In the middle of the week when he was to be crucified, Jesus knew he was only a short time away from being stripped, beaten, cursed, spat upon, slapped, scorned and humiliated. Whatever bullying you and I may have faced in the past, it's nothing compared to what he went through for you and me.
He who had never inflicted pain, was about to have a monumental amount of pain inflicted on him. He who had never cursed anyone else would receive dozens of curses heaped on him. He who could summon all the power in the universe would submit himself willingly to torture. He whose motive was pure love, would experience the worst that humankind in all our twisted hatred, jealousy and cruelty could inflict. And he would do it to give us life: new life, filled with the same love and joy he experienced with the Father, forever. But first, he had to go through the torture...
All this pain was not because Jesus enjoyed pain, or because the Father punished the Son instead of us. It was Jesus fulfilling his role as the Good Shepherd of John 10:1-18, where Jesus compares himself to a mere hireling who doesn't care about the sheep and runs away when the wolf comes (v. 12). As the 'good shepherd' Jesus said "I give my life for my sheep." He faced the Sanhedrin mockers, he faced the Roman governor, and he faced the cruelty of the soldiers, all to stand between us and the death penalty for our sins.
That's what Jesus was thinking about on Wednesday of Holy Week. Let's be grateful for his willingness to give himself for us.
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