Most Christians believe and assert that the atonement took place on the cross. They assert that his suffering, particularly do to the fact he was sinless, was so great that he paid for the sins of mankind by simply dying on the cross. The problem here of course to the casual observer is obvious, once the details of his death on the cross are examined. As pointed out earlier, Christ's time on the cross was far less than the average crucified victim. We know from the Gospel of Mark that Christ's crucifixion began about "the 3rd hour". The 3rd hour was known as "hora tertia" or "Terce" in Roman Christian theology, was roughly 9:AM in Roman time. From the Mishnah we learn that the Third Hour was when the First Tamid Lamb is sacrificed in the temple. (Mishnah: Tamid 3:7; Edersheim, The Temple, chapter 7, p. 108). The crucifixion ended at the 9th hour (3:00 PM) which is the also the time when the second Tamid Lamb is sacrificed in the temple. Thus Christ's time on the cross lasted about 6 hours. A long time to endure such agony no doubt, yet a far less amount of time than most victims endured.

 

Some will argue Christ was also beaten badly, enduring 39 lashes from the Flagrum (a whip used by the Romans embedded with bits of bone and flesh tearing metal), and in fact he was. Christ was badly abused by the Roman guards, as well as beaten as ordered by Pilate in an attempt to appease the elders of the Sanhedrin in hopes of avoiding having to execute him. However once again Jesus wasn't the only victim beaten, flogged or brutalized by the Romans prior to crucifixion. In fact the practice was common, although 39 lashes was excessive and no doubt led to Christ's early demise on the cross. But what separated Christ's death from others? Many political prisoners went willingly to the cross. Many were innocent of any crime. So we need to more closely examine what transpired the night prior to Christ's crucifixion to better understand the atonement. For that we must look to Gethsemane.

 

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The Garden of Gethsemane

 

At the foot of the Mount of Olives was a garden, known as "Gethsemane" (Gethsemani-Greek). The name is derived from the Assyrian "Gaṯ-Šmānê" which means literally "Oil Press". It was most likely a place where Olives were pressed for their precious oil. It was here that Christ headed following the Last Supper which was held in the upper room of a home of a supporter nearby.

All four Gospels are consistent in this account of Christ's last night and how he headed to the foot of the Mount of Olives where he sought to pray. Three of the Gospels actually reference the garden, and two of which mention the garden by name.

And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. - Luke 22:39

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. John 18:1

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. - And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. Mark 14:26&32

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. Matthew 26:30&36

 

This is one of the events in the Gospels that is well correlated in both the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and the Gospel of John. This is not a contested event, however from a perspective of Christian Theology its one we hear little about and what we hear seems to be incoherent. Some teach that this event, Christ's agony in the garden is in fearful anticipation of his agony on the cross on the coming day. This is dubious, as Christ knew death was a pathway to the next life, and therefore it is unlikely that he went through such agony as never before experienced by mortal man over an event that was often experienced by mortal man during his time. Here is where Gethsemane and the agony become a mystery and hint at to the true nature of the atonement, and it is here that most Christians understanding fails, perhaps like the Apostles who struggled with slumber and confusion during this milestone in the history of mankind. The most telling of the accounts which provides keen insight into that night occurs in the Gospel of Luke;

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground - Luke 22:44

The phenomenon witnesses by the author of Luke clearly exceeded anything beyond fear or trepidation at his impending demise on the cross. To conclude as most that Christ's agony which caused him to sweat blood at every pore, was merely feeble anticipation at his coming demise is to surmise that Christ cowardly faced that which men have faced throughout history without such dread. As Frederick Farrar explained back in 1874 in his monumental and world renowned "Life of Christ" we recognize that even murderers have faced hangings, political prisoners have faced torture and death without such suffering and agony. Farrar confronts the nonsense of concluding that Christ merely feared his own death as so many have callously concluded and takes to task the unlikely notion that Christ would have suffered so agonizingly as to appear to bleed at every pore, were his looming death on the cross the only burden he faced that night in the Garden.   And whence came all this agonized failing of heart, this fearful amazement, this horror of great darkness, this passion which almost brought Him down to the grave before a single pang had been inflicted upon Him—which forced from Him the rare and intense phenomenon of a blood-stained sweat—which almost prostrated body, and soul, and spirit with one final blow? Was it the mere dread of death—the mere effort and determination to face that which He foreknew in all its dreadfulness, but from which, nevertheless, His soul recoiled?   There have been those who have dared—I can scarcely write it without shame and sorrow—to speak very slightingly about Gethsemane; to regard that awful scene, from the summit of their ignorant presumption, with an almost contemptuous dislike—to speak as though Jesus had there shown a cowardly sensibility   - Farrar's "Life of Christ" 1874 Chapter 57

 

Farrar goes on to extrapolate the potential cause of Christ's suffering in the Garden that night, and touches upon a more logical and lofty conclusion that something else must have occurred in Gethsemane, to cause such agony as have never been before seen by man.

The Christian hardly needs to be told that it was no such vulgar fear which forced from his Saviour that sweat of blood. No, it was something infinitely more than this: infinitely more than the highest stretch of our imagination can realise. It was something far deadlier than death. It was the burden and the mystery of the world's sin which lay heavy on His heart;

 

- Farrar's "Life of Christ" 1874 Chapter 57

Thus we see a more keen insight into the agony in the Garden suffered by Christ, the more probable notion that the atonement that most conclude occurred the following morning on the Cross had actually begun there in the garden on that historic night. And Farrar is not the only Christian author to address this concept. Other authors have addressed this all important tenet of faith with regards to the atonement. LDS authority and Christian author James E. Talmage concluded in his well renowned "Jesus the Christ - A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to the Holy Scriptures Both Ancient and Modern" draws a similar conclusion.

“Christ's agony in the garden is unfathomable by the finite mind, both as to intensity and cause. The thought that He suffered through fear of death is untenable… He struggled and groaned under a burden such as no other being who has lived on earth might even conceive as possible. It was not physical pain, nor mental anguish alone, that caused Him to suffer such torture as to produce an extrusion of blood from every pore; but a spiritual agony of soul such as only God was capable of experiencing. No other man, however great his powers of physical or mental endurance, could have suffered so; for his human organism would have succumbed, and syncope would have produced unconsciousness and welcome oblivion. In that hour of anguish Christ met and overcame all the horrors that Satan, ‘the prince of this world' could inflict. The frightful struggle incident to the temptations immediately following the Lord's baptism was surpassed and overshadowed by this supreme contest with the powers of evil.

“In some manner, actual and terribly real though to man incomprehensible, the Savior took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world.” (Jesus The Christ, p. 613.)

 

Catholics have varying views on the Atonement, depending on which church is referenced. The "Moral theory" concludes that the atonement was one of change in the perceptions of mankind, in that the Christ was willing to suffer death for all and in this alone humans would change. Irenaeus with his "Christus Victor" theory. concludes that Jesus liberates mankind from slavery to Satan and thus death by giving his own life as a ransom. Victory over Satan is achieved by the Savior offering his life willingly for the salvation of Mankind. This is the more common belief held by most today. But whatever one concludes or chooses to believe with regards to the atonement, one cannot ignore the agony in Gethsemane as a key component to that atonement, that far surpasses Christ's agony on the cross.

 

It is important however to understand that this is a tenet of faith, and not a historical comparison or review to sway the believer, non believer or otherwise in either direction. The atonement means many things to many people, and nothing to others, and the The Gospel of Christ.Org in no way offers spiritual advice as in a pastoral or ministeral fashion to any. Each must make their own assumptions and faith on matters of faith such as this. The extrapolations made above are however supported by the scriptures and ecclesiastical authority's such as Frederic Farrar (Farrar was a Cleric of the Church of England, Canon of Westminster, Rector of St Margaret's at Westminster, Archdeacon of Westminster Abbey and the Dean of Canterbury) and of course evident upon closer examination of the trials of Christ in Gethsemane.