THE WOUNDS OF JESUS
With all the discussion about the movie recently released called “The Passion of the Christ,” I felt it important to take a fresh look at Scripture concerning the wounds and sufferings of Jesus. Isaiah is very clear and comprehensive regarding the sufferings of the Savior. It cannot be denied that Isaiah is speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ!
Among other things, we are told that His suffering included being “wounded” for our transgressions. Jesus suffered mentally, spiritually as well as physically. We must never minimize His physical sufferings. 1 Peter 2:24 says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.”
In recent years, I have developed more respect for the medical field. I seem to spend more time with those in the medical profession now than before. I still do not understand their “lingo,” but I have learned to listen to what they are saying. If a physician or a surgeon were to examine the record of Christ’s physical sufferings, they would tell us that He suffered from at least five different types of wounds medically speaking.
1. JESUS SUFFERED FROM CONTUSIONS.
A contusion is defined as an injury to tissue caused by blunt force, which does not lacerate the skin but bruises the body. That is exactly what Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 53: 5, 10 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities...” (10) “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him;...”
While Christ was standing before the Sanhedrin, notice how they treated Him. “Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands,” (Matthew 26:67). Then note what happened when He stood before the soldiers in Matthew 27:30 “And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.”
This was all done in fulfillment of Micah 5:1 “Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek.”
Scofield says “So marred from the form of man was His aspect that His appearance was not that of a son of man.” Isaiah 52:14 says, “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:”
2. JESUS SUFFERED FROM LACERATIONS.
A laceration is defined as a wound produced by tearing the flesh. This phase of suffering was accomplished when Pilate in John 19:1 scourged him. “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.”
One cannot understand or appreciate the painfulness of the scourge until they know something about the instrument used. The scourge was a beating with a short handled whip with 7 to 9 tails. In each tail was 2 pieces of jagged metal or bone. The victim was tied to a post and stripped of his shirt.
According to Mosaic Law in Deuteronomy 25:3, forty strokes was the limit of blows permitted to be given to the bare back of the prostrate victim. The Romans had little regard for the law and no doubt, Jesus faced much sorer punishment because of their hatred for Him. The public punishment He took was humiliating but the humiliation was nothing compared to the lacerations.
Historical documents tell us that 50% of those whipped died from the beating alone. Almost always, the victim would pass out. If they did survive, they were crippled for life. The jagged bones or metal pieces ripped away the hide and went deeper and deeper into the body cavity.
Jesus experienced all of this because the man that had just said, “...I find in him no fault at all” scourged Him to please the people. Oh how sad it is when people will sell their souls to the devil just to be popular. The Christian should always stand up and be counted for righteousness!
Jesus suffered from contusions and lacerations. But also...
3. JESUS SUFFERED FROM PENETRATIONS.
The wounds of penetration were accomplished by pressing the crown of thorns on His lovely head and brow. Look at Matthew 27:27-29 “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon 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!” The thorns that composed the crown Jesus wore would be better described as sticks -- like the last 2 inches of an ice pick.
Thorn bushes only grow in two places: Mexico and Palestine. They were available to the soldiers because they were used for firewood. Can you imagine not only the mockery and humiliation but having a crown of thorns that were at least 2” long placed on your head and pushed into the skin on your head.
Jesus suffered from contusions, lacerations and penetrations. But also...
4. JESUS SUFFERED FROM PERFORATIONS.
Perforation is defined as piercing or passing through the body -- such as a hole through the foot or hand. This refers to the nails or spikes that were driven through His hands and feet.
Psalm 22:16 says “For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.”
Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (13:6) “And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.”
Every time I read that scripture, I think of the things we do against Jesus today, the Lord that gave Himself for us. We fill our lives with things of this world instead of spiritual things. We fail to honor His day, and rob God of the worship He desires. We, His friends are the ones who crucified Him.
Luke 23:33 “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.” John 20:25 says, “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.”
Death by crucifixion was designed to prolong suffering. Had He not gone through enough already? With the nails in the hands and feet, the victim could push and pull himself up in order to breathe. The spikes were probably driven through His wrists to keep the nails from tearing and pulling out. Now we better understand why the soldiers did not break His legs when they came to Him - He was already dead. John 19:33 says “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:”
It is commonly accepted that Jesus died of suffocation -- the body become so weak after losing so much blood that the victim could no longer push and pull himself up in order to breathe. No matter how He died, thank God He died for me!
Jesus suffered from contusions, lacerations, penetrations, perforations and finally,
5. JESUS SUFFERED FROM AN INCISION.
By incision we mean a cutting wound. This came when the soldiers pierced His side with a spear. John 19:34 says, “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”
Jesus was already dead at this time and this wound was used by the Lord to verify Himself to His disciples. John 20:25-28 “The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”
The expelling of blood and water meant Jesus was dead. Please note His blood was shed first, then water. It takes the blood of Jesus to forgive of our sins before we practice the works of baptism. Hebrews 9:22 “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.”
Elisha Hoffman penned these words in 1878; “Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power? Are you washed in the blood of the lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless are they white as snow, Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” How about it? Are you saved by the grace of Jesus, the Christ?
He suffered, bled and died. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. He arose from the dead on the third day, just as He said he would. He suffered for me, died for me and arose from the dead for me. Thank God I serve a risen Savior today! Hallelujah, Christ arose!