A passerby named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.) And they brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). They offered him wine drugged with myrrh, but he refused it. - Mark 15:21-23 (NLT)
It is passages like this that remind us of the true humanity of Jesus. Being fully God, His life was sinless, He spoke truth with authority, and brought healing to countless people. But being fully man, He knew frailty, pain, and the weakness of the human body. Having sustained physical trauma at the hands of the guards, He is now pushed beyond His physical limits to the point of requiring help.
In His typical way, the Father provided help during struggle. He did this through the efforts of Simon, father of two young boys who we will see active in the life of the church through the letters of Paul. They stood as witnesses of Jesus’ suffering, and the story of His crucifixion would be written upon their family, too.
Even as Jesus’ body began to fail, His greatest triumph was already underway. This assurance of His physical reality, suffering, and struggle echoes what Isaiah 53 prophecies, and Hebrews 2 reminds us of, that Jesus knows our sufferings, and that His would bring our peace and healing. He refused the blended wine and would not let the pain be dulled. He bore it all for us.
Pause and Reflect
- Do you see why it was so important that Jesus came as both truly God and truly man? This core teaching of our faith connects our suffering to His, and His to ours. Spend a moment thanking God for knowing our pains.
- Read Romans 6:23. Here, Paul reminds us that we deserved this punishment and pain. Our sins deserve the punishment He received, but the gift of God wasn’t just a way out of the punishment, but a new life built on grace and forgiveness. Thank Jesus for taking your punishment and bringing you peace with the Father.
