Did Christ Experience God’s Wrath?

[Posted January 15, 2012]

Hey Mike,

I have been wondering awhile how exactly Christ experienced the wrath of God. When did Christ experience suffering for one’s own sin (certainly not His?) as opposed to suffering for righteousness? If you have written anything prior, feel free to direct me to that – don’t want to take your extra time.

Your brother in Christ,

N____

Good morning N____,

On this subject of wrath, you ask:

I have been wondering a while how exactly Christ experienced the wrath of God. When did Christ experience suffering for one’s own sin (certainly not His?) as opposed to suffering for righteousness?

No, Christ did not suffer for His own sins, but He did suffer for the sins of His body, which ‘body’ we are. In suffering for His body’s sake, He so identifies with us that we, too, must “fill up in our bodies what is behind of the sufferings of the Christ…”

Col 1:24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of [the] Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:
Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

So while the head of “the Christ” never committed a sin, the body of “the Christ” certainly has. When Saul of Tarsus asked who had struck him down on the road to Damascus, the answer from our Lord was “I am Jesus, whom you persecute.” I, for one, am willing to take Christ at His word and acknowledge that I am Jesus whom Saul was persecuting. I am part of Christ’s christ. When Christ answered Saul, “I am Jesus, whom you persecute,” even though I certainly am not the spotless Lamb that the head of the body of the Christ is, I am part of “His body which is the church”, and it is through that ‘body’ that the Christ becomes not only the sin offering, but He becomes the trespass offering for whom He died.

A key verse to understanding the difference between the sin offering and the trespass offering is Romans 4:25.

Rom 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

The word ‘for’ which I have emboldened and underlined is not the preferred translation for the Greek behind that word. The Greek word which is properly translated ‘for’ is the Greek word ‘gar‘. It means ‘for’ or ‘because’, and it is so translated many times in the New Testament. However, the Greek here in this verse is not ‘gar‘, but it is ‘dia‘. ‘Dia‘ is the Greek word most commonly translated as ‘through.’

So it is “through our offenses” that Christ was delivered up to be crucified, and it is “through our justification” that He was raised again from among the dead. That is just how important to the revelation of Jesus Christ the first Adam is. Without the first Adam, there would be no last Adam.

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Here is an example of how this Greek word ‘dia‘ is properly translated:

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through [Greek: dia] the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

It is “through the flesh” that we are weak.

Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

This weakness of the flesh is not because of or through our decisions. The exact opposite it true. Our decisions to sin are through the weakness of the flesh.

Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

This weakness of the flesh was just as true of Christ’s flesh as it is of ours. If that is not so, then these verses are not true:

Mat 4:11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Luk 22:43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

The only difference between Christ and us is that we were not born from our mother’s womb by the holy spirit, and God had not predestined us to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world. So we commit sins and trespass against God, whereas Christ “was made sin who knew no sin” (1Co 5:21). Nevertheless, Christ was here on this earth “in the likeness of sinful flesh”, and that is the likeness of Adamic, Abrahamic, and Davidic flesh. So Christ was both the “Son of man” and the “Son of God.” It is very instructive to note that Christ referred to Himself as “the Son of man” almost twice a many times as He referred to Himself as “the Son of God.” Of course He was both, but the emphasis was on the fact that He identified with His brothers in the flesh and all the struggles which we all endure.

Act 2:29 Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day.
Act 2:30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne;

This verse certainly is not speaking of Christ’s Father as being of “the fruit of [King David’s] loins,” so it must be speaking of Christ’s mother, Mary, as “the fruit of [King David’s loins]”.

Rom 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

“He took not on Him the nature of angels… but… the same… flesh and blood… the seed of Abraham.”

Heb 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;
Heb 2:15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Heb 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things [pertaining] to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

“Like unto” is not ‘unlike His brothers’. Christ’s temptation was real. His flesh pleaded with His Father for “another way” besides dying on the cross at the age of 33. It is only through “weakness of the flesh” that any man is tempted.

Jas 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

There was “no good thing” in Christ’s flesh. It is He who told us so:

Mat 19:17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.

It was also Christ Himself who told us that it would take resurrection from among the dead on “the third day” to perfect even Him. He Himself made no claim to being perfected in the flesh:

Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.

“Himself took part of the same… seed of Abraham… Himself has suffered being tempted he is able to succour [comfort] them that are tempted.” If Christ were not in “weak flesh”, then He cannot “comfort them that are tempted.” But Christ did come “in… sinful flesh.” He was thus “made … sin who knew no sin.” I have written much on this in the series on The Law of The Offerings. Go to those notes and read about why God sees the need for both a sin and a trespass offering. Notice that there is no particular sin mentioned in the description of the sin offering, because this is simply what flesh and blood are. It is not what flesh and blood do. Look again at how the spirit puts it:

Rom 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Twice the spirit tells us that our sins are not our own, but that which dwells in our flesh. Here is the same doctrine in the Old Testament:

Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Jer 18:4 And the vessel that he made of clay [Adam and all flesh in Adam] was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

The fact that sin is merely an instrument of God is to be found throughout Old Testament scriptures.

Pro 16:4 The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.

Pro 20:24 Man’s goings [good or evil] are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?

Isa 45:7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

When Christ responds to the Devil and tells the Devil that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God,” Christ is referring to Himself as a man. He is telling the devil (and us) that He is a man who needs to live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Now look at the Hebrew word behind that verse of Old Testament scripture which Christ quoted concerning Himself needing to live by every word of God.

Deu 8:3 And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.

The Hebrew word which Christ quoted here is ‘adam‘. Christ is calling Himself Adam. That was really never in question for all who know Christ and His Father.

Heb 2:11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

You ask:

I have been wondering awhile how exactly Christ experienced the wrath of God?

Here is the Biblical answer to that question.

Isa 54:7 For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.
Isa 54:8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

It takes a spiritually blinded person to not see that this is what caused Christ to cry out:

Mat 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

I hope this answers your questions concerning how and why God’s wrath was experienced by our High Priest so that He could comfort us when it is also poured out on all of our unrighteousnesses.

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others

Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

I will close by requoting that verse in Isaiah 54, but I will put the emphasis on the purpose for God’s wrath instead of the fact that we all must live by these words which proceed out of the mouth of God:

Isa 54:8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike