SPIRIT MATTERS: Was Jesus a highly sensitive empath?

This week my friend and I theorized that Jesus was the ideal empath.

My creative content consultant Dave and I were discussing the book, “The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People” by Judith Orloff.

Since Jesus was God, he was able to empathize with all people, no matter what their personality or background, and this is often evidenced in the gospels.

Highly Sensitive People and Empaths share many of the same qualities, including a low threshold for stimulation; the need for alone time; sensitivity to light, sound and smell and an aversion to large groups. In reading the gospels, it is unclear whether he had a sensitivity to light, sound and smell, although his threshold for stimulation was likely higher than most empaths since he constantly had groups of people following him.

While Jesus often ministered to large groups, we also see him pulling away from some of those groups by getting in a boat or attempting to move away from them at times. To compensate for this, he often spent solitary nights in prayer with his Abba. These nights were crucial in reenergizing him for the work ahead, and any empath can tell you how much they rely on alone time to regroup.

In addition to the highly sensitive qualities, empaths sense subtle energy and absorb this energy into their bodies, allowing them to internalize the feelings, pain and various physical sensations of others. Some empaths also have profound spiritual and intuitive experiences.

Jesus excelled at these qualities.

He was able to sense the needs of those around him, before they said a word. This is illustrated over and over again in the gospels as people came to him for healing. In one scene, we see the hemorrhaging woman grab the hem of his robe, and Jesus immediately felt power go forth from his body.

And, of course, the ultimate scene where he absorbed others energy was on the cross, when he took upon himself all the sin and evil of all time. Take a moment and imagine what that must have been like for him. I don’t think we can, because there is nothing else to compare it to.

Finally, it goes without saying that Jesus experienced profound spiritual and intuitive experiences. When he was baptized, the skies opened up and a voice declared him his beloved Son. Later, during the Transfiguration, with Peter, James and John, his appearance was transformed before their eyes and he talked with Moses and Elijah, who were also there.

For those who identify as empaths or highly sensitive people in today’s world, it can be difficult to navigate life. With constant stimulation coming from all angles, empaths need to find a way to shield themselves at times from the energy of others, so they can continue to live autonomously. It’s likely Jesus knew how to do this, as when he cast out demons, he was often unfazed by their response and spoke to them with authority.

A cursory study of the gospels shows that Jesus was perfect when it same to sensitivity to others. This sensitivity has attracted billions of followers down through the ages as they recognize that Jesus understands them thoroughly and is a safe place of refuge and healing.

SPIRIT MATTERS is a weekly column that examines spirituality in The Times' readership area. Contact Jerrilyn Zavada at jzblue33@yahoo.com to share how you engage your spirit in your life and in your community.