The Suffering ServantSample

Many Christians are possessed by the idea that it is very spiritual to be a doormat for everyone around them. Worse, they think this because they believe it exemplifies how Jesus lived.

It’s true that Jesus didn’t put up a fight. He was the lamb of God and he died “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter” (Isa. 53:7). He rebuked his disciples when they raised swords to defend him. Peter was a fisherman. In his whole life to that point, he had probably never once raised a sword in a fight. Jesus was being quite literal when he told his disciples they would die by the sword if they chose to fight.

But it wasn’t because Jesus was a pacifist. If anything, Jesus chides them for defending him so weakly, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53). Jesus didn’t need any help to save his life. He could have flattened Jerusalem with a whispered prayer before conquering Rome that evening.

Jesus was peaceful on earth, but not because he refused to fight. It was because he understood that the world’s capital wasn’t in Italy or Israel, but in Hades. Humanity wasn’t only conquered by Rome but by the powers of sin and death. Jesus didn’t need help saving his life—saving his life wasn’t his goal. Jesus had a battle to win, but it was a battle against the power of death itself.

Hebrews says it this way, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14).

To the world’s eyes, Paul says the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. This is one of the reasons why. Why would anyone worship someone like Jesus? Sure, Jesus said some lovely things—even healed some people—but then he got nailed to a beam. Stranger still, Christians wear the executioner’s cross on necklaces to constantly be reminded that they worship a guy who got killed. When you put it in these terms, their confusion makes a great deal of sense. All the world sees is the weak, helpless image of Jesus as a slaughtered lamb.

In truth, Jesus was the fiercest warrior the world has ever seen. Every story of fierce knights defeating astronomical odds, and the valiant hero slaying a crimson dragon, are faint echoes of the true Battle. In Christ, God took on human flesh, adopting our every weakness. Despite being the world’s maker, he subjected himself to every indignity, while displaying an unearthly love, even for his enemies. Despite having the power to marshal angelic legions, he voluntarily took our beatings, our hatred, and our sin. Despite being the Lord of life, he allowed his life to be ripped away.

Jesus suffered all suffering so that suffering would cease. He died that death might be killed. And, when he rose, he was raised to the place of highest exaltation. Because Jesus was faithful unto death, God has put “everything in subjection to him, [and] left nothing outside of his control” (Heb. 2:8). Indeed, Jesus has been “crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (Heb. 2:9). And he has bid us to go in the power of his victory, to make all the nations his disciples.

Jesus is God’s suffering servant, but his suffering has ceased. Now, he lives forever, with all authority in heaven and on earth. And by the power that is at work within us, the very power that defeated death, God will complete the good work he has begun in us.