Loving Kindness and Long-Suffering

Nephi gave this prophecy about the Savior’s mortal ministry, “And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men” (1 Nephi 19:9).  The passage is a powerful testimony of the Savior’s willingness to endure with patience beating, scourging, spitting, and all manner of inhumane treatment from those who should have received Him as their Savior.  As we read the gospel accounts we see indeed His divine ability to be long-suffering and gentle in the most difficult of circumstances.  He always resisted the temptation to become angry when mistreated and instead responded with love and without any animosity or revenge. 

            We see this “loving kindness and long-suffering” in numerous stories in the New Testament, particularly in His final days of mortality.  One of these was in His treatment of Judas.  The Savior of course knew what Judas was up to—He alluded to it many months before the betrayal (see John 6:70-71)—and yet He did not mistreat the traitor or show anger towards him.  During the last supper the Savior said simply to him, “That thou doest, do quickly” (John 13:27).  When Judas came to Him in the night and betrayed Him with a kiss, Jesus responded with these incredible words, “Friend, wherefore art thou come?” (Matt. 26:49-50).  That He could call Him “friend” with no animosity, knowing that this man whom He had treated as a friend had turned against Him, is remarkable.  In that same scene as they unjustly arrested Him, He did not yell or protest as most of us would, but He plainly stated these words of reason, “Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled” (Mark 14:48-49).  He called them out on their nefarious deeds, but He did not do it with spite or malice.  Later that night when He was being interrogated, we read this from John’s account, “One of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?” (John 18:22-23) Only someone with complete self-control and composure, with perfect patience and long-suffering, could so respond to such vile treatment.  That pure goodness and patience continued to be shown through His final hours.  When He was arrainged before Pilate He did not grapple to defend Himself or rail against His accusors, but rather calmly testified of His mission and the reason He would not fight against the injustice: “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence” (John 18:36).  On the cross He showed even further His long-suffering and loving kindness, calling out to God for others even while in His own agony, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).  The Savior set the perfect example for us to follow—when we are frustrated or offended or mistreated, when we are tempted to feel angry towards others for how they have caused us inconvenience or suffering in some way, we would do well to remember how the Savior responded to such treatment with perfect self-control, mildness, and loving kindgness.