The Teaching that the Father did not Suffer the Crucifixion

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Hi,

I think the Church teaches that the Father did not Suffer the Crucifixion. Jesus said that the Father is in Him.

John 14:9-10
usccb.org/nab/bible/john/john14.htm

How are we to understand that the Father is in Jesus yet was not on the cross with Him? I don’t think we are saying that the Father was not in Jesus when He was on the cross are we? If He was in Jesus when Jesus was on the cross then why cannot one reason that the Father was on the cross because He was in Jesus on cross?

Thank You
 
When we speak of the divinity of Christ we can never separate the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. In the person of Jesus Christ, whereby He is fully God and fully man, we can say that God died on the Cross just as we can call Mary the Mother of God.

That being said, there is a relational distinction between the three persons of the Blessed Trinity. Thus the Father sends the Son and the Son prays to the Father. They are not the same person but eternally distinct in relation to one another. So, in my opinion, it would be incorrect to state that the Father died on the Cross based on the same relational distinction that would prevent us from saying that when Jesus prays to the Father that He is praying to Himself. This is indeed a mystery of our faith which we can apprehend but never comprehend. As far as it can be revealed to us we know that the Father sent the Son who in turn died for us.

That’s the best that I can do. I hope that it helps…teachccd
 
Coder said:
Hi,

I think the Church teaches that the Father did not Suffer the Crucifixion. Jesus said that the Father is in Him.

John 14:9-10
usccb.org/nab/bible/john/john14.htm

How are we to understand that the Father is in Jesus yet was not on the cross with Him? I don’t think we are saying that the Father was not in Jesus when He was on the cross are we? If He was in Jesus when Jesus was on the cross then why cannot one reason that the Father was on the cross because He was in Jesus on cross?

Thank You
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The way I understand it is that Jesus was at cross paying the penalty for our sins while the Father was pouring out his wrath (inflicting penalty) on him not necessarily from outside of Jesus but from the inside. There were Jesus’ outer sufferings (soldier’s beatings, physical cross, nails) but there was also the more severe sufferings inside him coming from the Father who is Spirit.
 
Henning said:
The way I understand it is that Jesus was at cross paying the penalty for our sins while the Father was pouring out his wrath (inflicting penalty) on him not necessarily from outside of Jesus but from the inside. There were Jesus’ outer sufferings (soldier’s beatings, physical cross, nails) but there was also the more severe sufferings inside him coming from the Father who is Spirit.
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Henning, you are speaking of what is called “penal substitution” which is not the Catholic understanding. This article gives a good presentation on the Catholic teaching:

catholic-legate.com/articles/cathatonement.html
 
(I question in that article the idea that Adam could have interceded for Eve.)

teachccd I appreciate your answer and I accept that it is a mystery yet I still seek further insight.

Thank You.
 
Coder said:
teachccd I appreciate your answer and I accept that it is a mystery yet I still seek further insight.

Thank You.
Click to expand...
I gave you a little more than it was just a mystery but I wish you the best in trying to define the ineffable essence of God…I’m sure that there are a multitude of perspectives…God Bless…teachccd 🙂
 
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