Unlike the previous subject, this series of statements is not seriously disputed. There is extra-Biblical evidence that these events occurred and absolutely no evidence that they did not. There's nothing supernatural in the arrest, flogging, and execution themselves, though some miraculous happenings are reported around the time of Jesus' death. The interment was unusual, but not unreasonable. Most crucified criminals were buried in a common grave, not private tombs. Still, while the facts of the case may not be at issue, there is a good deal of conflict over their meaning and significance.
Some non-Christians argue that all of this is relatively trivial, even in terms of Christian belief. "Well, Jesus is God, right? How much suffering could there have been? He's all-powerful and eternal, right? A few hours of pain and a few days in a tomb should hardly be a blip in the big picture of his whole God-ness, especially when he knew he'd come out all right in the end." On the contrary, God's attributes practically guarantee that this would be harder for him to do than for us normal folks.
Ever had stitches? Knowing that they are necessary and that the final outcome will be positive may lessen the fear and strengthen the will. But, it doesn't stop the actual stitching process from being painful and disturbing. Jesus suffered the scourge and the cross, two of the most excruciating tortures known to the Romans. In addition to the extreme pain, there was the shock of being separated from the Father for the first time and only time in all eternity. Try and imagine any person voluntarily giving up one-third of themselves, even for a short time. Try and imagine the Trinity's perfect three-in-oneness being ripped apart. Is it still trivial? Well, we're not done.
On top of all this physical and emotional torture, let's add the fact that the one and only sinless person in the history of the universe, the Righteous Son of God, was bearing the guilt, shame, and horror of every piece of unholiness ever committed. The punishment for every offense against the absolute moral perfection of the Father was laid on Jesus, who had never disobeyed, never rebelled. He took all this on himself for a people who often don't understand him and who often reject him. Does this seem more significant now? Hold on, we're still not done.
Ever watch someone receive stitches? How about your own child? Again, we know that stitches are "good", but that doesn't really make it easier. One of God's attributes, tied to his omnipotence and omniscience, is his omnipresence. God is everywhere, in his totality, at all times. Every instant, he is able to devote all of his attention to every detail of running the universe. We have an empathy for our children which makes their suffering our suffering. Imagine, then, the depth and breadth of the emotion of God the Father, who knows his Son more intimately than we could ever know our own and experiences everything at a level we can barely comprehend. Can you put yourself in his place, watching the stripes being laid on Jesus' back? Can you feel even a small portion of what it must have been like to see the nails driven through Jesus' flesh? Can you imagine the frustration in knowing that the vast majority of people in the world would not even care? Have we generated a blip in the big picture yet? Wait, there's more.
For us, the memory of painful or unpleasant experiences fades. But, this is God we're talking about. There is no true relief from the memory of agony and separation. Not that the Father, Son, and Spirit dwell on it, exactly, not that they're tortured by it, but it's still all there. Yes, God has the strength to endure. But, that doesn't make it easy, or trivial, or insignificant.
However, I believe that there is a consideration that makes it more bearable for him, even makes it a cause for rejoicing. It worked. People accept this great gift everyday. With each new Christian, the importance of what happened grows. With each changed life, it becomes more and more clear that it was all worth the price.