He Was Wounded

12 April

Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?

Matthew 26:67 to 68

Think about the Jews that spat upon His face as He lay quiet, like a sheep dumb before his shearers. Think about the crowds faces as they plotted to crucify the Son of man. Let your mind ponder over how they smote Jesus with the palms of their hands.

"PROPHESY UNTO US." they screamed as they spat and smote Him. They mocked the Redeemer ... and He kept quiet. He could have called a legion of angels to save Him, but He was still. He looked beyond the pain to see a people that He could call His own, a people that would one day share eternal life with Him.

"He is despised and rejected by men ... He was despised and we did not esteem Him. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him."

He had to be bruised; He had to be despised; He had to be wounded for our sins. He could not be the Prince of peace if He could not overcome the war against Him. He could not be called the God of love if He retaliated to their hatred.

"I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting." Jesus was not taken by force, He did not resist when they came to arrest Him ... He surrendered. He gave Himself to the smiters. He gave Himself to the men that plucked off His beard ... He had to. And He wanted to.

He wanted to see you live in peace; He wanted to see you live in victory; He wanted to see you before the altar of the Lord, talking to His Father. It gave Him joy to see you as an heir to the kingdom of God. When Jesus was spat upon and when the Jews smote Him — all He saw was you. The pain was nothing compared to the joy He would celebrate when Gods creation surrendered to Him.