JESUS WOULD NOT DRINK
Matthew 27:32-25 (NLT)
32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it.
35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.
What seems to be a small detail in the crucifixion of Jesus turns out to be significant. Jesus would not drink the sour wine mixed with gall.
They took Jesus to Golgotha to crucify Him. Golgotha means Place of the Skull. It’s interesting to note that death is often depicted as a skull. Skeletons and skulls show up at Halloween, but skulls have been a part of modern culture for a while. I never gravitated to having skulls on keychains, shirts, or hats. Now I know why. Too closely related to death and the place where they crucified my Lord.
Before they crucified Jesus, they offered Him sour wine mixed with gall. This drink was not designed to quench thirst as much as it was designed to deaden some of the pain of crucifixion. Gall was used as an embalming fluid, but it also had the effect of deadening pain in a person. The Romans, not known for their kindness, would offer a gall mixture to the person who was about to be crucified. It would not take the pain away completely, but it would take the edge off. The idea of having nails driven into your hands, and don’t forget the feet, had to result in excruciating pain. But when Jesus tasted it, He would not drink it.
Jesus was the sacrifice for us. He acted in our place. And He bore the full weight of being made sin on our behalf. Please understand that Jesus never sinned and was not made to sin. No, rather, He was made sin and took on the sins of the world. Jesus was made sin that we might be made the righteousness of God through Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). By refusing to deaden the pain, Jesus left no foothold for Satan to claim that Jesus took the easy way out. By refusing the gall, He took on the full brunt of nails being hammered into his hands and feet. The courage and the integrity that Jesus showed in taking on the sins of the world is inspiring. He could have lessened the brutality of the cross, but He chose to take it in its entirety for us.
Jesus would not drink the gall, and then they crucified Him. And as He watched, the Roman soldiers callously threw dice to see who would get His clothes. HIs courage and commitment are more than just inspiring. They are a model for those of us who follow Him.
APPLICATION
Not taking the easy way out is a good lesson for us all. It’s not easy to say no to our fleshly desires, but it needs to be done. It’s not easy to overlook a slight or rejection, but we don’t need the gall of a snarky remark or casting a bad light on another. Whoever said the Christian life was the easy way out has either never lived it or did not live it right. Our Lord was the strongest and most noble who ever lived, and He left us an example that we should follow in His steps. Easy? No. Fulfilling? Absolutely, and rewarding as well, both in this life and the one to come.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for taking all the pain so that I might have all the victory through You. I purpose in my heart to not take the easy way out of living my life for You.