Certainly Jesus bore our sins.

Certainly Jesus bore our sins.

(Original article posted on my Facebook on 11.03.2020.)

As Roman Catholics  and their tradition believes, as Jesus walked the three miles from Pontius Pilate’s courtyard to His Crucifixion at Calvary, the Cross dug through His shoulder ripping flesh from bone. According to a pious legend, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux prayed and asked of Christ what was his greatest unknown suffering, and what wound suffered in His Passion was most painful. Christ replied to him:

“I had on My Shoulder while I bore My Cross on the Way of Sorrows, a grievous Wound which was more painful than the others, and which is not recorded by men.”

What I want to derive out of this is, even after our Lord's passion, crucifixion and resurrection and after believing that "by His stripes, we are healed", as we also believe that, that burden of our sins was upon him. Why we still try to stab, whip, nail our Lord with our attitude, with our concealed secret sins, with occult in our behaviour, Galatians.5:19-21, The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. Titus 1:7, ....not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 

Isn't these all the unknown wounds that we are doing to our Lord. To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good (Titus 1:15,16).

Let's examine ourselves, repent and ask for his grace.

Image: Christ Embracing St Bernard by Francisco Ribalta, 1625–27.

Jesus in Psalms.

Jesus in Psalms.

(Posted on my Facebook on 06.03.2018)

The primary meaning of the Psalms is always to be seen first of all in their immediate historical context. No one can read the Psalms without becoming aware that certain Psalms and individual verses have a deeper, future significance beyond those simple words/verses. 

Jesus/Messiah was not mentioned by name, but his figure is foreshadowed. Some of the Jews as we can see at the birth of Jesus came to know about the prophecies of the Messiah. The NT writers are quick to apply these verses to Jesus.

Some Psalms like 2, 72, 110 picture Jesus as ideal divine king/priest/judge. We can never see such qualities in any of the Kings of Israel or Judah.

Some Psalms explain an extraordinary accurate description of the actual sufferings of Jesus, under God' guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit took the Psalmist, took them through the pictures and words that they can hardly imagine or vision or think off.

The Royal Psalm 2

The Psalm was used to greet each succeeding Davidic king on his accession as king, but it's fulfillment came in David's greater Son (Luke.1:31-33) Jesus. Even the rejection of Jesus as their King over them (Luke.19:14) and the plan against Him (Psalm.2:3). The key verse is Psalm.2:12.

The Royal Psalm 72

More than any other in David's subsequent line Solomon would have been such one great king with such name and fame with all the blessings in the Psalm. But at the same time the Psalm runs beyond what and whom it was written about. May be this Psalm could have been written as a blessing upon Solomon, but the reality of this Psalm could only be fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah. The key verses of this Psalm are v5, 8, 11, 12,13 and 17.

The Royal Psalm 110

The mysterious name Melchizedek is the key of this Psalm. Abram after conquering the kings acknowledges Melchizedek as priest and presenting Him a tithe of the spoil. He is the priest and king of Jerusalem. If this is so, when David took Jerusalem he sat on Melchizedek's throne. As a succession of this throne and as a prophesied King Jesus is the High Priest (Hebrews.6:20, 7:28) and a Royal descendant of King David (Luke.1:32).

The other Psalms which depict Jesus are : 

Psalm 22:1, Words on the Cross (Matthew 27:46). Verse 16, Piercing of Jesus (John 20:25). Verse 18, Dividing the clothes of Jesus (Mark 15:24).

Psalm 2:7, You (Jesus) are my Son (Acts 13:33).

Psalm 8:6, Dominion on everything (Hebrews 2:6-10).

Psalm 16:10, You won't leave me in Sheol (Acts 2:27, 13:35).

Psalm 22:8, Insulting Jesus on the Cross (Matthew 27:43).

Psalm 40:7-8, I am here to do thy will (Hebrews 10:7).

Psalm 41:9, My friend is against Me (John 13:18).

Psalm 45:6, Your divine throne endures forever (Hebrews 1:8).

Psalm 69:9, My love for Your House burns in me like fire (John 2:17).

Psalm 118:22, The stone which the builders rejected (Matthew 21:4).

Psalm 118:26, Blessed be He who enters in the name of the Lord (Matthew 21:9).