mathematoons
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Just like the title says. I am a convert from atheism, and I came to understand the concept of God fairly quickly, and the idea of Jesus as God followed shortly after. But Jesus as a human being is still difficult for me after 6 1/2 years.
Examples:
“And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men.” Luke 2:52
If Jesus is God, how could He advance in wisdom? If He is sinless, how could He advance in grace with God? Isn’t He “the same for ever” (Hebrews 13:8)?
“And Jesus said: Who is it that touched me?” Luke 8:45
If Jesus is God, how could He not know this? Wouldn’t that call everything He knew into question? Some point to this and say it proves that He is not God.
“And Jesus wept.” John 11:35
I don’t get this one at all. He had the power to raise Lazarus from the dead. If someone close to me died, and I had the power to bring him back to life, I wouldn’t be sad, I’d just make it happen!
“And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.” Luke 22:43-44
Yet the Apostles rejoiced that they were worthy to suffer for Him (Acts 5:41). The early martyrs often went to their deaths singing joyfully. This seems to imply that they had greater fortitude than Jesus, a clear impossibility.
If Jesus had simply suppressed His human nature, like the Roman Stoics or Star Trek’s Vulcans, I could understand it. After all, much of human nature is sinful. But He allowed Himself to feel emotion even when it was directly opposed to God’s will–after all, everything that happens (except for sin) is by the will of God (Sirach 11:14, CCC 313), and we only feel sadness or emotional pain because we judge a thing to be bad, which we do because it gives us suffering. St. Bernard of Clairvaux so wisely asked, “Whence comes disquiet, except that we follow self-will?” This is a bitter pill to swallow, but it is true. If we feel upset, it is only because we give in to self-will. Self-will is completely out of character for Jesus. So what gives???
Examples:
“And Jesus advanced in wisdom, and age, and grace with God and men.” Luke 2:52
If Jesus is God, how could He advance in wisdom? If He is sinless, how could He advance in grace with God? Isn’t He “the same for ever” (Hebrews 13:8)?
“And Jesus said: Who is it that touched me?” Luke 8:45
If Jesus is God, how could He not know this? Wouldn’t that call everything He knew into question? Some point to this and say it proves that He is not God.
“And Jesus wept.” John 11:35
I don’t get this one at all. He had the power to raise Lazarus from the dead. If someone close to me died, and I had the power to bring him back to life, I wouldn’t be sad, I’d just make it happen!
“And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed the longer. And his sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.” Luke 22:43-44
Yet the Apostles rejoiced that they were worthy to suffer for Him (Acts 5:41). The early martyrs often went to their deaths singing joyfully. This seems to imply that they had greater fortitude than Jesus, a clear impossibility.
If Jesus had simply suppressed His human nature, like the Roman Stoics or Star Trek’s Vulcans, I could understand it. After all, much of human nature is sinful. But He allowed Himself to feel emotion even when it was directly opposed to God’s will–after all, everything that happens (except for sin) is by the will of God (Sirach 11:14, CCC 313), and we only feel sadness or emotional pain because we judge a thing to be bad, which we do because it gives us suffering. St. Bernard of Clairvaux so wisely asked, “Whence comes disquiet, except that we follow self-will?” This is a bitter pill to swallow, but it is true. If we feel upset, it is only because we give in to self-will. Self-will is completely out of character for Jesus. So what gives???
