Letters to a Christian

Question 13

Fear

Was Jesus Afraid?

Did Jesus feel any fear at all when he took upon our sins when he ask god to take this cup or when Jesus ask God why has thou foresaken me?


BCBSR Response

Concerning the anticipation of his death here's some relevant verses:

Mt 26:37,38  And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."

Mr 14:33  And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed.

Luke 12:50  "But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!

Luke 22:44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

None use the word "fear" per se. More precisely he was under great stress and sorrow.

Nonetheless there was hope in the midst of it as he looked forward to his future. Heb 12:2  "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

In fact his actually going through the crucifixion almost seemed that he was less stressed than his time praying. He showed no fear at his trials - neither in front of the Sanhedrin or in front of Pilate. He was very clear minded, calm, and was meditating up and quoting scripture. Even the phrase you mention concerning "My God, My God why have you forsaken me" was simply a quote from Psalm 22. If you read Psalm 22, which by the way was written 1000 years before Jesus' crucifixion, you will find that is an exact description of Jesus' crucifixion - even to his clothes be gambled over. I think Ps 22 was one of the scriptures written for Jesus to meditate upon when on the cross, and one that points to him as the Messiah. And when women were weeping for him he said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!"’ Luke 23:28-30

Steve


Feedback

Thank you so much you were very helpful


The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources Jan 30,2022