But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and by His stripes we are healed. ~Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)
Roman crucifixion represented one of the most horrific, brutal forms of punishment ever recorded in history. In fact, it was so extreme that Roman citizens were exempt from enduring it unless charged with high treason.
I don't know about you, but I can barely tolerate a standard vaccination shot. However, Jesus endured crucifixion. He was horribly wounded. Some scholars believe He was flogged and wounded to the point of being unrecognizable. The One who loves us infinitely beyond our understanding suffered beyond what we can fully comprehend. Knowing that is bad enough, but we are not just innocent bystanders to that horrific event. He suffered those wounds wholly and specifically because of us.
He wasn’t punished for anything He had done. He suffered for the sins and transgressions of all mankind. In every generation. For all time. Can we even count that high?
The Hebrew word for wounded in Isaiah 53:5 (chalal) refers to perforating or piercing through. In fact, the New American Standard Bible translates this verse as, But He was pierced through for our transgressions. When Jesus was flogged, brutalized by the soldiers, and then crucified, He was literally wounded from the top of His head to the soles of His feet.
Jesus chose to undergo egregious physical wounds and staggering sorrow because of one powerful, life-changing word: love. Jesus loved us too much to stand idly by and permit sin to destroy us for all eternity. His death and resurrection provided our ultimate redemption.
As we travel toward Calvary this season of Lent and visit Golgotha once again, we remember the unbelievable suffering and soul-saving sacrifice of our Savior, who willingly carried out the greatest act of love demonstrated in history. Ever. And He did it for us.
