He Bore It All
Ponder: Jesus bore the full brunt of the agony of crucifixion – for us!
Scripture: “They gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink” (Matthew 27:34, NKJV).
It was a fleeting glimpse of humaneness at the start of a barbaric, inhumane act. Before they drove the spikes through His hands and feet, “they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink” (Matthew 27:34a). Gall means bitter, and is a broad term that can refer to many bitter substances. Mark 15:23 specifies that it was myrrh mixed with wine (vinegar). Myrrh was a gummy substance from trees in parts of Arabia and Africa; it was used as a perfume, an embalming agent, and a pain killer. Customarily, it was offered to people about to be crucified; it may have helped a tiny bit to take the edge off of the intense pain that was in store for them.
“But when He had tasted it, He would not drink” (Matthew 27:34b). Jesus refused to have His senses dulled to the unspeakable agony of the cross. Why? Was this some macho sort of ego trip? Was He proving to His tormentors that He could take anything they could dish out? Not at all! After His resurrection, Jesus explained to His disciples: “it was necessary for the Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day” (Luke 24:46).
But why? Why was it necessary for Christ to suffer the full brunt of the pain of crucifixion? Peter enlightens us: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Sin makes us unclean – unfit to be in the presence of a holy God. In order to make us holy (sanctify us) with His own blood, Jesus suffered (Hebrews 13:12).
Yes, Jesus’ suffering was necessary because of my sins and yours. He suffered on the cross so that we would not have to suffer in Hell eternally. Oftentimes we emphasize His death and the shedding of  His blood – and rightly so! But let us not forget His suffering before He actually died. Let us thankfully rejoice as we sing, “He bore it all that I might live!”
Song: “He bore it all”
Prayer: Father, our hearts break when we think of the agony that our sins caused Jesus to suffer; but we are filled with joy to know that His suffering satisfied Your justice and cleanses us so that we may dwell with You eternally. We praise You in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Joe Slater