Can God truly understand the human condition?

[simpleas]

I don’t deny that, but you’re not really addressing my point. I was trying to illustrate how there is no systematic correspondance between begetting someone and knowing someone inside and out. i htink the OP came from a genuine concern: does God truly know what it’s like to be me, to be tossed to and fro in an ocean of passion, false promises, guilt, conflicting voices, doubt, to sometimes feel like I’m fighting who I am, myself to be accepted by God etc. etc. etc. As for bitterness, it has taken roots, i suspect that I won’t be able to eradicate it in this lifetime. But bitterness or not, OP’s question is a valid one in my estimation. Lots of people take for granted that Jesus was just like us, that he knew what it is like to be us, to be drawn to sin, conflicted about God, to wrestle with evil passions that promise a relief from the pains and, sometimes, bleakness of life. Sin is such a dertermining factor in our lives, saying Jesus was like us except for sin is bizarre satement. I’m like Donald Trump except for the money, the charisma, the intelligence, the ambition and the drive he has. Nonsensical.

Not addressed to me…but…
The way I think of it is you can be no one but yourself in the eyes of God, I think God is the only one who accepts us as we are, even if we can’t.

Jesus was a male human, so how could he possibly know what its like to be a female?

The abandonment Jesus felt on the cross, to me means he felt lost, afraid, he could no longer feel God within him, and so he may have even wondered if he had done the right thing.
Isn’t those sorts of feelings every single human being, male/female who believes in Christ experiences throughout their life?

I think we can feel we are abandoned by God because we try to much to be what we aren’t in a way.

Just my two pennies

 

[hansard]

I’m with the OP on this issue. God could not possibly understand the human condition UNTIL the incarnation, and then only partly (being possessed of divine will, knowing fully well that he could not submit to sin and even knowing the outcome of his death are rather solid barriers to being fully human in a psychological sense).
Of course, we can’t blame Jesus for being male and therefore not understanding what it’s like to be female. I’m male, and fully human, and I have trouble understanding what it must be like to be female. In a similar way, I can’t understand what it’s like to be Islamic, black, poor, or to be a sailor, a mechanic or a cowboy.
We all, rather obviously, understand the human condition in our own particular ways. We can only use our sense of rationality and empathy to understand other people.

 

[grannymh]

Jesus was a male human, so how could he possibly know what its like to be a female?

I do not mean to be rude. Briefly, there Iare not two human natures such as a female human nature and male human nature.

 

[simpleas]

I do not mean to be rude. Briefly, there Iare not two human natures such as a female human nature and male human nature.

There is human nature.
I meant it as an extra question along side "can God truly understand the human condition?

I remember this below :

*Gal. 3:26-28: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ.” *

I was speaking of the abandonment on the cross, its a spiritual abandonment, and in the spiritual there is neither male or female, but a spirit, which we all have.

 

[grannymh]

There is human nature.
I meant it as an extra question along side "can God truly understand the human condition?

I remember this below :

*Gal. 3:26-28: “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ.” *

I was speaking of the abandonment on the cross, its a spiritual abandonment, and in the spiritual there is neither male or female, but a spirit, which we all have.

While your current comments are about abandonment, I think post 126, Psalm 22, above would be helpful.

 

[opusAquinas]

Jesus did not sin therefore He cannot understand the human condition? No. He experienced the “pains” of temptation.

A person who self harms and a person who is tempted to self-harm. Will former turn to the latter and say “you do not know my pain. Therefore you do not know me nor the human condition?”

When our Lord suffered and died on the Cross He was dealt the penalty for all sin.

n.b.(He suffered His entire life - surrounded by those who want to kill Him… I mean as an side when He was a child (of 12 or younger???) - just a mere child- alone in the temple those few days did He not grow in wisdom - did He not grow assured of the fact that Now is not the time to proclaim the Gospel and that He was a mere child SURROUNDED by those who would kill Him.) The Lamb of God surrounded by wolves and vipers.

 

[grannymh]

I’m with the OP on this issue. God could not possibly understand the human condition UNTIL the incarnation, and then only partly (being possessed of divine will, knowing fully well that he could not submit to sin and even knowing the outcome of his death are rather solid barriers to being fully human in a psychological sense).
Of course, we can’t blame Jesus for being male and therefore not understanding what it’s like to be female. I’m male, and fully human, and I have trouble understanding what it must be like to be female. In a similar way, I can’t understand what it’s like to be Islamic, black, poor, or to be a sailor, a mechanic or a cowboy.
We all, rather obviously, understand the human condition in our own particular ways. We can only use our sense of rationality and empathy to understand other people.

Two questions, please.

What would be the difference between God, Himself, experiencing every possible human condition/every possible psychological aspect and knowing what human nature can experience?

On the other hand, in order to create human nature, would God, Himself, have to first experience every possible human condition/every possible psychological aspect?