Bible Study 8: His Suffering

8.1 Key themes⤒🔗

Jesus’ whole life was a path of suffering.
Jesus chose this path of suffering, because it was the suffering that we deserved.
Jesus suffered because of God’s wrath (God’s holy anger at sin).
If someone does not believe in Jesus Christ, God’s wrath stays on him.
Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ is saved from God’s wrath.
When a believer suffers, it is…
- not because of God’s wrath, but
- because of God’s love.

8.2 Isaiah 53:3-10←⤒🔗

[A prophecy about Jesus Christ:]

^3. He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.

^4. But he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain; even though we thought he was being punished, attacked by God, and afflicted for something he had done.

^5. He was wounded because of our rebellious deeds. crushed because of our sins; he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed.

^6. All of us had wandered off like sheep, each of us had strayed off on his own path, but the Lord caused the sin of all of us to attack him.

^7. He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.

^8. He was led away after an unjust trial–but who even cared? Indeed, he was cut off from the land of the living; because of the rebellion of his own people he was wounded.

^9. They intended to bury him with criminals, but he ended up in a rich man’s tomb, because he had committed no violent deeds, nor had he spoken deceitfully.

^10. Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him.

8.3 He came to suffer←⤒🔗

We all go through bad times. Suffering is part of our lives. But the suffering of Jesus was different. He came to suffer. It was the purpose of his life here on earth.

Jesus’ life on earth was a path of suffering. He is “one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness” (Isaiah 53:3). Think about the many ways in which he suffered:

Jesus had the power to protect himself from suffering. He could ask for thousands of angels to come and destroy his enemies (Matthew 26:53). But he did not do this. He chose to suffer, just as he had chosen to become a man. “Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

He left the glory that he had in heaven, to be born in a stable (Luke 2:7).
As a baby, Herod wanted to kill him. His parents had to run away with him to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-18).
At the beginning of his ministry, he was in the desert for forty days, alone and hungry. There Satan tempted him (Matthew 4:1).
He was rejected by his family and by the people of his hometown (Mark 6:1-6).
His cousin, John the Baptist, was murdered (Mark 6:14-29).
The Jewish leaders were always making plans against him (Matthew 5:21, Matthew 5:30, Matthew 5;33; Matthew 6:11).
He was sad when he saw the sins of God’s people (John 2:12-25).
He was sad when he saw how people suffered (Luke 7:13; John 11:35).
The people and even his own disciples did not believe in him (Mark 8:14-21; John 6:60-66).
He was betrayed by his own disciple and friend, Judas (Luke 22:1-6).
He was judged unfairly (Matthew 26:55-27:26).
He died in the most painful, shameful way (John 19:16-37).

8.4 The suffering that we deserved←⤒🔗

Why did Jesus choose a path of suffering? Isaiah gives us this answer: “he lifted up our illnesses, he carried our pain” (Isaiah 53:4). The suffering of Jesus was the suffering that we deserved.

We sin against God every day of our lives. We do not deserve any blessing from God. We only deserve God’s wrath. God’s “wrath” is his holy anger against sin. We can see God’s wrath when we look at the many problems in our world: war, hunger, floods, diseases, relationship problems, death…

These things were not part of God’s good creation. They are part of God’s judgement over sin. The world is full of problems, because “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people” (Romans 1:18).

Jesus suffered because of God’s wrath against sin.

8.5 The Lord desired to crush him←⤒🔗

Yes, it is true that Jesus had human enemies. These enemies rejected him, accused him, and killed him. They did it because they hated him and they hated God his Father. But listen to what Peter said, when he preached to the Jews:

this man [Jesus], who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. Acts 2:23

According to Peter, it was God’s plan that Jesus had to be crucified. Jesus said the same thing to Pontius Pilate: “You would have no authority over me at all, unless it was given to you from above” (John 19:11). And the prophet Isaiah said it in these words: “the Lord desired to crush him” (Isaiah 53:10).

Why did God desire to crush Jesus and make him suffer? Was it because he did not love Jesus? No. He loved Jesus with all his heart (Luke 3:22). But God made Jesus suffer, so that we would not have to suffer for our sins. Jesus carried God’s wrath for us.

If someone does not believe in Jesus Christ, God’s wrath stays on him (John 3:36). But everyone who believes in Jesus Christ is saved from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9). It is as Isaiah had prophesied: “he endured punishment that made us well; because of his wounds we have been healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

8.6 Your suffering←⤒🔗

If you are a follower of Jesus, you will also suffer in this life (Mark 8:34-35; 2 Timothy 3:12. Sometimes you will suffer because of your own sins. Sometimes you will suffer because of the sins of other people. Sometimes you will suffer, just because this world is under God’s curse (Genesis 3:17-18). This world is a place full of death, disease, and disaster.

In such times you may ask yourself, “Is God angry with me? Is that why I am suffering?” If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then the answer is always: No! God is not angry with you.

Remember: God gave his own Son to be your mediator. Jesus made peace between you and God. He carried all God’s wrath in your place. God’s plan for your life is a plan of salvation, not wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

When you suffer, it is not because of God’s wrath. It is because of God’s love. God has a good plan with the suffering in your life. You may not understand what God is doing. But you can be sure: God is always busy with his good plans for you.

The Bible tells us that God uses suffering to make our faith stronger (James 1:2-4). He uses suffering to teach and discipline us (Hebrews 12:7-11). He also uses our suffering to glorify his name (Job 1-2; 1 Peter 1:6-7).

In times of suffering, you do not need to fear. God, your loving Father, is with you. He will never punish you with the punishment that your sins deserve. Jesus has already carried that punishment for you. And Jesus understands everything you are going through. He knows what suffering is! He is able to help you.

Even in times of suffering, you may rejoice (Romans 5:3). You may put all your trust in God. One day, you will be with him. Then all your suffering will be over. He himself will wipe away all your tears (Revelation 21:4).