Did Jesus feel ALL of the emotions, or just the good ones?
If you’re on social media, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “emotional damage.” It’s a video-turned-meme that pokes fun at things people do that might — or should — cause some emotional discomfort. It’s satire. Such sarcastically painful moments might include a toddler ripping through a perfectly clean house like a tiny tornado or a more hurtful moment like telling a child they were “an accident.” The trend takes scenarios and attempts to make them lighthearted by devaluing another person’s emotions.
Emotions are an essential part of life. Even more so, the emotions people feel are valid. Unlike the viral social media trend that’s got everyone in fits of laughter, Christians often get a bad reputation for not validating some emotions that others feel. Emotions are sticky and difficult to understand. Because of this, and what appears to be lack of empathy in these cases stems more from contradictions with the Christian’s biblical worldview. So, let’s break it down and take a deep dive into the Bible and emotions. Here are some questions we’ll seek to answer:
Did Jesus feel emotions?
If so, what kinds of emotions did Jesus experience?
How should we, as Christians, react to big emotions?
The emotions of Jesus
During His time on earth, Jesus was both fully man and fully God. So, just like humans, Jesus experienced emotions. In fact, the Bible even details some of the emotions Jesus experienced. Let’s take a look at some of the emotions Jesus felt.
Jesus felt empathy
Jesus felt emotion. In fact, the shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35 and says, “Jesus wept.” That’s the whole sentence. Let’s look at the context — why was Jesus crying? John 11 details the death of Jesus’ dear friend Lazarus. Jesus arrived four days after Lazarus’ death and met with Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha. Martha expressed to Jesus her grief that if He had arrived sooner that Jesus could have saved her brother. When Jesus saw the pain Martha was in, “he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled” (John 11:33 NIV). He wept for the pain Lazarus’ sisters and friends felt.
Jesus felt hurt, anger and frustration
Have you heard the one where Jesus flipped tables at the temple? He did. When He walked into the temple, He was hurt, angry and frustrated that people turned His Father’s house into a market. Matthew 21:12-13 (NIV) details that He “overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.’”
Jesus felt grief and distress
Just hours before Jesus was crucified, He went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Matthew 26:37-38 (NASB) details this part of the story: “And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.’”
How should we react to big emotions?
Everyone has emotions, but not everyone experiences them the same way. Some people keep their emotions private and process their feelings when they’re alone. Others are more vocal about their feelings and want to share with the world. Here are some tips for helping you navigate emotions:
Remember that we’re allowed to experience and express our emotions.
Acknowledge the feeling that someone is experiencing. You may even consider validating the feeling.
Listen to the person express their feelings (as long as it’s in a safe and respectful manner). Many times, people just want to feel like they’re heard, and listening is the best thing you can do — whether you agree with the emotion or not.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. You can also find out what our community’s purpose and passion are all about by checking out some of the past sermons we’ve posted on our website.
Do you want to grow in your faith, or are you simply curious about who this Jesus guy is? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our podcast series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.