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From: ata@hfsi.hfsi.com ( John Ata)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: DID HE REALLY RISE???
Message-ID: <Apr.23.02.54.05.1993.3060@geneva.rutgers.edu>
Date: 23 Apr 93 06:54:06 GMT
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In article <Apr.21.03.26.43.1993.1373@geneva.rutgers.edu> parkin@Eng.Sun.COM writes:

>desperately wanted the Jewish people to accept him as the Messiah.  If
>the crucification was the will of God how could Jesus pray that this
>cup pass from him.  Was this out of weakness.  NEVER.  Many men and
>women have given their lives for their country or other noble causes.
>Is Jesus less than these.  No he is not.  He knew the crucification
>was NOT the will of GOD.  God's will was that the Jewish people accept
>Jesus as the Messiah and that the kingdom of Heaven be established on
>the earth with Jesus as it's head. (Just like the Jewish people
>expected). If this had happened 2000 years ago can you imagine what
	.
	.
	.

Why do you assume that Jesus's plea to His Father "to let this cup
pass from Him", was merely a plea to escape death?  When I look at
Jesus in the garden, I see a Man-God, who all His life had had the
presense of His Father with Him.  As a result, He knew every
detail about His death long before the Agony in the Garden.  But
as that hour approached, He felt abandoned by His Father, His
presense diminishing with each passing minute.  In addition, it
was brought more and more to Jesus's attention (the betrayal of
Judas was probably a big impact) that His suffering would be to no
avail for many people, especially those who would reject Him, not
only then but in the future.  I truly believe that the majority of
Jesus's suffering was mental and spiritual, while the physical
portion was only the tip of the iceburg.

BTW, we know from John's account that Jesus *shunned* becomming an earthly
king.  From John:

JOH 6:14    After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they
            began to say, "Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the
            world."
JOH 6:15    Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by
            force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

This does not seem like a man who would regret not becoming an
earthly king.  No, Jesus knew His mission was to redeem all (Jew &
Gentile) people and establish His kingdom in the hearts of those
who would believe.  This was utterly mistaken, much to Jesus's
dismay, as an aspiration to some earthly kingdom.  But He knew
what His Father's will was and followed it obediently even in the
darkness of His Passion.

-- 
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