The Nature of Jesus Christ

[onefour1]

Christ's Father was an infinite and eternal being. Christ's mother was a fallen mortal. What do we learn about the nature of Jesus Christ from this parental combination? My thoughts are on the following verse:

John 10:17-18
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

It seems from this verse that Jesus had the power to choose to lay down his life. If he didn't choose to do so, no mortal man could take it from him. Evidently from his mother he had the ability to choose to die. However, as a sinless being, he was still an infinite and eternal being. I imagine that if he had sinned, he would have become a fallen man and been like us. But the scriptures tell us that he was infinite and eternal.

Alma 34:14
14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

It seems to me that because Jesus never sinned and was an infinite and eternal being, no man had the power to kill him unless he chose to lay down his life. But being a sinless and an infinite and eternal being, he also had the power to take up his life again. To me Christ wasn't just a mere mortal whose life was taken from him by evil men, but he voluntarily layed down his life. He allowed that to happen through the acts of evil men. He then had the power to take it up again.

It is also interesting that Jesus had the strength to go through the atoning sacrifice in the Garden of Gethsemane. No mere mortal could have gone through the suffering that he did and live. My thoughts are that because of him being an infinite and eternal being, he was able to go through all the pain and suffering in the garden and survive.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[The Irish Ram]

He didn't survive. The punishment for sin is death. He died. He conquered death by coming back and bringing approx. 10,000 with Him.

 

[Gracie]

He didn't survive. The punishment for sin is death. He died. He conquered death by coming back and bringing approx. 10,000 with Him.

'Splain, please.

 

[onefour1]

My reference to the Lord surviving was in relation to his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane. Not to when he hung on the cross. When he hung on the cross was when he "gave up the ghost". This I believe he did voluntarily of his own will and that the punishments placed upon him did not kill him. It was then that Jesus, exercising his will to lay down his life, ended it as stated in John 10:17-18.

Regarding the Garden of Gethsemane, it says:

Luke 22:39-44
39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.
40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.
44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

How many of us are able to bear the agony Jesus did where it caused him to sweat great drops of blood from every pore? Jesus lived through the suffering he bore in the garden of Gethsemane and was betrayed into the hands of evil men who tortured him and left him hanging on the cross. But it wasn't until Jesus of his own will actually gave up the ghost that he died.

It wasn't until Jesus said the following that he layed down his life:

Luke 23:46
46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

 

[onefour1]

I believe it was in the Garden of Gethsemane that our Savior took upon himself the pain and anguish of all the sins of the world.