Christ Suffered and Died, Part 1

(Plain Text Version)

There is so much to learn about God’s great love for us!  The Apostles’ Creed says that Jesus “…suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried…”

Could God have said: “Don’t worry about it” after we disobeyed Him?  If He did, there would no justice.  Without justice, we would have nothing to guide our choices.  We would become like animals.

In Christ, God became Man to satisfy the demands of justice.  Jesus didn’t choose a mild punishment.  He submitted to a punishment which covers all the injustices and cruelties ever committed.  He sufferings were the worst that anyone ever suffered.

The Sufferings of Christ

Jesus suffered pain in the body from beatings, scourging, and crucifixion.  He suffered in His soul from rejection by many people, abandonment by His friends, and a series of humiliating trials.

These sufferings were born by the God-man, who was innocent of any kind of evil.  Perhaps the worst suffering was His knowledge that a huge number of people would reject the salvation which He earned for them.

Jesus could have called the angels to rescue Him at any time (see Matthew 26:53).  His love for us motivated Him to suffer for our benefit. 

In the next edition, we will discuss the death of Christ.    

A Look at the letter of James

Every book of the Bible was written by a human author inspired by the Holy Spirit.  The style of each book comes from the education, experience, and personality of its human author. 

There is much evidence that the apostle James, son of Alpheus, is the author of this small portion of Sacred Scripture.  This letter uses plain (sometimes blunt) language to help us to look at ourselves honestly.  Here are a few examples:

The anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.  (James 1: 20)

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  (James 1 :22)

Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.  So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.  With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.  My brothers, these things ought not to be so.  (James 3: 4-5, 9, 10)  

You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.  (James 4:3)