Was Jesus a meanie?

[cyberlizard]

In Luke's account of Paul's calling, Jesus says, that he will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.

does not sound very loving. sounds quite mean... almost like payback for persecuting the church.

opinions.



Steve

 

[Steve Petersen]

Middah k'neged middah!

 

[ChristsSoldier115]

I wish I had a preemptive knowledge of my sufferings so I can try to mentally prepare for them.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

In Luke's account of Paul's calling, Jesus says, that he will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.

does not sound very loving. sounds quite mean... almost like payback for persecuting the church.

opinions.



Steve

Well, as long as Paul was siding with the persecution of the church he was enjoying much success in the world. Once he sided with Christ then not so much. I've known many who have turned back because of persecution. What did Jesus say? 3/4 of the seed planted would turn back .
It's not that Jesus was mean but probably more that He knew from experience (and probably forknowledge also) what Paul would go thru to pave the way.

 

[cyberlizard]

Middah k'neged middah!

 

[rick357]

In Luke's account of Paul's calling, Jesus says, that he will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.

does not sound very loving. sounds quite mean... almost like payback for persecuting the church.

opinions.

Steve

Yet from his letters we see Paul having joy and peace and great love....maybe Jesus knows what he is doing..

 

[brinny]

In Luke's account of Paul's calling, Jesus says, that he will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.

does not sound very loving. sounds quite mean... almost like payback for persecuting the church.

opinions.



Steve

If Jesus was/is a meanie, would that mean that He was sinful?

Thank you kindly.

 

[clark thompson]

In Luke's account of Paul's calling, Jesus says, that he will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.

does not sound very loving. sounds quite mean... almost like payback for persecuting the church.

opinions.



Steve

Paul viewed it as a honor to suffer for the Lord.

 

[GratiaCorpusChristi]

In Luke's account of Paul's calling, Jesus says, that he will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.

does not sound very loving. sounds quite mean... almost like payback for persecuting the church.

opinions.

It doesn't say Jesus is making him suffer, and if I recall correctly, the future imperative (must) and future indicative (will) are more closely related in Greek morphology. Jesus is letting Paul know that the route of apostleship will entail suffering, which it surely will.

 

[Fireinfolding]

In Luke's account of Paul's calling, Jesus says, that he will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake.

does not sound very loving. sounds quite mean... almost like payback for persecuting the church.

opinions.



Steve

Paul said,

Phil 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;

Phil 1:30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

And Jesus said to his disciples before Paul

John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Jesus is not a meanie, and neither is the Father who chose to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings

Heb 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

To be a partaker of the afflictions of the gospel is spoken of.

2 Cr 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

He says rejoice in this

1Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Seems as if it was Paul's turn, the persecutor (who thought he was doing a service unto God in persecuting the followers of Christ) becomes a follower and the sufferings of Christ come into His life.

Paul did say all who would live godly in Christ Jesus would be persecuted.

 

[elliott95]

The more you boil an egg, the harder it becomes.
Paul and the early church were forged into hard steel through the persecutions of the early church.
God(Jesus) allows for suffering of the ones he loves the most. There is an awfulness to God that we must accept as being good, if we are going to believe in a God who is something more than a fairy tale, or the Santa Claus/Easter Bunny wish-fulfillment of a God that atheists always accuse us of believing in.

It is hard to believe in a God who rewards you with promises of making your life harder.