Continue Appreciating the Ransom

 WHY WAS JESUS ALLOWED TO SUFFER?

Imagine what the last day of Jesus' early life was like. Although, he can call on legions of angels to protect him, he allows himself to be seized by Roman soldiers, who beat  him  mercilessly. (Matthew 26:52, 54; John 18:3; 19:1)   They use  a whip that rips strips of flesh from his body. Later, they load  a heavy beam on is lacerated back.   Jesus begins to drag the stake ito the place of execution, but soon a bystander is conscripted to carry it for him.  (Matthew  27:32)  When Jesus arrives at the place where he will die, his executioners nail his hands and his feet to the stake.  The weight of Jesus' body tears a the nail wounds.  His friends grieve  and his mother weeps, but the Jewish rulers  mock Jesus. (Luke 23:32-38; John 19:25)  One agonizing   hour follows another.  His heart and lungs become strained, and his breathing becomes more difficult. With his dying breath, he utters one last triumphant prayer. He then bows his head and surrenders his life.  (Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 10:17, 18; 19:30)   It was truly  a slow, painful, humiliating way to die! 

For Jesus, the manner of his execution was not the worst part of his ordeal.  He was more distressed by the charge that was the basis for his execution.  He was falsely accused of being a blashphemer-someone who had no respect for God or for God's name.  (Matthew 26:64-66)  The very thought of that charge tormented JEsus so much that he hoped his Father would spare him this humiliation.  (Matthew 2^:38, 39, 42)  Why did Jehovah allow his beloved Son to suffer and die?  Let us consider three reasons. 

First, Jesus had to be hung on a stake to free the Jews for a special curse.  (Galatians 3:10, 13)  They had agreed to observe God's Law but has fallen short of keeping it.  As a result, this curse was in addition to their condemnation as offspring of sinful Adam.  (Romans 5:12)  God's  Law to Israel stated that  a man who committed a sin deserving of death should be executed.  Afteward,  his dead body may be hung on a stake.  (Deuteronom 21:22, 23; 27:26)   So being hung on a stake, Jesus made it possible for the very nation that rejected him to benefit from his sacrifice. 

Consider a second reason why God allowed his Son to suffer.  He was training Jesus for his future role as  our High Priest.  Jesus experienced how difficult it is to obey God when under extreme test.  He felt so much pressure that he prayed for help    "with strong outcries and tears." Certaintly, having gone through wrenching emotional distress, Jesus put himself understands our needs and "his able to come to  [our] aid" when we "are being put to the test."  How grateful we are to Jehovah for appointing over us a merciful High Priest who can  "sympathized with our weaknesses"! - HEBREWS 2:17, 18; 4:4-16; 5:7-10. 

Third, Jehovah allowed Jesus to suffer so severly in order to answer an important question: Can humans demonstrate godly devoltion even when severely tested?  Satan says no!  He claims that humans serve God for selfish reasons. And he believes that-like their forefather Adam-the are not devoted to Jehovah.  (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5)  Confident in the loyalty of his Son, Jehovah allowed Jesus to be tested to the limit of human endurance. Jesus maintained his integrity and proved Satan a liar. 

Next time: Continue Appreciating the Ransom - A BIBLE WRITER WHO DEEPLY APPRECIATED THE RANSOM

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