“Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it.”
Mark 15:22-23 (NASB)
As the Roman soldiers led Jesus to Calvary, myrrh mixed with wine was offered to Him. This was a fulfillment of the prophecy of Psalm 69:21. It was customary to give this drink to those who had been sentenced to death on the cross for a couple of reasons. First of all, myrrh which was a sedative and analgesic which would dull the pain of the condemned. The drink was also intended to make the job of the Roman soldiers easier because the drugged person would be much less likely to struggle or resist. Jesus refused to take the drink. He did this to show that His death was voluntary. He did not struggle against the Romans as they crucified Him. Instead ,He was led as a Lamb to slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). Furthermore, Christ denied the mind numbing drink because He wanted to have all of His faculties intact in order to fully experience the suffering and humiliation of the cross. Christ chose to be awake and alert as the entire weight of the wrath of God placed upon Him there for our sakes. He did not take the easy way out, instead Christ boldly, courageously and unselfishly endured it all so that we would be saved.
Questions for application…
What was the effect of the drink offered to Jesus?
Why did He refuse it?
How does the way that Christ approached the cross help us to understand His love for us?
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