Jesus, A Man Of Sorrows

Be despised and rejected: Do you feel painful and sorrowful when you are despised and rejected? Jesus “is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows (pain and suffering), and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed (think, regard, consider) him not” (Isa 53:3). The Lord Jesus Christ was willing to set aside His form as God the almighty Creator and the glorious King to be a poor Man, who was born into a poor family without any high social status. Jesus, “though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor” (2 Cor 8:9), saying, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” (Matt 8:20). Because of Jesus’ humility, He was despised and rejected! Let us look unto the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the glorious God but despised and rejected as “a man of sorrows” so that we may not be discouraged or faint-hearted when we are despised or when we share Jesus Christ and His love to others but are rejected. We used to be like them, “we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Jesus Christ is still despised and rejected today!

Be hated, persecuted, blasphemed and evil spoken of: Do you feel painful and sorrowful when you are hated, criticised, evil spoken of, opposed and persecuted? The Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him (John 5:16, 18; 7:7), and spoke evil of Jesus, “he deceiveth the people” (John 7:12), and “This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils” (Matt 12:24), and “this man is a sinner” and “He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?” (John 9:24; 10:20). Jesus was really “a man of sorrows”! Let us look unto the Lord Jesus Christ so that we may not be discouraged or faint-hearted.

Be betrayed, forsaken and denied: Do you feel painful and sorrowful when you are betrayed, forsaken and denied? Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, which made Him “troubled in spirit” (John 13:21). He was forsaken by His disciples when they fled for life (Mark 14:50) and He was denied by Peter, one of His very close disciples (John 18:17, 25-27). Jesus was really “a man of sorrows”! Let us look unto the Lord Jesus Christ so that we may not be discouraged or faint-hearted.

Be exceeding sorrowful unto death: Have you ever been exceeding sorrowful unto death? Jesus’ “soul was exceeding sorrowful unto death” in the garden of Gethsemane with the great suffering in view ahead of Him (Mark 14:34). ). Jesus was really “a man of sorrows”! Let us look unto the Lord Jesus Christ so that we may not be discouraged or faint-hearted.

Be tortured, smitten and crucified: Do you feel painful and sorrowful when you are mistreated and hurt? The wicked people falsely accused Jesus, spat on His face, smote Him, put a crown of thorns on His head (Matt 26:67; 27:12, 29, 30, 41), crucified Him with the two thieves and derided Him (Matt 27:35, 38; Luke 23:35). Jesus was really “a man of sorrows”! Let us look unto the Lord Jesus Christ so that we may not be discouraged or faint-hearted.

Be misjudged and thought to be punished by God: Do you feel painful and sorrowful when you are misjudged and thought that you are punished by God in your afflictions and trials? “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (Isa 53:4). Jesus was really “a man of sorrows”! Let us look unto the Lord Jesus Christ so that we may not be discouraged or faint-hearted.

Be burdened with the sins of all mankind: Do you feel painful and sorrowful when you have to carry the mistake or fault of others? How about your reputation? Jesus bare our sins as well as “the sins of the whole world” in His own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2)! Let us ponder on this truth. Jesus is holy and righteous and He hates sins, but he had to carry all the sins of the world including yours and mine—all lies, pride, doubt, hatred, envy, covetousness, murder, fornication, theft, adultery, abomination, ungodliness, wickedness, unrighteousness, transgression, iniquities, etc. Truly, “But he was wounded (pierced) for our transgressions (rebellion, violation of law), he was bruised (crushed) for our iniquities (deliberate sins in a conscious sense): the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (Isa 53:5). Jesus was really “a man of sorrows”! Let us look unto the Lord Jesus Christ so that we may not be discouraged or faint-hearted.