Bible Echo and Signs of the Times
August 1, 1892
Sufferings of Christ
In order to appreciate the value of salvation, it is necessary to understand something of its cost. In consequence of too limited ideas of the sufferings of Christ, many place a low estimate upon the great work of the atonement. In the divine plan for man's redemption, we behold the marvellous manifestation of the love of God to the fallen race. Such love as is revealed in the gift of God's beloved Son to the world, amazed the holy angels. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 1
By transgression man had separated himself from Him who alone is light and love. The sinner was “alienated from the life of God,” “dead in trespasses and sins.” The only hope for the fallen race was found in their becoming reconciled to God. Satan had so misrepresented God that man had no true conception of the divine character. But in carrying out the plan of salvation, Christ revealed that “God is love.” “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Father loves us, not because of the great propitiation; but he provided the propitiation because he loves us. Christ was the medium through which he could pour out his infinite love upon a fallen world. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.” The Father suffered with the Son. In the agony of Gethsemane, the death of Calvary, the heart of infinite love paid the price of our redemption. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 2
Jesus had often resorted to Gethsemane with his disciples for meditation and prayer. But never before had the Saviour visited the spot with his heart so full of sorrow as on the night of his betrayal. It was not a dread of the physical suffering he was soon to endure that overwhelmed the Son of God, or forced from his lips the mournful cry, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.” The sins of the world weighed heavily upon the Saviour, and bowed him to the earth. The enormity of sin overwhelmed his soul, and a sense of separation from his Father because he had become sin for us, seemed crushing out his life. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 3
Christ was amazed at the horror of darkness that enclosed him. “Tarry ye here,” he said to his disciples, “and watch with me.” Withdrawing a little space from them, he prayed in anguish, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” In tones of startling agony his words were borne to his disciples upon the sympathizing air. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 4
Yearning for the sympathy of his disciples, he came to them, and found them sleeping. He knew that it was the power of the prince of darkness that had paralyzed their senses at this time when they should have been watching. Had the disciples watched with Christ in the hour of agony, they would have been prepared to behold his suffering upon the cross, to understand something of the nature of the overpowering anguish which he endured in the garden of Gethsemane. And they would have been better able to recall the words he had spoken to them in reference to his sufferings, death, and resurrection; and amid the gloom of that trying hour, as they should witness the triumph of the powers of darkness in the sufferings and death of Christ, some rays of hope would have lighted up the darkness, and sustained their faith. Christ had told them before that these things would take place, but they did not understand him. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 5
He roused Peter and said to him, “Simon, sleepest thou?” Was it possible that he who had declared himself willing to go to prison and to death with Christ, was unable to watch one hour with his suffering Master? In pitying tenderness, Jesus added, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 6
At the critical moment, when Jesus was most in need of their sympathy, his chosen companions were overcome with slumber. The Saviour's trial and crucifixion was to be a fiery ordeal to his disciples, and Jesus designed to fortify them for this severe test. Had those hours in the garden been spent in watching and prayer, the disciples would have been strengthened to share the reproaches that fell on Christ, and would not have forsaken him in his hour of trial. But instead of watching with their Lord, they were burdened with sorrow, and fell asleep. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 7
But though the disciples slept, the angels watched in silent grief and amazement the Father separating his beams of light, love, and glory from his Son. As Jesus bowed in prayer, in the agony of his spirit, he sweat great drops of blood. The horror of great darkness surrounded him; for the sins of the world were upon him. He was suffering in man's stead, as a transgressor of the Father's law. The light of God was receding from his vision, and he was passing into the hands of the powers of darkness. In the agony of his soul, he lay prostrate on the cold earth. Christ had taken the cup of suffering from guilty man, and proposed to drink it himself, and in its place, give to man the cup of blessing. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 8
Jesus knew that it would be difficult for man to realize the grievous nature of sin. He knew that close contact and familiarity with evil would so blunt man's moral sensibility that he would not perceive the heinous character of sin, would not discern how exceedingly offensive it is in the sight of God. He knew that but few would take pleasure in righteousness, and accept of the salvation which at infinite cost he made it possible for the lost to obtain. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 9
While the load of the world's sin was upon Christ, doubts rent his soul in regard to his oneness with his Father. In this hour of fearful trial he longed even for human sympathy and fellowship. A second time he rose from the earth, and made his way to where his disciples tarried; but again he found them sleeping. They were not in a deep sleep. They had a partial sense of their Lord's suffering and anguish. In tenderness Jesus stood for a moment bending over them, regarding them with mingled feelings of love and pity. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 10
The disciples roused from their slumber to find their Master standing over them in a state of mental and physical anguish such as they never before had witnessed. They saw the grief and agony of his pale face, and the bloody sweat upon his brow; for “his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.” The disciples were grieved that they had fallen asleep, so that they could not pray and sympathize with their suffering Lord. They were speechless with sorrow and surprise, but seemingly unable to rise above the stupor that weighed upon them. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 11
Again the powers of darkness pressed upon Christ with irresistible force. Giving his disciples one look of the tenderest compassion, he left them, and bowed a third time in prayer. The divine sufferer shuddered with amazement at this mysterious and terrible conflict. He poured out the burden of his soul with strong crying and tears. His soul was pressed with an agony that no human being could endure and live. Jesus willingly suffered all this for guilty man, although he knew that few would appreciate his love or accept of his salvation. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 12
The mind of man cannot conceive of the unutterable anguish that tortured the soul of our Redeemer. The holy Son of God had no sins or griefs of his own to bear: he was bearing the griefs of others; for on him was laid the iniquity of us all. Through divine sympathy he connects himself with man, and as the representative of the race he submits to be treated as a transgressor. He looks into the abyss of woe opened for us by our sins, and proposes to bridge the gulf of man's separation from God. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 13
It was soul anguish that wrung from the lips of God's dear Son this cry of woe: “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.”He was overwhelmed with horror at the fearful work that sin had wrought. His burden of guilt, because of man's transgression of the Father's law, was so great that human nature was inadequate to bear it. The sufferings of martyrs can bear no comparison with the agony of Christ. The divine presence was with them in their sufferings; but the Father's face was hidden from his dear Son. It was this that brought from the trembling lips of Christ the words, “Now is my soul troubled.” “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Again in submission he prays: “O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 14
The awful moment had come that was to decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance. The Son of God might even now refuse to drink the bitter cup. He might wipe the bloody sweat from his brow, and leave men to perish in their iniquity. Will the Son of the infinite God drink the cup of humiliation and agony? Will the innocent suffer the curse of sin, to save the guilty? But now the history of the human race comes up before the world's Redeemer. He sees the power of sin and the utter helplessness of man to save himself. The woes and lamentations of a lost world rise before him, he beholds its impending doom, and his decision is made. He will save man at any cost to himself. He accepts his baptism of blood, that through him perishing millions may gain everlasting life. He has left the heavenly courts, where all is purity, happiness, and glory, to save the one lost sheep, the one world that has fallen by transgression, and he will not be turned from the mission he has chosen. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 15
Having made the decision, he falls in a dying condition to the earth. Where now are his disciples, to place their hands tenderly beneath the head of their suffering Master, and bathe that brow, marred indeed more than the sons of men? Our Saviour trod the winepress alone, and of all the people there was none with him. The angels who had done Christ's will in heaven would fain comfort him. But what can they do? Such sorrow, such agony, is beyond their power to alleviate. They have never felt the sins of a ruined world, and with astonishment they behold their beloved Master prostrated with grief. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 16
Although the father does not remove the cup from the trembling hand and pale lips of his Son, he sends an angel from his presence to strengthen the divine sufferer. The angel raises the Son of God from the cold ground, and comforts Him with messages of love from His Father. He is strengthened. He has the assurance that He is gaining eternal joys for all who will accept redemption. BEcho August 1, 1892, par. 17
(To be continued.)