Did Jesus Have to Suffer? Trying to Make Sense of a Troubling View

Comments · 718

• MA

  @MarcoLupoWolf · 2 years ago

  There is something about Jesus suffering on the cross that has bugged me ever since I was in Middle School in Rome circa 1968/69. For the record, I attended classes in a school located on a hill above the Colosseum in Rome and walking distance from the Roman Forum. &nbsp;I could see both from the windows of my classroom (if I squinted and stood on a desk). Our history classes were very hands-on as far as we were concerned. We could see the roman ruins on our lunch break and I enjoyed my cherry-orange shaved ice in summer while sitting on a toppled Roman column nearby.<br><br>In religion class we were told that Jesus suffered immensely for our sins. A suffering so indescribable we couldn&apos;t even imagine it. No one could imagine it, it was so epic.<br>As kids, few of us experienced pain and suffering and the idea of having nails through our hands (this was before we figured out that wouldn&apos;t work without ropes and/or the nail being driven in the wrist) was certainly shocking.<br><br>Then in history class we studied the Punic Wars (First, the sequel, and the Return of Hannibal. Even back then sequels were a big deal), but we also studied Spartacus revolts. When the Romans finally defeated Spartacus, we were told that they took the rebels and crucified them all along the road from Rome to Naples like signposts. <br><br>That made me think, so I asked our religion teacher to explain how Jesus&apos; sacrifice and pain compared to that of the revolting slaves. Not only the slaves were crucified, but their buddies were crucified alongside them after a pretty nasty insurgency campaign. Surely, that was at least comparable to Jesus suffering, if not worse.<br><br>I remember being marched to our (public school) principal for a through dressing down. Him and the priest tag teamed on me and I walked away convinced that adults were a) weird and b) hypocrites.<br><br>I even made the argument that two other unfortunates were crucified alongside Jesus. What about their suffering? Why was Jesus&apos; suffering more remarkable? Why did he suffer more. Nails are nails.<br><br>One small aside. I grew up thinking of the Roman soldiers that crucified Jesus as absolute sadist, because our priest/teacher made a really big deal about the soldiers giving Jesus vinegar instead of water, when he was thirsty, only to find out, fifty years later, that water with vinegar was what the Roman legions of the time drunk themselves. They gave him what they had handy. <br><br>Anyway, I am 7 minutes in on the podcast, so I don&apos;t know how Bart is going to approach the topic, but I wanted to recount this little episode from my youth. And my family still wonders why I never had my daughter baptized.

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• BI

  @billscannell93 · 2 years ago

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4e2Ot46SJM&amp;t=1607">26:47</a> That&apos;s more or less what I have always thought. Sounds like his followers just had to come up with an explanation of why he died at all.

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• DO

  @dominicdmello7531 · 2 years ago

  You&apos;ll should do a deep dive into the modern evangelical movement in the US and it&apos;s right leaning and support of white nationalism.

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• VA

  @Valdagast · 2 years ago

  Any chance of an episode of the Book of Daniel? It&apos;s often (mis)used by endtime preachers.

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• JO

  @johnthekeane · 2 years ago

  Even if this was not so interesting, informative and intellectually pleasing, I would watch it just for Megan&apos;s endless flow of new glasses. 🙂

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• AP

  @apotropoxyz6685 · 2 years ago

  Why on Earth would Jesus (god) make a torture sacrifice of himself to himself so he could forgive us for doing things he knew from the beginning we would do?

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• RA

  @rays2506 · 2 years ago

  Re: Suffering of Jesus: More likely retrodiction than prediction.

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• JO

  @johnpro2847 · 2 years ago

  The whole religious theology is abhorrent...suffering , pain, payback, revenge...geez where is the exit

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• MI

  @MichaelYoder1961 · 2 years ago

  Always learn something from these videos. Thanks, Bart, Megan, et al.

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• SL

  @slottibarfast5402 · 11 months ago

  In perspective Jesus as an immortal from times beginning, his one day of suffering is about like us getting a splinter. The suffering of the people Jesus met were sometimes greater, years of pain.

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• EV

  @evanhill9890 · 1 year ago

  This may be the best episode I&apos;ve ever heard.

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• CH

  @chrisgrayling7584 · 2 years ago

  Another delightful, entertaining and enlightening episode. &nbsp;Megan, you always do a great job and Bart, you are so humble and thoughtful in your delivery; never demeaning, always sincere and always insightful. &nbsp;Both of your voices are also calm and easy on the ears. &nbsp;Your podcast is a highlight of my week; thank you both for sharing your time with us.

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