What Truly Made God Sweat

To me, the cross is more. The cross is much more than a physical torment placed upon Christ. Each time I hear the lesson of Christ’s crucifixion, emphasis is always on the physical bloody torment. After all, we are physical beings who understand what a physical suffering is.

As Christ waited in the garden Gethsemane He said “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” If you understand the story of Christ you know that this is right before he is hauled away for beating and crucifixion. It’s understandable that most of us would assume he is referring to his physical torment to come. But read the next verse, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Perhaps you’ve read this verse before and never thought much about it. Christ asks that God take the cup from him, but what does that mean?

Jeremiah 25:15 says, "Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.” The cup Christ is referring to is God’s spiritual wrath. God will turn away from those he pours his cup onto. Now remember, Christ has never been separated for God ever but at this moment he shows us the true reason of his torment.

Christ is not worried about nails, beatings, spitting, or swearing against him. Christ’s only stress is that he will be completely alone in all of existence. This Easter try and think of the spiritual sacrifice Christ gave, rather than the physical punishment. Hundreds of people have died a physical crucifixion, only one man died with all of the world’s sin.