Jesus Afraid?

[Lambano]

It’s okay for Jesus to be afraid the way we’re afraid. Jesus is both very God and very human. He was afraid, but He was also courageous, just as He told us to have courage and face our own fears. What good is it for Him to tell us to be courageous if He isn’t able or willing to be courageous Himself?

 

[GEN2REV]

I believe He was definitely afraid. Regardless of how much He was, or wasn't, fully aware of His divinity, He had to endure physical pain and suffering unlike anything the vast majority of mankind has ever experienced. We are told his appearance (visage) was more mangled than any man's ever.
Isaiah 52:14

Hebrews tells us that He had to experience all human desires and temptations in order to become our High Priest. Hebrews 4:14-16


For sure He knew what He was about to endure and He was terrified. But that's the very definition of courage. Being afraid but continuing forth in spite of your fear.

Jesus is my Hero.

 

[Jim B]

Sorry guys I'm not buying this. Jesus was not afraid, nor does the bible say he was afraid. It says he was sorrowful unto death. Matthew 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Sorrow isn't fear. Now watch who was afraid:

Matthew 26:

33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Sorry but I'm not buying this. Jesus was clearly afraid. otherwise why would He ask that "the cup" be taken from Him? It would be pointless to recount this if Jesus wasn't afraid of His crucifixion agony and His death.

 

[amadeus]

Sorry guys I'm not buying this. Jesus was not afraid, nor does the bible say he was afraid. It says he was sorrowful unto death. Matthew 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Sorrow isn't fear. Please don't add to the bible, when you do that you assume and take away from the meaning.

Now watch who was afraid:

Matthew 26:

33 Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

34 Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Jesus, the man of flesh, did not want to suffer pain. None of us, people of flesh, normally, do. Is that equal to fear?

His flesh was tempted to travel another way without the pain. He prayed and the will of the Father prevailed, and Jesus went forward to the cross. I believe, there with that prayer spoken three times [Matt 26:39], Jesus overcame the very last temptation. He was no longer IN the world of his own temptations.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee." John 17:11

He went to the cross no longer seeking to avoid suffering and death.

The question here, however, is: Was He afraid before he prayed as per Matt 26:39?

Was his love perfect [I John 4:18]? Was it always perfect or did it only become perfect when he overcame the temptation to avoid suffering and death?

 

[Raccoon1010]

Jesus, the man of flesh, did not want to suffer pain. None of us, people of flesh, normally, do. Is that equal to fear?

His flesh was tempted to travel another way without the pain. He prayed and the will of the Father prevailed, and Jesus went forward to the cross. I believe, there with that prayer spoken three times [Matt 26:39], Jesus overcame the very last temptation. He was no longer IN the world of his own temptations.

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee." John 17:11

He went to the cross no longer seeking to avoid suffering and death.

The question here, however, is: Was He afraid before he prayed as per Matt 26:39?

Was his love perfect [I John 4:18]? Was it always perfect or did it only become perfect when he overcame the temptation to avoid suffering and death?

Fear is a temptation of the devil. To say someone is afraid is to say they are overcome by temptation. Jesus was not overcome by the devils temptation.

Hebrews 2:14-15

King James Version

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Jesus had courage and power although he might have been tempted with fear he was not overcome with temptation, that would have been evil:

John 10:17-18 NKJV
“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

 

[Jim B]

Jesus said "“My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death". and also...

Matthew 26:42-44, "He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more."

Why would He say that His soul was deeply grieved and asked that "this cup" (of impending suffering) be taken away? If Jesus wasn't afraid, why would He ask God to not put Him through the agony of the cross?

Being crucified is no joke! Any person would be afraid and ask the same thing as Jesus did. It's meaningless to think that Jesus would pray for the cup of suffering and painful death to be removed if He wasn't afraid.

Hebrews 2:17, "For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." Every human being would be afraid in the same situation. It would be inhuman not to be afraid.

 

[Raccoon1010]

Jesus said "“My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death". and also...

Matthew 26:42-44, "He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more."

Why would He say that His soul was deeply grieved and asked that "this cup" (of impending suffering) be taken away? If Jesus wasn't afraid, why would He ask God to not put Him through the agony of the cross?

Being crucified is no joke! Any person would be afraid and ask the same thing as Jesus did. It's meaningless to think that Jesus would pray for the cup of suffering and painful death to be removed if He wasn't afraid.

Hebrews 2:17, "For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people." Every human being would be afraid in the same situation. It would be inhuman not to be afraid.

See post #25. Try to harmonize the scriptures you present here with those I posted.

I've had numerous near death experiences. In one of these experiences I hung from a 100' cliff and climbed up that cliff to safety thru fear. At times I've had fear. On several of these occasions the Holy Spirit filled me and I was not afraid. I was level headed and able to maneuver myself out with power and security. Was Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit? I would think so. Like I said, fear is of the devil.

 

[Jim B]

If Jesus wasn't afraid then He wasn't fully human. Fear is a basic emotion, shared by humans and animals. Since Jesus was fully human it would be absurd to think He wasn't afraid.

 

[Abigail]

For me Jesus being fully God and fully human, and being the son of a carpenter, in that region of Palestine he'd know full well what crucifixion entailed. And while we don't know what the device used to crucify people actually looked like when Jesus died that way, I can sure understand why he'd be afraid of dying that way. A long slow agonizing shameful death. Because to inflict the utmost shame on their victims the Roman's stripped naked those they crucified.

I'd be afraid to die in that way if I'd have witnessed many people crucified before.

 

[farouk]

For me Jesus being fully God and fully human, and being the son of a carpenter, in that region of Palestine he'd know full well what crucifixion entailed. And while we don't know what the device used to crucify people actually looked like when Jesus died that way, I can sure understand why he'd be afraid of dying that way. A long slow agonizing shameful death. Because to inflict the utmost shame on their victims the Roman's stripped naked those they crucified.

I'd be afraid to die in that way if I'd have witnessed many people crucified before.

@Abigal It's a solemn and encouraging and humbling thought that He was 'obedient unto death, even the death of the cross' (Philippians 2). He knew what was before Him.

 

[Raccoon1010]

If Jesus wasn't afraid then He wasn't fully human. Fear is a basic emotion, shared by humans and animals. Since Jesus was fully human it would be absurd to think He wasn't afraid.

Jesus was Fully God also. Something we can't comprehend as fully human.

 

[farouk]

Jesus was Fully God also. Something we can't comprehend as fully human.

The Word becoming flesh (John 1.14) is sometimes referred to theologically as the hypostatic union; a deep, revealed mystery.

Colossians 2.9: "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

 

[Behold]

Jesus was Fully God also. Something we can't comprehend as fully human.

You are not supposed to comprehend it.
You are supposed to believe it.

Can you comprehend a dead virgin born jew on the cross as the only reason you get to go to heaven, as this is the only WAY ? John 14:6
Never.
And that is the reason God did it the way He offers it.....>>"the foolishness of Preaching".

See, God requires faith, not comprehension.
Its comprehension obsession that leads to .....>"ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth".

This is why God told us that we have to receive all this that God has provided = the same way little children TRUST.

They trust without having to figure it out.
That is REAL FAITH.
That is what God requires of us.

Faith is TRUST, not analytical comprehension, or Logical analysis data gathering.

 

[farouk]

PS:

"Verily God, yet become truly human,
Lower than angels to die in our stead;
How has that long promised “Seed of the woman”
Trod on the serpent and bruised his head!"

(Refrain)

"Lord, Thou art worthy: Lord, Thou art worthy;
Lord, Thou art worthy, and worthy alone!
Blest in Thy presence, we worship before Thee,
Own Thou art worthy, and worthy alone!"

 

[Raccoon1010]

The Word becoming flesh (John 1.14) is sometimes referred to theologically as the hypostatic union; a deep, revealed mystery.

Colossians 2.9: "For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily."

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

[farouk]

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Wonderful verse there also...

 

[Raccoon1010]

I think there is a good read on fear and why Christians are not to be afraid here: Why Has God Not Given Us the Spirit of Fear?

 

[Raccoon1010]

Wonderful verse there also...

I think if fear is a spirit it wouldn't be God providing it to Jesus when he was commanded to lay down his life and take it up again. That spirit of fear seems contradictory to that purpose. I think that spirit of fear is the devil. I have experienced this demonic tempter on numerous occasions and I've learned to recognize that fear as Satan tempting me. Something apparently not everyone is aware of.

 

[farouk]

I think if fear is a spirit it wouldn't be God providing it to Jesus when he was commanded to lay down his life and take it up again. That spirit of fear seems contradictory to that purpose. I think that spirit of fear is the devil. I have experienced this demonic tempter on numerous occasions and I've learned to recognize that fear as Satan tempting me. Something apparently not everyone is aware of.

Psalm 46 is memorable with this in view:'Therefore will we not fear....'

 

[Raccoon1010]

Psalm 46 is memorable with this in view:'Therefore will we not fear....'

Great verses there in Psalm 46. I also like the verses that say God is love: 1 John 4:8 and fear is not love 1 John 4:18. I would also add to that what the fruit of the Holy Spirit is, Galatians 5:22-23