Succor His People

As we remember the Savior on this Good Friday, Luke’s account in the New Testament gives us the most detail of what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane the night that Jesus suffered: “And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:39-44). The scriptures of the restoration, given to us through the Prophet Joseph Smith, help us understand that this description was not just an analogy on Luke’s part. The Book of Mormon declares, “And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people” (Mosiah 3:7). The Savior Himself described this when He told Martin Harris, “Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:18-19). Those are the only two passages of scripture that tell us that He bled from every pore, but it is enough for us to understand that His suffering was beyond mortal comprehension.

                   We are also grateful for the scriptures of the restoration which also help us better understand why He suffered. In the same revelation to Martin Harris the Savior explained, “For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent” (Doctrine and Covenants 19:16). He suffered so that we would not have to. In the Book of Mormon, Alma also taught, “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities” (Alma 7:11-12). He suffered pains, afflictions, and temptations so that He could succor His people in their pains and sicknesses. He suffered even unto death that He could loose the bands of death; He took upon Him our infirmities so that He could have mercy and succor us. Those infirmities could be weaknesses, physical ailments, or even sins. The 1828 Webster Dictionary includes this description of the word infirmity: “An unsound or unhealthy state of the body; weakness; feebleness…. Weakness of mind; failing; fault; foible…. Weakness of resolution…. Any particular disease; malady…. Defect; imperfection; weakness.” That about covers it all! The Savior took upon Him everything that makes us weak so that He could succor us and make us strong.

               The scriptures do not speak often about the Savior’s suffering in Gethsemane. But they do invite us often to come unto Him and receive His grace so that this suffering be not in vain. I love Mormon’s invitation to his son Moroni: “My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever” (Moroni 9:25). Perhaps thinking about these words from his father, Moroni in turn invited us this way, “Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God” (Moroni 10:32). Another prophet of the Book of Mormon also invited us in these words, “And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved” (Omni 1:26). We can partake of His salvation and power of redemption because of the suffering He perfectly endured in the garden and on the cross. His words to the Nephites are meant for us all: “Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin. Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved” (3 Nephi 9:21-22). As we remember His sacrifice and death this day, we should be led to repent from sin and come unto Him so that through His suffering He can succor and save us and bring us to salvation.