Does Jesus Christ Really Understand?

The Bible tells that Jesus Christ was tempted in all points as we are (Heb. 4:15). Yet we know that He wasn’t crippled or handicapped. He didn’t live through old age, He wasn’t forced into retirement and then forced to struggle to make ends meet on a pension.

How, then, can Christ understand all that we humans go through?

What about the temptations and problems with which his modern world confronts us. Christ didn’t live in a society quite like the world we live in, it was far from it.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:16, “to come boldly to God’s throne of grace.” How can we be sure that Christ understands what we feel? If Christ has never experience the exact sufferings that we do, how can He understand our personal needs?

The Apostle Paul tells us “that most trials are common to all” (I Cor. 10:13) Yet each of us have experienced unique pains, trials and sufferings that we feel no one else can understand. And sometimes we may wonder whether God Himself can.

Is God able to really appreciate the depths of troubles we go through?

The Apostle Peter tells, “For even hereunto were ye called, because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps” (I Peter 2:21). In what specific sufferings did Jesus lead the way?

The first thing we need to understand is that Jesus Christ was fully physical. He was as much a human being as any of us.

He was fully capable of experiencing the entire gamut of emotions, physical sensations, pains and human needs as any of us are.

Jesus Christ experienced tiredness, he needed time to recuperate from shouldering the responsibilities He carried.

You and I live in a corrupt society that wallows in government inefficiency, social injustice, violent crime, and many foolish laws and regulations. Christ also lived in a similarly corrupt society. He knew the burdens of taxes and human laws and rules.

Christ lived in Judea under the occupied forces of the Romans. The Romans treated the populace as subjugated peoples and enforced harsh requirements. Christ spoke of the repressive laws of the religious authorities of His day.

Christ said in Matthew 23:2-3: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not according to their works, for they say, and do not do.”

How many of our most serious problems as Christians involve members of our own families or close friends, or opposition from people we must constantly be around and try to get along with?

Christ was ahead of His time in relation to humanity in general and in relation to His own parents and family. His own brothers did not believe in Him and became frustrated at His refusal to publicly show His powers (John 1:46).

He was criticized by the religious community for not having acceptable educational credentials (John 7:15).

Because He came from Galilee and Nazareth, He suffered snide and put-downs about His heritage. “Can anything good come out of Nazareth” (John 1:45)?

In His great hour of need, His closest friends deserted Him, leaving Him alone to face the religious authorities and soldiers.

Many of us in God’s Church today must suffer physically because of illnesses or some type of accidents. But Christ understood the very depths of our physical sufferings as well.

The Bible tells us in Christ’s last hours as a human, He was falsely accused, reviled, sworn at, spat upon, and slapped in the face. Jesus Christ suffered one of the most brutal beatings ever administered and was crucified. One of the most painful forms of death ever devised.

Being human Christ didn’t want to suffer and die, He didn’t want to face the physical pain and eventual death (Matt. 26:42-44).

The teaching of Christ was not to respond in kind to evil. He committed His cause to the righteous judge in heaven (I Peter 2:21-23)

Jesus Christ is certainly qualified to understand our sufferings, but the big question we need to ask: “are we qualified to understand His?”

As the Creator of all things Christ had, down through time, experienced great depth of emotions about what humans have done to other humans.

Christ was “grieved in His heart” before the Flood (Gen. 6:6).

Today, you and I live in an age comparable to the time of Noah, so we can be sure that Christ likewise today grieves over the hurts and sufferings of this age.

If you and I can identify with some of these examples, then we can know that we have a faithful High Priest who has walked this physical life ahead of us.

Jesus Christ does know what it means to suffer and He is fully qualified to discuss our personal grief and sorrow with God the Father as your spiritual intercessor.

Jesus is a High Priest who hears, knows and truly understands how you and I feel.

 
The Church of God, New World Ministries P.O. Box 5536 Sevierville, TN 37864