Very often, we read past this verse in the crucifixion story without recognizing the enormity of what it entails. According to this verse, in preparing Jesus Christ for the crucifixion, the Roman soldiers gave Him to drink, wine mingled with myrrh, but He refused to receive it. It was the routine for the person to be crucified to be given strong concoction, which, when taken, had a numbing effect on the victim, and so, lessened the pain that came with driving the nails through his hands and feet.
This was a normal practice, but what is interesting is that Jesus refused to take this tranquilizing portion. But the question must then be asked, why did Jesus refuse to take this portion? He was not willing to lighten the severity of punishment that was due for sin; He bore the agonies of the cross unmitigated, and consciously. He was unwilling for the agonies of the cross to be alleviated in any way; He bore upon His body, to the fullest measure, the wrath of God due to the sinner for his sins.
This, He did, bearing the pain and shame for our sins, until, in the economy of God, the debt for sin owed by the sinner was fully paid, and then, He gave up His Ghost, and died. This can be likened to the fire that consumed the sacrifice on the altar, nothing escaped from the raging of the flames, which the suffering of the cross was a type. In the same way that nothing reduced the ferocity of the fire that consumed the sacrifice, so too, nothing minimized the severity of God's wrath poured upon Jesus as He bore upon His body the penalty for our sins. Think about this!
In this short verse of the bible, often glossed over, lies a depth of truth of the unmitigated agonies of Jesus Christ on the cross. May we, by the life that we live, show gratitude to the One who had no business becoming a man, talk less of dying on the cross. Said in another way, living a holy life is our simplest way to show gratitude to Jesus for what He did for us on the cross. Let His name be praised, not only in our words, but also in our walk. God bless you.
Toni
In this short verse of the bible, often glossed over, lies a depth of truth of the unmitigated agonies of Jesus Christ on the cross. May we, by the life that we live, show gratitude to the One who had no business becoming a man, talk less of dying on the cross. Said in another way, living a holy life is our simplest way to show gratitude to Jesus for what He did for us on the cross. Let His name be praised, not only in our words, but also in our walk. God bless you.
Toni
