This, I have pondered on for a couple of hours! Not just what I have shared already… To be honest, the suffering that He went through is unspeakable! There is noone that is as world renowned as Him!!!
Let’s briefly break it down!
Jesus endured profound physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering during his final hours, known in Christianity as the Passion.
1. Emotional and Relational Betrayal
- Betrayal and Abandonment: Betrayed by His disciple Judas Iscariot, denied three times by Peter, and deserted by the rest of His followers upon His arrest.
- Rejection: Mocked, rejected, and falsely accused by religious leaders (the Sanhedrin), crowds, and Roman authorities like Pontius Pilate and Herod.
- Garden Anguish: Experienced severe psychological and emotional distress in the Garden of Gethsemane, leading to hematidrosis—a rare medical condition where extreme stress causes capillary blood vessels to rupture, mixing blood with sweat.
2. Physical Torture and Abuse
- Illegal Trials and Beatings: Subjected to six religious and civil trials, blindfolded, spat upon, slapped, punched, and had His beard plucked out.
- Scourging (Flagellation): Flogged by Roman soldiers using a flagrum (a multi-thonged whip embedded with bone and metal pieces) that tore open His skin, exposed muscle and bone, and caused severe blood loss and shock.
- Crown of Thorns: A cap or wreath of sharp, rigid thorns was forced onto His scalp, and He was struck on the head with a reed.
- Carrying the Cross: Forced to carry a heavy crossbeam (weighing roughly 100–150 pounds) along the Via Dolorosa while bleeding, exhausted, and repeatedly falling.
3. Crucifixion Ordeal
- Nailing to the Cross: Nailed through his wrists and feet to a wooden cross, causing severe nerve damage and shooting pain.
- Asphyxiation and Exhaustion: Positioned in a way that restricted breathing; to inhale, He had to push up against the nails in His feet, tearing flesh and scraping open wounds. He endured six hours of this physical agony before dying.
- Dehydration and Shock: Suffered extreme dehydration (stating “I thirst”), plummeting blood pressure, and progressive cardiovascular shock.
4. Spiritual Agony
- Bearing Sin and Divine Abandonment: According to Christian theology, the deepest suffering was spiritual—taking upon Himself the sin and judgment of humanity and experiencing a profound, crushing separation from God The Father, prompting His cry: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
For a detailed breakdown of these historical and scriptural accounts, you can explore resources like JesusAlive.cc or read theological overviews on GotQuestions.org.
For enduring all this – shame, pain, thirst, torture, death… Jesus is seated at the right hand of The Creator of ALL things!!!
So, it is not with a want/desire to endure what Jesus endured successfully, but rather each and every day to be more like Jesus; that is my lifelong ambition.
Reason:
In Christian theology, becoming like Jesus (Christlikeness) and seeing God are deeply connected in a process of spiritual transformation and vision.
The Biblical Connection
- 1 John 3:2: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is”.
- 2 Corinthians 3:18: Believers are changed into the likeness of Christ “from one degree of glory to another” as they behold the glory of the Lord through the work of the Spirit.
- The Goal of Conformity: Romans 8:29 states that God’s purpose is for His people to be “conformed to the Image of His Son”.
How Transformation Happens
- The Role of the Spirit: Becoming like Jesus is not achieved through human effort or moral perfection alone, but is an inside-out transformation driven by the Holy Spirit.
- Beholding Christ: As you focus your heart and mind on Jesus through Scripture, prayer, and worship, your inner character naturally shifts to reflect His.
- Practical Virtues: Emulating Jesus involves walking in sacrificial love, humility, forgiveness, and obedience to God’s will.
Praying to be more like Jesus is a central practice in Christian discipleship, focusing on emulating His character, love, kindness, and humility rather than achieving perfection.
Key Biblical Foundations & Themes
- Imitating Christ: Believers look to Scripture—such as Ephesians 5:1–2, which calls Christians to “be imitators of God, as beloved children”.
- Fruit of the Spirit: The desire centers on growing in virtues like mercy, grace, kindness, goodness, patience, and Love.
- Transformation: Prayers of this nature often ask for “more of Him and less of self,” surrendering personal pride to follow His example.
Popular Worship Songs & Hymns
This sentiment is echoed across many traditional hymns and contemporary worship songs:
- “More Like Jesus Would I Be” (Traditional hymn)
- “I Want to Be More Like Jesus Every Day” (Performed by artists like the Old Friends Quartet and Bill & Gloria Gaither)
- “Less Like Me” by Zach Williams
- “More Like Jesus” by One Voice Worship (featuring Canaan Baca)
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