As Apostolics, we stand firmly on the belief that Jesus is the eternal God manifest in flesh. We often don’t appreciate though that Jesus was fully human with human desires. Did Jesus have feelings? Did it hurt Jesus to be rejected and misunderstood? Who could Jesus go to that would understand what he was going through?
Did Jesus really mean what he said on the cross when he said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do?” Or was Jesus just saying that because he knew it was the right thing to say?
The answers to these questions are - yes; Jesus did have feelings and it hurt him to be rejected. Jesus did want to be loved and understood. Jesus did want us to be forgiven, because he knew humanity didn’t really know what they were doing when they crucified him.
Jesus spent 3 ½ years training up apostles and disciples. As Jesus was approaching Jerusalem to be crucified, these disciples were jealous of each other and trying to get position (Matt 20:21-24). These disciples would soon abandon him and one would betray him. What kept the man Jesus from getting bitter or giving up?
Jesus didn’t get bitter or give up because he saw a bigger purpose than himself. He saw the will and purpose of the Spirit. Jesus had died to his own will. He wasn’t trying to do his own thing. Jesus knew that his physical life on this earth was only a small part of a larger plan. Jesus could look in the Spirit and see that all his sufferings and rejections were only momentary compared to the eternal rewards. The book of Hebrews says it this way. “…who for the joy set before him endured the shame…” (Heb 12:2b).
