WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE SUFFERINGS OF CHRIST

Most of us have probably heard or indeed had the occasion to repeat the so-called Apostles’ Creed. Here is the language as found in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer.

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty,

Maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord,

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

Born of the Virgin Mary,

Suffered under Pontius Pilate,

Was crucified, dead, and buried:

He descended into hell;

The third day he rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost; The holy Catholic Church;

The Communion of Saints; The Forgiveness of sins;

The Resurrection of the body, And the Life everlasting. Amen.


You will note I have put Suffered under Pontius Pilate in bold print, as it seems to suggest, that this was the extent of Jesus’ suffering prior to the cross. Nothing could be further from the truth. In reality suffering was part and partial of his earthly ministry. Here is a listing of some of the sufferings he endured:


THE SUFFERINGS ENDURED BY JESUS CHRIST

Rejected

— By his nation (Jn. 1:11)
— By his hometown (Lk. 4:28-29)
— By his friends (Mk. 3:21)
— By his family (Jn. 7:5)


Tempted

— By Satan (Lk. 4:1-2, 13; 22:28)


Ridiculed

— Because of his hometown (Jn. 1:46; 7:52)
— Because of his background (Jn. 8:41; 9:24, 29)


Threatened

— By Herod (Mt. 2:16)
— By his hometown (Lk. 4:29)
— By the Jews

± Because he healed on the Sabbath (Jn. 5:16; Lk. 6:10-11)
± Because of his claims (Jn. 8:58-59; 10:30-33)
± Because of his sermons (Jn. 8:40; Lk. 11:53-54; Mk. 12:12; Mt. 26:1-4)
± Because of his miracles (Jn. 11:53; see also Jn. 12:10)

— By the devil (Mt. 26:37-38; Mk. 14:33-34; Lk. 22:44)


Homeless

— (Mt. 8:20)


Betrayed

— By a follower (Jn. 13:21)


Denied

— By a friend (Mt. 26:58, 69-75; Mk. 14:54, 66-72; Lk. 22:54-62; Jn. 18:15-18, 25-27)


Misunderstood

— By his disciples (Mt. 15:16; 17:6-11; Mk. 6:52; Jn. 10:6; 12:16)


Forsaken

— By all (Mt. 26:56)


Misquoted

— (Mt. 26:61)


Tried

— Illegally seven times:

± First trial, before Annas (Jn. 18:12-14, 19-24)
± Second trial, before Caiaphas (Mt. 26:57-68; Mk. 14:53-65)
± Third trial, before the Sanhedrin (Mt. 27:1-2; Mk. 15:1; Lk. 22:66-23:1)
± Fourth trial, before Pilate (Jn. 18:28-38; Mt. 27:2, 11-14; Mk. 15:1-5;

Lk. 23:13-25)

± Fifth trial, before Herod (Lk. 23:7-12)
± Sixth trial, before Pilate (Jn. 18:39-19:16; Mt. 27:15-26; Mk. 15:6-15;

Lk. 23:13-25)

± Seventh trial, before the Roman soldiers (Mt. 27:27-31; Mk. 15:16-20)


Indicted

— On false charges (Lk. 23:1-2)


Mocked

— By Roman soldiers (Lk. 23:36-37; Mk. 15:16-20)
— By the watching crowd (Lk. 23:35)
— By the chief priests (Mk. 15:31)
— By the two thieves (Mk. 15:32; Mt. 27:44)


Tortured

— Slapped (Jn. 18:22)
— Blindfolded (Lk. 22:64)
— Spit upon (Mt. 26:67)
— Buffeted (Mt. 26:67)
— Scourged (Mt. 27:26)
— Pierced with thorns (Mt. 27:29)
— Struck upon the head (Mt. 27:30)


Crucified

— (Matt. 27; Mk. 15; Luke 23; John 19



Copyright©2009 by Dr. H. L. Willmington
Dean, Willmington School of the Bible
Liberty University