Jesus a Masochist?

I recently heard Jesus called a sick masochist. The person who said it hated Him, and said quote, "I wouldn't want to spend eternity with this sick masochist anyway." My though was, well I wouldn't worry about it, because unless He saves you from that brokenness, you wont. Though you probably won't like what you do get.

But I wondered about her words. Why would anyone think of Jesus that way?

And of course, she was talking about the cross. As if Jesus wanted the cross - as if he persued the cross. Which I suppose he did. As if the cross were some kind of expression of erotic love. Which obviously it is not.

An atheist can never understand the cross. How can they hope to understand that someone would love them enough to die this terrible death. How could they ever hope to understand it when I can't get my head around it and I love Him?

But the thing is, the charge won't stick if you know anything about Jesus at all. Certainly not if you know about the garden where he prayed before he died. Jesus wanted what the cross would accomplish, but he did not want the cross at all.

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Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
--Mathew 26:37-46 ESV

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That's not a man running toward suffering because he will enjoy it. That's a man willing to suffer what must be suffered. Suffering and love are connected on the cross, but not in a sick way. There is love there beyond understanding. There is suffering there because we cause it.

It's amazing that someone would hate Jesus and mock him right at the point where his love is most profoundly expressed. But then there were unbelievers making fun of him at the foot of the cross as well.