"For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the Holy Place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own Blood, suffered outside the gate. So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach." (Hebrews 13:11-13, NASB)
Few paintings, few movies have ever come close to the bloody scene, the suffering of Calvary. The hymn writer prayed, "Near the Cross! O Lamb of God, bring its scene before me." But none of us was there. None can imagine.
"The Word of God," tells us that Jesus was, "....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." This was largely His whole 33 year journey in The Land. And that awful night of betrayal? Luke 14:33 tells us that after the Passover Meal, that Great Love Feast, Jesus, "....took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed." The Word for, "troubled," is translated elsewhere as, "affrighted, awe-struck," and the Word for, "distressed," is also translated as, "I feel fear, lack courage."
But why do we even try? Never, now, nor in the realm of Eternity will we even come close to grasping any of the sufferings of Jesus. I can only say with Isaac Watts, "Well might the Sun in darkness hide, and shut its glories in, when God, the Mighty Maker, died for His own creature's sin. Thus might I hide my blushing face while His dear Cross appears; dissolve my heart in thankfulness, and melt mine eyes to tears. But drops of tears can ne'er repay the debt of love I owe. Here, Lord, I give myself away; 'tis all that I can do."
Father, in Jesus' Name, O, help me to walk in, "Let us go out to Him, bearing His reproach." Amen.
