by Timothy W. Burnett
Actor/Director Mel Gibson directed a movie about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Although we found it difficult to watch, we were able to stay with it from beginning to the end. Had Mr. Gibson depicted the events more accurately, very few Christians would be able to endure it to the end.
According to God's word in the Old Testament, Jesus' closest companions would not have recognized him. It says in Isaiah 53:2, "...he has no form nor comeliness. And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him..." This verse is part of scripture in Isaiah that explains what happened, and why it happened.
The subject is revealed in Isaiah 52:13, "Behold, My servant..." This is about God's servant Jesus Christ who gave himself to be the final Passover lamb for all of mankind. The related scripture continues to Isaiah 53:12, "Therefore will I [God] divide him [Jesus Christ] a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he has poured out his soul unto death. And he was numbered with the transgressors. And he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
According to Isaiah 52:14, he was physically marred more than any man. His form or appearance was also disfigured beyond what any other person has ever experienced. We learn from Isaiah 53:3 that Jesus Christ was a man who felt great sorrow and fully understood the depths of grief. Why? See the next verse, "Surely he has born our griefs and carried our sorrows..." Continuing with verse 5, "But he was wounded [pierced] for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. And with his stripes we are healed."
While Jesus Christ hung on the tree, a soldier pierced his side allowing his blood and fluids to pour out. It is now available for anybody to be cleansed by his blood that was spilled on that day. All that is needed is to believe with the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead. According to Romans 10:9-10, it is with the heart that people believe God raised him from the dead unto righteousness. To be righteous simply means to be filled with holy spirit. And when we are filled with holy spirit we become one of God's beloved saints.
With the many painful and unbearable stripes that were plowed over Jesus' body, all of God's saints have full and complete access to mental and physical healing. Because of what Jesus Christ did for all of mankind, those who believe can live the more than abundant life that Jesus referred to in John 10:10b.
Jesus could have cried out to his Father for help, and over 72,000 angels would have come to his rescue. But instead, he served his Father faithfully and allowed himself to be beaten profusely, scourged with nail ladened whips, struck on his head with a thorny crown, spit on, mocked, laughed at and much more. He endured all of this because he trusted his Father would raise him from the dead. Furthermore, he did it out of love...out of God's love for the world.
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