Isaiah 53: 4 Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. KJV

Isaiah 53: 4 surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. NASB

The word passion is from the Latin word patior, which simply means “to endure” or “to suffer.” The Passion of Christ, refers to those sufferings our Lord endured for our redemption from the agony in the garden until His death on Calvary. The passion of Christ is a show of endurance. It describes the affliction Christ endured for our sins on the last day of His life before His crucifixion. The Passion of Christ therefore, refers to the final period of Jesus Christ's life, encompassing His intense physical and spiritual suffering, His crucifixion, and His death.

The Gospels give more attention to the events of Jesus's Passion and death than to other periods of His life, reflecting the importance early Christian congregations placed on this period. All four Gospels describe Jesus’ sorrowful prayer in Gethsemane, His betrayal by Judas, and His arrest. The Gospels culminate in the crucifixion and Resurrection, the means by which God accomplished the salvation of human beings.

The passion of Jesus is also a manifestation of His love. It reveals Christ’s determination to give His life for our sins. He is not a passive victim, taken by surprise and forced to endure a horrific death. Jesus said to the Father, “Not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). He chose to drink the cup of suffering to the last drop, all for the sake of our salvation.

Jesus is “a lover with all the passion of a true love,” Isaiah 53: 4 “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” KJV. Jesus’ passionate love for the human family is expressed by the Greek word agape–a total, committed, sacrificial love. Agape love is outward-looking, seeking what is best for the other person and willing to suffer and sacrifice for that person’s good.

Jesus loves us so much, that He willingly suffered and sacrificed Himself for our sins.

 

PASTOR ABRAHAM GEORGE