Jesus taking the punishment

[kern]

It's often said (at least I've often seen it said) that Jesus took our punishment for us. If I understand correctly, our punishment is supposed to be eternal torment. But Jesus isn't being tormented eternally, so it would seem that he did not take the punishment meant for us. Am I missing something here, or is this just an innacurate description of what Jesus did? What, then, does it mean that he "died in our place"?

-Chris

 

[VOW]

To Kern:

You have to keep in mind that Jesus is 100% man, 100% God. It's that 100% God that makes Him capable of doing the non-understandable.

When I humble myself during Mass, I sometimes picture Jesus on the Cross, saying MY name. Now how can that be, since He died 2000 years before I was even born?

Because He is Jesus, the Son of God.

I see Him on the Crucifix, and I think, "A HUMAN BEING, a mere man, could have hung on a cross for 2000 years, and never would accomplish what Jesus did."

The human mind simply cannot wrap itself around the incredibility. Some things, we simply must accept on faith.


Peace be with you,
~VOW

 

[kern]

With all due respect, I'm not sure I accept that answer. One of the key aspects to Salvation, in my opinion, is the way that it's comprehensible to humankind (the way that the creation of the universe and souls is not, for instance). It seems like if it were to be incomprehensible, there would be no attempt at an explanation of it. I should probably re-read Paul's letters to see the parts where he talks about Jesus' sacrifice (the Gospels are mostly silent about that).

I think it's the eternal torment part that doesn't seem to fit in there. Does the catechism have anything to say on this topic?

-Chris

 

[sklippstein]

Jesus' blood is redemptive.......he paid the price.
Isaiah 44:22, Eph 1:7-8; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 1st Cor 6:19-20; Titus 2:13-14

U asked why he didn't have to have eternal torment...
tough question......Jesus fulfilled God's perfect plan. He was the sacificial lamb. He is God in the flesh. hmmmmm maybe someone else would have a better explanation?

 

[Jenna]

Better yet, I would ask what it was that was the torment, not how long it lasted. What do you think that God sees when he looks at sin? Do you think he is disgusted? We already know that God distances himself from sin, in that it is not allowed in heaven, so how do you think that distance felt to Jesus as he took on all of our sin and was clothed in the utter disgustingness of our nature? For one who was in such close connection with God at all times, that had to be a horrendous torment. After all, pain is relative, but mental anquish and a spiritual pain will cut deaper than any weapon. Having carried that weight on his shoulders, Jesus died, and with that death, he took our spiritual death- sin. I don't think that it really has anything to do with time, especially since time does not exist for God, at least not in the way that is understandable for us.

All in all though, that is just my humble opinion.........