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Sufferings of Christ
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In Christ were united the human and the divine. His mission was
to reconcile God and man, to unite the finite with the infinite. This
was the only way in which fallen men could be exalted through the
merits of the blood of Christ to be partakers of the divine nature.
Taking human nature fitted Christ to understand man’s trials and
sorrows, and all the temptations wherewith he is beset. Angels who
were unacquainted with sin could not sympathize with man in his
peculiar trials. Christ condescended to take man’s nature and was
tempted in all points like as we, that He might know how to succor
all who should be tempted.
As the human was upon Him, He felt His need of strength from
His Father. He had select places of prayer. He loved to hold commu-
nion with His Father in the solitude of the mountain. In this exercise
His holy, human soul was strengthened for the duties and trials of
the day. Our Saviour identifies Himself with our needs and weak-
nesses, in that He became a suppliant, a nightly petitioner, seeking
from His Father fresh supplies of strength, to come forth invigorated
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and refreshed, braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all
things. He is a brother in our infirmities, but not in possessing like
passions. As the sinless One, His nature recoiled from evil. He
endured struggles and torture of soul in a world of sin. His humanity
made prayer a necessity and privilege. He required all the stronger
divine support and comfort which His Father was ready to impart to
Him, to Him who had, for the benefit of man, left the joys of heaven
and chosen His home in a cold and thankless world. Christ found
comfort and joy in communion with His Father. Here He could
unburden His heart of the sorrows that were crushing Him. He was
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
Through the day He labored earnestly to do good to others,
to save men from destruction. He healed the sick, comforted the
mourning, and brought cheerfulness and hope to the despairing. He
brought the dead to life. After His work was finished for the day, He
went forth, evening after evening, away from the confusion of the
city, and His form was bowed in some retired grove in supplication
to His Father. At times the bright beams of the moon shone upon
His bowed form. And then again the clouds and darkness shut away
all light. The dew and frost of night rested upon His head and beard
while in the attitude of a suppliant. He frequently continued His