for me. He understands what I am going through.  That gives me hope and comfort.  It also helps to know that there is an end to my suffering, and it will be no more suffering and no more tears.  So I try to keep my eyes on the prize of being with Him someday.  When I am really hurting I remind myself to thank and praise Him because He is always faithful and is a God who cannot lie.  He is worthy of my praise even when I don't feel like it.  He never changes.  Worshipping God brings me out of myself and helps me see the larger picture.  It is pure discipline and determination to do so.  We can't really compare my suffering to yours for instance, because our pain thresholds are different.  Some people have more pain receptors that others.  So since I go through pain I am also able to empathize with others who suffer and pray for them, perhaps even to encourage them.

2Co 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  2Co 1:4  who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

 

[Behold]

On 2/25/2020 at 4:36 AM, jonrgrover said:

Why does knowing that Jesus suffered help us bear our suffering? I don't get it. I know of lots of people who suffer. It doesn't help me. I know that Jesus suffered, worse than I do. I don't see the connection as to how knowing this helps me. People seem to say this all the time. They often say something like Jesus' suffering will help you in your suffering. Can somebody please explain?

That we can relate to God, because He became "one of us", and understands how it feels to be in this world.....is a comfort to know.

Its a comfort to know that the God we pray to, adore, and worship, has experienced personally what life and death are all about on this earth, exactly as we will and do understand it to be.

Sure, we are not hanging on a Cross, but we are dealing LIFELONG with an evil twisted world that is nothing but resistance, hardship, thorns, and frustration.

Someone one said that "Life is a long long series of Red Lights, and an occasional burst of Green".

There is a hidden and never "preached or taught" verse in the NT that says that "Jesus LEARNED obedience, by the things He SUFFERED".  And this verse is explaining that its one thing to be a completely obedient soul in theory and purpose, but its a whole different story to have to DO whatever it is that is required, as this is the HARD PART.   See, its one thing to be willing to be obedient, but its another to have to wear the grind and actually perform the acts of obedience that are hard on you, and do not get easier the more you have to keep doing it.  And this is where the Grace of God comes into play.... which is the real answer to your question.

The answer is this....... When we have Jesus, when we have God inside us, when we are born again, then all suffering is shared between us and Them... And its the Grace of God that is the power that enables us to bear the load that Life gives us, and that the consequences of our choices bring to us as our destiny.   IT is God Himself, thru Christ, who offers us the GRACE of God, which is the "riches of God's Glory" that is His specific enabling power that works in us and thru us which allows us to do more and be more  then we could have ever have done, by ourselves.

Just as Gas is to a Car, and wood is to a fire, .... so is The Grace of God to a Believer.   ITs the very specific power of God working in us, on our behalf.  

Edited March 4, 2020 by Behold

[johnthebaptist]

On 2/25/2020 at 2:36 AM, jonrgrover said:

Why does knowing that Jesus suffered help us bear our suffering? I don't get it. I know of lots of people who suffer. It doesn't help me. I know that Jesus suffered, worse than I do. I don't see the connection as to how knowing this helps me. People seem to say this all the time. They often say something like Jesus' suffering will help you in your suffering. Can somebody please explain?

I can't remember anyone ever telling me that knowing Jesus suffered should help us bear our suffering. Jesus did suffer, though, and we should appreciate that.