The significance of Jesus sufferings: A sequel

The beauty and completeness of the entire universe was marred by the wrong moral decision of supposedly crowning glory of God’s creation. Humanity missed the opportunity to live in paradise forever by willful disobedience. As such, the whole creation was transformed from the state of being very good to a situation where “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.“(Romans 8:22 ESV).

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Humanly speaking, the Fall of man (and woman, too) has put God in a dilemma. How can He show His love to humankind without breaking His own rule? The prohibition was clear from the start including the consequent penalty. To borrow Atty. Edwin R. Catacutan’s argument in his book Creation, Fall and Redemption, “was there a way to remove the cup of death from man without God breaking His word?” By all indication, God’s enemy has the upper hand and might have been amused in watching how God resolve the issue. As ever consistent in His words and actions, God’s solution makes Jesus suffering absolutely significant.

As discussed in the previous blog, justice requires a redeemer to the sentenced humanity. Legally, angels are disqualified, having no physical body and subsequent death. As progeny of Adam already burdened with own death, nobody from the human race is qualified. Hence, no one can substitute for another, or for own self, despite willful act. Neither can any one force another to sacrifice for himself. Purchasing redemption is also a legal impossibility. For, as the author argues, with reference to the bible, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Psalm 24.1)

When all redemption procedures fail, grace is a necessity. In fact, it is the only redemptive option. Atty. Catacutan discussed a two-stage process in redemption by grace. The first is the payment, or justice –compliance stage. The second is the relationship-claiming stage wherein any one who wants to avail of the redeeming grace must claim his relationship to the Savior.

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In the first stage, somebody who is qualified, and who can die, must do the substitute death sacrifice to comply with the justice requirement of God. The only option is a kinsman of the human race who is able and willing to do the job. A truly man, with flesh and blood not contaminated by sinful nature, who can truly experience death. The only mathematical solution is a virgin birth – child of a woman, begotten of the Holy Spirit. That way the offspring, while being man, can also be truly God who is able to perform task of redeemer. This is the significance of the incarnation as popularized by the Christmas story and the subsequent Passion and Resurrection narrative.

Paul, the apostle, has explicitly described the significance of Jesus sufferings in his letter to the Philippians: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

From the start, Jesus knows his role in the redemptive procedure. The Garden of Gethsemane, on the way to the cross, serves as venue of Jesus affirmation on his willingness to sacrifice as redeemer. There he wrestles with his humanity vis-a-vis the divine mandate. As recorded in the gospel, the scene in the garden portrays the last struggle. Jesus pours out his innermost thoughts and feelings to the Father. Reviewing the justice requirements and redemption scheme, he attempts to argue for other alternatives apart from the cup of suffering and death. In the end, he seals his commitment to undergo the last stage of redemption with this prayer: "Nevertheless, your will be done, not mine."

Thereafter, the culmination of his suffering takes place on the cross. The finale of the "womb- to- the- tomb" painful experiences of Jesus as the redeemer. Indeed, the old rugged cross  serves as the "emblem of suffering and shame." The summit of the redemption process in the context of  the totality of the life of Jesus that exemplifies the love of God for humanity.

Why the emphasis on Passion?

Today starts the Holy Week in the Philippines- the last week of Lent. As it  were, it is expected that the focus of the observance  would be the passion and death of Jesus. Let me share the following article  which was  first published  on Ezine Articles, April 22,2011, under the title  Is Suffering a Virtue?

While many tend to glorify suffering, people who experience it will surely disagree. Having tasted the worst in life, so far, I can attest to this.

Yet, the belief in the virtue of suffering has been embedded in our psyche for centuries. More so, that there are also efforts to perpetuate such conviction for reasons only known to perpetrators. Some take suffering as a pass to heaven. Others look at sufferings as trademark of the followers of Christ. There are religious denominations that associate or even expect their clergy to undergo the process inevitably. Church members of our Baptist group, for example, fondly call their pastors manugpangabudlay. This local dialect in the Philippines connotes hardship and difficulties.

Countries with colonial past, where religion is used in conquest are most vulnerable to this fate. Like the case of the Philippines. Historians note how colonizers integrate religion into their subjugation scheme. From feudalistic to capitalist systems, religion plays a big role in domestication of the subjects. In the context of the Philippine, as pointed out by nationalist historians, while the sword was used in conquest, the cross pacified resistance. The blessedness of poverty, mourning, oppression and persecution as taught in the church make people accept their fate, with relief, expectant of the future reward.

The belief in the virtue of suffering is more evident during Lenten season. Most often, crucifixion and death have been given emphasis in the observance. This can be attributed to the prevalent notion that the cross has salvific power. Redemption has been closely associated with pain and suffering. While Easter is considered the cornerstone of Christian faith, in practice people put emphasis on crucifixion.

Interestingly, attempts have been done by church authorities to dissuade rituals of self-inflicted pain and suffering in holy week celebration. Clergy, of various affiliations, consistently highlights the significance of resurrection in Lenten sermons and teaching. Still, it has not penetrated yet into the Filipino psyche. Filipinos are very much predisposed to suffering, according to Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz. "The Church can only do so much to highlight the importance of Easter among Filipinos because suffering and poverty as well as the love for children are already deeply rooted in Philippine culture," he noted.

While working on this series of Lenten reflections, I remember the article of a Filipino Jesuit priest. It was published after the execution of three Filipinos abroad convicted of drug-related offense. Fr. Manoling V. Francisco contends that suffering is not virtuous, but love is. Suffering is not even redemptive per se. The love underlying the pain makes it salvific.

Does it negate then the impact of the sufferings of Jesus? Not really. Fr. Francisco qualifies his assertion: "Jesus' physical torment and emotional anguish do not redeem us; his willingness to suffer for his convictions and out of love for us is that which saves." You might be interested to read his article, in the Philippine Star, When suffering becomes a virtue.