January 12
“I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’” Psalm 22:6-8.
These words from Psalm 22 predict the mockery that the promised Messiah and the Savior of the world would endure during His trial before the high priest and the religious leaders, before the Roman rulers, Pontius Pilate and King Herod, and by the multitude assembled at the foot of Calvary’s cross.
The psalmist predicted that the suffering Savior would be treated like a worm instead of a human being. He cried out, “I am a worm, and no man.” He was treated like a worm which is stepped on and which wiggles back and forth in pain as it dies.
The promised Messiah was “a reproach of men, and despised by the people.” During Jesus’ trial by the Jewish Sanhedrin, the high priest confronted Him with the question, “Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!” Jesus confessed that He was the promised Messiah and the Son of God. The gathered assembly said, “‘He is deserving of death.’ Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?’” Matthew 26:66-68.
The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, ordered that Jesus should be scourged – whipped like the worst of criminals. “The soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. And when they had mocked Him, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to be crucified,” Matthew 27:27-31.
When Pilate learned that Jesus was from Galilee, he sent Jesus to King Herod, whose jurisdiction covered Galilee. Scripture reports, “Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate,” Luke 23:11.
A thousand years before it happened, the motley multitude that passed by and stood at the foot of Calvary’s cross was portrayed by the psalmist with the words, “All those who see Me ridicule Me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!’”
Matthew reports, “Those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, “I am the Son of God.”’” Matthew 27:39-43.
Indeed, the Son of God, on whom the weight of the sins of the world were resting, suffered intense pain of body and soul as He paid the price to redeem us from sin, death, and the power of the devil. “(God) made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
“Jesus gives us true repentance,
By His Spirit sent from heav’n;
Whispers this transporting sentence,
‘Son, thy sins are all forgiven.’
Faith He grants us to believe it,
Grateful hearts His love to prize;
Want we wisdom? He must give it,
Hearing ears and seeing eyes.” Amen.