An answer commonly given is that through suffering Jesus…
““An answer commonly given is that through suffering Jesus was perfected in his role as savior ; 254 and though that seems right as far as it goes, one should not, I would argue, minimize the implication in the text that Jesus’ sufferings somehow made him more complete or whole. F. F. Bruce has asked: “If the Son of God is the effulgence of his Father’s glory and the very impress of his being, how can he be thought of as falling short of perfection?” 255 The answer depends upon the kind of perfection in question. If the essence of God is love, if God is now in the process of creating additional persons to love, and if God himself suffers along with his suffering children, then there is a personal sense in which not even God, despite his metaphysical perfections, is now complete or whole or “all in all.” For in no loving relationship can the one who loves be complete or whole until the one who is loved is also complete and whole; in that respect, the process whereby the children are reconciled and made whole is also a process whereby the Father is completed and made whole in his relationship with these very children.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Jesus’ suffering does not make him more perfect; perfection is relational, completed only when loved ones are whole.
In simple terms: Suffering isn’t about becoming more perfect; it’s about relational wholeness.
Key Takeaway
Seek wholeness through love, not through personal perfection.
Themes
theity
relationship
theology
Mood
reflective
hopeful
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- pastoral counseling
- family reconciliation
- spiritual formation
- interpersonal forgiveness
Key Concepts
Divine love
process theology
perfection as relational
Questions to Reflect On
- How does relational wholeness shape your view of divine perfection?
- Can love be complete without the loved one’s wholeness?
A Different Perspective
Assumes a specific theological framework that may not apply universally.