He Has Borne Our Griefs
Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him
Isaiah 53:4,5a
Those who watched Jesus die thought that God was punishing Him for His sins. In a sense, He was, since Jesus “took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows.” But in reality He suffered for our transgressions; our sins were laid upon Him. The nails and the spear that pierced Him, and the thorns that dug into His brow were not punishment for His sins, for He had none.[1] The sins were ours, and so was the punishment. It was our iniquity that crushed His heaving chest. It was the weight of our offenses that oppressed Him. As we see Him suffering, it is hard to think that we put Christ there.[2] The peace which we now enjoy, the spiritual peace which is the result of our reconciliation with God, is ours only because of the punishment that He endured.
This is not always easy for us to grasp. We sometimes think that God, being God, has only to wave a hand and we are forgiven. We fail to understand why an innocent man had to suffer on behalf of the guilty. Even if we acknowledge our guilt and admit that we have broken God’s Law, we are still not sure why an almighty, sovereign God had to stoop to such barbarity in order to obtain our salvation. It makes us think of God as an unnecessarily stern task master, demanding His pound of flesh. The truth is that, in Scripture, there is often a connection between atonement and blood. Abraham knew it as he raised the knife above Isaac.[3] He had to be willing to give up what was most precious to him. Then, a ram was caught in a thicket, and the blood-sacrifice was made. The Israelites knew about the connection between sin and blood. Throughout their long history they knew the value of an offering. Atonement came through the shedding of blood.
Why? Perhaps the best answer is to remember the holiness and justice of God.[4] Sin is so serious, its separation so total, that it threatens the fabric of the universe. Holiness cannot wink at sin and, in a just universe, wrongdoing cannot go unpunished. So, a system of sacrifice developed that was intended to mend the relationship between sinful Israel and their holy God. In the end, it did not work. Our rebellion was so complete that the blood of a thousand lambs could not redeem us.[5] That is why God sent the perfect sacrifice. He sent His Son.
Holy, holy, holy God, You are pure and holy, and I am not.
The light of Your presence sears my sin
and convicts me of my unrighteousness.
I trust in Your mercy alone, and in the sacrifice of Your Son.
To whom be praise forever.
Amen.
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