When any of life’s circumstances is perceived as a threat to security, a danger to health, or an enemy to happiness, a man’s mind naturally becomes opposed to whomever he blames for the evil. The fearful depravity of his heart may lead him to form false conclusions, however, as is so eloquently taught in Isaiah 53:4: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” The Subject of this verse is none other than the Redeemer of lost mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ, the One sent by the Father in heaven with the only true message of reconciliation sinful man has ever received from his offended Maker.
The opening word, “Surely,” establishes the undeniable reality that God’s only begotten Son did indeed walk upon this earth bearing the burdens of suffering humanity. Three recorded miracles in the gospels in which Jesus Christ raised individuals to life again who had died reveal the extent to which He entered into the griefs felt by men and women. Before calling Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, to come forth from his grave, it is said, “Jesus wept.” (Jn. 11:35), not as the professional mourners who were present wept according to the custom of the day, but as One Whose spirit was deeply affected by the sight of loss and misery He beheld. Luke reveals the incident of a poor widow whose only son had died, “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.” (Lk. 7:13-15). And though Jesus permitted the twelve year old daughter of Jairus, the ruler of the synagogue, to die as He was enroute to his house, He would not allow this trusting man’s faith to fail, but commanded him at the news of his daughter’s death, “Be not afraid, only believe.” (Mk. 5:36). Shortly thereafter Jairus’ faith became sight as his daughter was raised to life again.
Even more amazing than His miracles of healing the sick and raising the dead is the fact that the man Jesus “carried our sorrows.” Sorrow is an inescapable part of human existence. It entered the world as a curse upon Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God: “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee;” (Gen. 3:16-18). Jesus Christ, the Creator of the paradise of Eden before the fall, came into His own sin-cursed earth to fulfill the righteousness of God which man cannot do, and to give His blood to pay the debt for sin man cannot pay. This mighty work of overcoming sin’s sorrow was only accomplished through much sorrow, as in Gethsemane, “being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow.” (Lk. 22:44,45).
What response did the holy Son of God receive from the men of His day? Some said, “we know that this man is a sinner” (Jn. 9:24); others, “He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.” (Mk. 3:22). Those who nailed Him to the cross “derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.” (Lk. 23:35). You may ask, “How can anyone be so blind to truth?” The Apostle Paul quoting the Psalmist answers most plainly, “There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Rom. 3:11). Every sinner’s heart by nature says, “We will not have this man to reign over us.” (Lk. 19:14). Notwithstanding men’s attempts to invent other saviours, Jesus is the only way to forgiveness and heaven. Believe this, submit to the mercy He offers, and entrust your all to Him.