# Was God the Father grieved when he saw Christ suffer?



## Peytah (Aug 7, 2012)

On one hand, Jesus is his Son whom he has loved for all eternity.

On the other, the Father is pouring out his full wrath on the Son as the target (I assume this includes anger).

On the topic of God's impassibility, I'm aware that he doesn't suffer as Christ suffered, but was there any sadness in his person? Some have used Abraham's grief over sacrificing Isaac as typology for this.


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## Peairtach (Aug 7, 2012)

These are some of the deepest and most mysterious questions.

Our knowledge is analagous to God's, but God knows all in an eternal instant.

Our wills are analagous to God's, but God willed all that He desired to will by His eternal decree.

Our emotions are analagous to God's feelings and dispositions, but because He knows the end from the beginning, and because His will is being perfectly fulfilled, He is eternally blessed in His whole Being.

If we knew the end from the beginning as God does, what effect would that have on our emotional life?

God the Son had to become Man in order to experience pain, sorrow and distress in His human nature.

Here's a good post on the subject of impassibility by Kevin de Young, and you can hear and see him speak on the same subject somewhere on the net:
Tis Mystery All, The Immortal Dies – Kevin DeYoung


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## Gforce9 (Aug 7, 2012)

I began reading DeYoung's article: At first glance, it sounded like he was agreeing with Wesley that the Immortal died. I have heard Drs. Sproul, Ferguson, and Duncan speak on this issue and agreed the wrath was poured out on the Christ; the human nature perished and the divine nature (living) was united to a corpse. DeYoung (at first glance) seems to say the divine perished................... Did I misread this?


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## earl40 (Aug 7, 2012)

The simple answer is that The Father did not suffer as Jesus did not suffer in His divine nature. Also when using the word anger with God we must attempt to understand this is an anthropomorphism.


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## earl40 (Aug 7, 2012)

Gforce9 said:


> I began reading DeYoung's article: At first glance, it sounded like he was agreeing with Wesley that the Immortal died. I have heard Dr's. Sproul, Ferguson, and Duncan speak on this issue and agreed the wrath was poured out on the Christ; the human nature perished and the divine nature (living) was united to a corpse. DeYoung (at first glance) seems to say the divine perished................... Did I misread this?



He did qualify what one could mean by saying such. If we mean that Jesus in His divine nature died we would be wrong. If we mean that Jesus died, knowing He was both human and divine, then it would be OK if we don't mean His divine nature died. Though I like how scripture says this in that it says Jesus died and not the immortal died.


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## Peytah (Aug 8, 2012)

So God was not sad?


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## earl40 (Aug 8, 2012)

Peytah said:


> So God was not sad?



The below sticky thread is something I hope remains so for as long as the Puritan Board is around or till The Lord Jesus returns. Take a look at this and read it over and over again for your edification. 

http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/figurative-descriptions-god-48694/


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## newcreature (Aug 9, 2012)

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”	
(Matthew 27:51-54 ESV)

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:32 ESV)

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
(Romans 6:9-11 ESV)

I believe God the Father was glorified to pour out His wrath on His son for us. This was part of His plan for the redemption of man, and He set this in motion for His own glory and for our good. I believe that He saw the bigger picture and gladly sacrificed His son to prove His glory and mercy. The resurrection of Jesus and the redemption of man also proved God's power over death, which also glorified Him.


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## Craig.Scott (Aug 9, 2012)

Is. 53:10

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.


I agree with the above, God is glorified in the death of death in the death of Christ.





In Christ


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## newcreature (Aug 9, 2012)

Craig.Scott said:


> Is. 53:10
> 
> Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
> 
> ...



This scripture says it all. Thank you.


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## jwithnell (Aug 10, 2012)

Several times I've heard Dr. Ferguson quote the hymn: "if every I loved thee, Lord Jesus tis now" in relation to these awesome moments a reference, if memory serves me correctly, to his justice being perfectly satisfied and sin and death being utterly defeated through the work of his beloved son.


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## Peairtach (Aug 10, 2012)

Peytah said:


> So God was not sad?



God the Father and God the Holy Spirit would have been sad if they were men, but they weren't. 

They know all in an eternal now, which means that they know and experience the end from the beginning. Their disposition is regulated by Who they are. They are eternally blessed.

God the Son experienced all that it is to be human in His human nature, and He is God and Man forever.

These are deep mysteries.


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