By Douglas Sipple (April 2007)
This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. After I re-dedicated my life to Christ, I was reading the Psalms and Proverbs to get my feet wet, and Psalm 22 gave me goosebumps...It was written by David, but in the first-person as Jesus on the cross! I went on to hear commentaries by Chuck Missler and Jon Courson and I found out even more. Here is what impresses me:
v.1 My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
This first verse has so much to it. Jesus uttered this verse on the cross (Mk 16:34) The first thing I noticed was that You and Me were capitalized. The "You" is obviously the Father, but why would David be capitalized? I have come to think that it was obviously David's writing, but he was writing in the Spirit, thus, that is why the "Me" is capitalized...It is Jesus on the cross.
Secondly, I have read that Rabbis would say the first verse to a chapter in the Tenach, and the people or students would be required to look up that chapter and understand it. By Jesus saying this on the cross, it was a hint to those around that He was fulfilling prophecy and to look up Psalm 22.
The most disturbing part is that when Jesus went on the cross for us, He became sin...the Father could not be with Him (2 Cor 5:21). That is why Jesus sweat blood the night before in the garden of Gethsemane...for the only time in eternity, the Son was seperate from the Father...we have no idea how much torment Jesus went through for us!
v.6 But I am a worm and no man; a reproach of men, and despised by the people.
I have read that there was a worm whose blood was used to dye garments to scarlet color. That worm was called a Tolaith worm (the Hebrew word for worm is "tola"). When the worm was to birth its eggs, it would climb a tree. It would attach itself to the tree and explode...leaving a scarlet stain on the tree. The birthed eggs would shower to the ground and hatch. Doesn't this sound familiar?...Jesus left a blood stain on a tree (cross) and birthed His church when his side was pierced...blood and water came out (just as in childbirth).
v.12 Many bulls have surrounded Me. Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me.
Here again the "Me" is capitalized. Also, this is referencing the demonic presence around the cross...Satan was just as interested in what was happening as the rest! This also references the pagan idols that were prevalent at that time.
v.14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax, it has melted within Me.
As we all know, Jesus was severely beaten prior to the cross. Jesus lost a lot of blood, and it is commonly held by scholars and doctors that Jesus was already in a state of hypovolemic shock before He was on the cross. Hypovolemic shock is basically massive loss of blood, and the heart begins to shut down since it can't pump enough blood through the body...this is what probably what Jesus was feeling...like his heart was hardening due to loss of fluid (blood).
According to medical doctors and historical scholars, when someone was put on the cross, their shoulders were seperated to enable their arms to be fully extended on the cross beam. (If you have seen Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, you might remember this depicted).
The part where it says He was "poured out like water" troubles me. I have read some concordances and it may be saying here that Jesus lost control of His bowels. My Chuck Smith NKJ Bible references Daniel 5:6...It recounts how Belshazzar's "knees knocked together" and the "joints of his hips were loosened" when he saw the hand writing on the wall. I have heard Chuck Missler say that this means he soiled himself!
I am not sure if this is what happened, but think of the utter humiliation for the Creator of the universe to have that happen...I don't think we have any idea how much torture, pain and humiliation Jesus went through for us.
v.16 For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet.
The first part shows the wicked and unruly surrounding Jesus on the cross and jeering at Him.
The next part really amazed me...when David wrote this, crucifixion wasn't even invented until 700 years later! Why didn't it say that they cut His hands and feet? Or that they slashed His hands and feet? This was very specific, and the Pharisees and the devout Jews should have seen that the Messiah would be crucified.
v.17 I can count all My bones, they look and stare at Me.
Jesus fulfilled the Law in His ministry by being sinless and keeping all the Jewish laws and practices. He also became the ultimate Passover Lamb by being perfect and without blemish (Ex 12:5). Despite the horrific beating Jesus endured for us, He didn't have a single bone broken...so He could be our Passover Lamb!
Often, it took many hours and even days to die from suffocation on the cross, to hurry things up, the guards would break the legs of the condemned so they couldn't push up with their legs to take a breath. But due to the severe beating that Jesus endured, and the Father's Divine Plan, Jesus died within six hours on the cross. The guards knew that Jesus was dead, so they pierced His side to make sure.
By the way...for anyone to claim that Jesus survived the cross and was revived in the tomb is absurd. Jesus was severely beaten and lost a lot of blood (hypovolemic shock) before He had to carry His cross to Golgatha (Calvary). Plus, His heart was punctured by the spear in His side...How could anyone who isn't God survive that?
v.18 They divide My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.
This was fulfilled at Calvary (Matt 27:35)
The rest of the chapter speaks of Christ's second coming. I pray that this blessed you as much as it has me. Let’s say an extra prayer thanking God for coming down into His own creation, becoming flesh like us, and going through the crucifixion so that we could be saved! There is no other way to say this, but He did it because He loves us so much!!!
