How can Jesus have gone through every trial we go through?

[HeWillProvide]

The Bible says that Jesus was tested in every way - tested just as we are tested today and therefore knows what we are going through. But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? Doesn’t being born with original sin make the trials “harder” as we are more susceptible to sin (if that is true)? It seems like if you were born without original sin, like Jesus and Mary, you may have it “easier” than those born with it. I know this is incorrect but just am not sure why.

 

[The_Fool]

But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? One may experience the same trials, but react to them differently or have different resources at one’s disposal.

Doesn’t being born with original sin make the trials “harder” as we are more susceptible to sin (if that is true)? Perhaps.

It seems like if you were born without original sin, like Jesus and Mary, you may have it “easier” than those born with it. I know this is incorrect but just am not sure why. Adam and Eve were not born with original sin, but still fell from grace. Original sin may cloud one’s judgment and produce a tendency to sin, but human will is a constant factor that cannot be ignored. Because of human will we may resist sin. Hmm, I believe the best counter-argument is that human nature remains the same regardless of original sin, and thus those born without original sin may be just as likely to sin as those born with. Uh, hungry Mary and young Augustine see an unguarded fruit tree. Mary’s human nature tells her stealing is wrong and she continues on her way. Young Augustine knows it’s wrong, chooses to ignore his conscience, steals most of the fruit for kicks, and continues goes home to demand Monica cook him up something. Both had a little voice saying theft is wrong, but both react to them in different ways.

Eh, did any of that answer anything or come out coherent?

 

[Mark77]

If i were God and did not ever have to suffer, but i chose to share in humanity and her suffering only because i loved my children, the pain would be much more difficult to bear because it was so unnecessary.

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

Mark

 

[Wild_Boar]

The Bible says that Jesus was tested in every way - tested just as we are tested today and therefore knows what we are going through. But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? Doesn’t being born with original sin make the trials “harder” as we are more susceptible to sin (if that is true)? It seems like if you were born without original sin, like Jesus and Mary, you may have it “easier” than those born with it. I know this is incorrect but just am not sure why.

Though Christ was sinless, it does not remove the fact that He suffered, immensely! Immediately following His baptism, He was led through the desert forty days without food and water. He should have died, but for the angel that somehow ministered to Him. Then, while in that excruciating state, He faced The Tempter himself, Satan. He also faced the crucifixion, His most agonizing experience. For in it, He suffered the greatest physical and spiritual agonies known to mankind.
Though He was sinless, Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses. At Gethsemane, He agonized over the prospects of drinking the cup of God’s wrath and He did drink it. So, in a sense, He can even sympathize with the sufferings of those in the eternal torments of Hell who are abandoned from God’s favor.

 

[Benadam]

The greater one gives the greater the loss if rejected. Paradox surrounds God in our sight. Absolute evil is exposed by contrast by absolute good.

Because of the sting of death and original sin our souls are darkened . The state of awareness that we experienced in our infancy has submerged into subconsciousness. We are lost to ourselves. This was not so with Jesus. The state of awareness that He experienced at the incarnation did not beome darkened and submerged but remained a conscious foundation of awareness for Him. So Jesus knew what we we experience in our deepest most hidden parts. He knows what we go through more than we do because He is human

Whether Jesus, or His mom for that matter, would or could sin, made little difference relative to the pain of rejected love they, like us, experienced during their earthly lives.
Although for them, the greater one loves the greater the pain if rejected.

And for Jesus, experienced consciously, not repressed or suppressed and made unconscious, unfelt.

 

[Matthew_J]

The Bible says that Jesus was tested in every way - tested just as we are tested today and therefore knows what we are going through. But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? Doesn’t being born with original sin make the trials “harder” as we are more susceptible to sin (if that is true)? It seems like if you were born without original sin, like Jesus and Mary, you may have it “easier” than those born with it. I know this is incorrect but just am not sure why.

I don’t see how the idea that Jesus felt the full weight of our collective suffering is any harder to believe than His mere ability to take on our suffering? Or are you wondering whether He did so at all? He willingly endured the crucifixion; one would think that that sacrifice itself (even without the added pressure of the “full weight” of all of our sins) is representative of Jesus taking upon Himself the weight of our sin.

Maybe I’ve misunderstood you completely.

But in conclusion: He’s Jesus, He can do anything

 

[HeWillProvide]

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But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? One may experience the same trials, but react to them differently or have different resources at one’s disposal.

I know this is true, but I meant it in a different way. Example, an alcoholic trying to resist a drink versus a “normal” person trying to resist a drink. For the alcoholic, it is way harder.

 

[Nita]

The Bible says that Jesus was tested in every way - tested just as we are tested today and therefore knows what we are going through. But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? Doesn’t being born with original sin make the trials “harder” as we are more susceptible to sin (if that is true)? It seems like if you were born without original sin, like Jesus and Mary, you may have it “easier” than those born with it. I know this is incorrect but just am not sure why.

As Scripture notes, He experienced the **same trials **- but it doesn’t say anything about the degree of difficulty he experienced in resisting it.
For example: He experienced ridicule; we experience ridicule - same trial/test/temptation.
Actually, the degree of difficulty varies for every human. You and I could be undergoing the exact same trial (same ridiculing words being fired at both of us) - and yet, it could be far more difficult for one of us to respond charitably.

Personally, I think the temptations Jesus experienced had to be far greater than anything we could possibly experience. We are not God, so there are facets of temptation that never even rear their ugly heads to us. Consider - if you were God incarnate - and someone hatefully tries to harm you.
You have the power to:
alter emotions
remove free will
annihilate the person
turn him into a mute quadraplegic,
etc. etc. etc.

All sorts of temptations that aren’t even in the realm of possiblity for us - and thus are not part of the difficulty experienced by us in that test/temptation/trial.

 

[Wild_Boar]

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But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? One may experience the same trials, but react to them differently or have different resources at one’s disposal.

I know this is true, but I meant it in a different way. Example, an alcoholic trying to resist a drink versus a “normal” person trying to resist a drink. For the alcoholic, it is way harder.

Although Jesus had no illegitimate desires, He had strong desires nonetheless. He faced many adverse circumstances which deeply grieved His soul. Just because He came out of them all triumphantly, does not mean it was easy for Him. He admirably fought temptation in the garden at Gethsemane. Three times He returned to God in prayer collapsing under the immense burden of knowing what was just around the corner. Yet He did not chide His disciples for failing to pray with Him. Rather He understood their sinfulness; their dullness of heart, and He had sympathy on them, “Can you not keep watch for just one hour? Even so, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Besides, God knows everything. What kind of ‘Physician of the soul’ would Jesus be if He could not understand the spiritual malady of sin?

 

[rcjones]

The Bible says that Jesus was tested in every way - tested just as we are tested today and therefore knows what we are going through. But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? Doesn’t being born with original sin make the trials “harder” as we are more susceptible to sin (if that is true)? It seems like if you were born without original sin, like Jesus and Mary, you may have it “easier” than those born with it. I know this is incorrect but just am not sure why.

If we understand that the essence of original sin is giving in to instinctive living rather than living according to every word that proceeds from his mouth, then original sin wasn’t just something that happened a long time ago, but a real temptation we face every day.

Now we recognize the Jesus’ will was not the same as that of the Father. He did not want to die on the cross, which is why he prayed to have the cup removed. Nevertheless, he submitted his will to that of the Father.

Her faced the same temptation to preserve himself, respond to instincts as we do, in fact in a greater degree because he did not deserve the cross, yet he submitted himself in obedience.

 

[Ceil-1]

Jesus’ temptations were external. We experience internal, inordinate desires.

 

[Bubbles65]

Each of us, in our created uniqueness, experiences our lives in a way which is specific to who we are. Jesus is no exception to this. IMO, and I may be wrong, sometimes there is a hidden grace in not having a choice. Jesus had a choice and could’ve walked away from Gesthemane and all that was coming. We are so often spared the temptation of being able to turn away from what the Father has in store for us. Jesus who is God was tempted in ways we cannot imagine.

The Passion is not an exercise in me-tooism. He’s not just joining in with our suffering to be a member of the team; it’s not an exercise in solidarity: *“See, I’m just like you.” * I don’t think identical experience is the point of the scripture there; the point is not the sameness of his experience, but the universe-altering uniqueness of his response. I believe the first lesson of the cross is objectively instructive: “Look, watch & learn: this is how it is done.”

The Bible says that Jesus was tested in every way - tested just as we are tested today and therefore knows what we are going through. But if Jesus was born without original sin, how can he have experienced the same trials that we do? Doesn’t being born with original sin make the trials “harder” as we are more susceptible to sin (if that is true)? It seems like if you were born without original sin, like Jesus and Mary, you may have it “easier” than those born with it. I know this is incorrect but just am not sure why.

 

[Wild_Boar]

Even though it was impossible for Jesus to be tempted by illegitimate desires (as He had none), He was tempted to gratify legitimate desires by illegitimate means. For instance, though Jesus had the legitimate desire to receive all glory and honor (since He certainly deserved it!) the Devil tempted Him to gain it through illegitimate means. “All these kingdoms belong to me. Bow down to me and I will give them to you.” Jesus did not take the ‘easy way out’. But since He did not succumb to the immediate gratification of His desires, but persevered for His Father’s sake, He suffered that much more. As compared to what a renowned prostitute once said, “Temptation isn’t a problem for me, I just go along with it.”

 

[rcjones]

Legitimate or illegitimate begs the question.

His will differed from that of the Father. He did not want to die on the cross and asked not to.

Having a different will than the Father is not sin. It is person-hood. This is how we know they were two persons not just two titles for one person.

Finding that his will was different than the Father, he submitted his will to that of the Father. This is in every way how we resist temptation. We have a will that is different than God’s, and we submit our will to His word…

Instinct is what we share with animals. The ability to overcome instinct with our will is how we differ from animals. We have clothing to remind us we are not animals. We say grace at meals so we don’t eat instinctively like animals. We have marriage so we don’t procreate like animals. We have a Sabbath so we don’t pass our time instinctively like animals. We have the word of God so that we can respond to his will rather than our instinct.

Jesus’ instinct was to preserve his own life. But he responded according to the word.