Friday, April 3, 2015

Messages from the Easter Story: Suffering in the Garden

The night before Christ was lifted up on the cross, the Lamb of God went solemnly to Gethsemane. The Gospels say that He was "sorrowful and very heavy," "sore amazed," "in agony" and asked the Father that "He might not drink the bitter cup." Later, they wrote that He "fell on His face," and that "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood."
The Book of Mormon gives additional information to what actually happened that night in the Garden. It teaches that Jesus suffered much more that night than just for the sins of all mankind. Jacob wrote that He suffered the pains of all men that night (2 Nephi 9:21). King Benjamin included that He suffered such temptation, pain, fatigue, and anguish that blood came from every pore (Mosiah 3:7). Alma added that He suffered the sicknesses, infirmities, and sins of all men (Alma 7:11-12).
The following line from Alma in verse 13 gives great insight into who the Savior is. He said, "Now the Spirit knoweth all things." LDS Church leaders, including President Eyring (April 2009 conference), have taught that this verse teaches that Jesus didn't need to experience all of our pains, temptations, sicknesses, and infirmities that night in order to accomplish His role in the Atonement. He could have known how to succor us through revelation. However, He chose to suffer for us that He might learn through personal experience. ‪#‎BecauseHeLives‬


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