Man Of Sorrows

He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 

Isaiah 53: 3 

Christ was a Man of Sorrows. Isaiah, writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is beginning to describe the suffering of Christ as He accomplished His substitutionary sacrifice for us. While it is true that early in His public ministry He was popular among the common people, the religious rulers never accepted Him and were ill at ease with His influences. As He continued to speak truth, heal the sick, raise the dead, and expose their religious hypocrisy, they became more virulently opposed to Him until they banded together to put Him to death. Thus our text describes their despising and rejection of Him. At the critical point when the opposition of His enemies burst forth into arrest, trial, beating and finally crucifixion, His followers forsook Him and fled. They hid their faces from Him. The suffering of Christ by Himself fulfilled the ancient prophecy that He would ‘tread the winepress alone’ and that of the people there would be no one with Him. It is good for our spiritual health to look upon the Man of Sorrows. As we do, we better understand what He was willing to endure for us. 

Our Gracious Savior and our God, 
we rejoice at Your willingness to endure sorrow for us. 
We praise You that we have the privilege 
to behold You, the Man of Sorrows. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning