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Mark 15:21-24
In Mark 15:21 (NKJV) the Bible teaches us, “21Then they compelled a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was coming out of the country and passing by, to bear His cross.” Apparently Jesus had become too weak to carry the cross, which may seem odd as Jesus alone was to bear the sins of man on the cross. But I believe that is just the point; it is not due to Jesus that He had to die on a cross – the cross was not put there by Jesus, but He was to die on it for the sins of man. Man himself was responsible for the cross – man put the cross there for Jesus and caused His death on it.
Also, it is noted in Mark 15:23, “23Then they gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it.” This wine with myrrh was a type of pain killer. This would have eased the pain Jesus was feeling; something that was not part of God’s plan for Jesus in taking the sins of the world to the cross. In 1 Peter 2:24 we learn, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness – by whose stripes you were healed.”
This is a promise that man, due to sin, put Jesus on the cross.
This is a promise that Jesus was not responsible for the cross, but that He is the redeemer who would die on it to pay for the sins of man.
We all have sinned. We all are responsible for putting Jesus on the cross. But because of God’s great love for us, Jesus took it all to the cross so that we may come to Him in humble submission to Him for what He has done for us on the cross, and be forgiven simply by asking. But that is the requirement for us – we must find ourselves in humble submission to Him…and ask. He is faithful and just and will forgive you too!
Dear LORD,
Admitting our sins is a vise that the devil holds us with as we have more of a tendency to blame others for being more sinful and then try to justify ourselves in this fashion. Please help us to realize and understand that when we die and stand before Jesus, the question that will be asked of us is not about the sins of others, but about our own sins. This question…do you know Jesus and does He live in your heart through His Holy Spirit? I hope we all can answer this question with a resounding “YES!” In Jesus name I pray, amen.