Isaiah 53:5 says, “… He was wounded for our transgressions.” The one who fulfilled this prophecy was Jesus Christ, but He was not only wounded for our transgressions, He was also wounded by our transgressions. He was injured by the rejection of those He came to save.
As He approached the holy city for the last time, He cried out, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem. You who kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to you. How often I wanted to gather your people together, just as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you didn’t want that” (Matthew 23:37, CEB).
Jesus was wounded by his disciples when He told them they had seen the Father in him, and Philip responded on behalf of all of them, “Lord, show us the Father; that will be enough for us.” Jesus replied to him, “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been with you all this time? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” (John 14:8-9).
He was wounded when He asked his disciples for personal support in the Garden of Gethsemane and then found them sleeping after his time of agonizing prayer. Astonished, He said, “Couldn’t you stay alert one hour with me? Stay alert and pray so that you won’t give in to temptation. The spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak” Matthew 26:40-41, CEB).
How hurt He must have been when, after that admonition, He returned from a second round of prayer and found them sleeping again, even as his enemies approached. How painful it was for him when his trusted disciple, Judas Iscariot, betrayed him with a kiss.
As Jesus was on trial before the Sanhedrin, one of his closest friends, Peter, watched the proceedings from the courtyard. I cannot imagine the hurt on Jesus’ face when He looked at Peter immediately after Peter denied even knowing him (Luke 23:61). It was his third denial, and Peter had accompanied it with a curse.
Jesus received a trumped-up trial before the Jewish ruling counsel, one in which no two witnesses could agree on any chargeable offense. What injustice He must have felt.
He was wounded by the cowardice of a Roman governor who did not have the courage to resist the demand of the Jewish leaders for his crucifixion, even though Pilate could find no fault in him.
Jesus was physically wounded by his whipping with the cat-of-nine tails, the nails in his hands and feet, and the agony of death by crucifixion. Even his corpse was wounded by the spear thrust into his side.
Jesus must still feel pain from the lack of faith and belief by people in our times who seem to think his cross was just a historical event, not the action of a loving God meant for their redemption. He is wounded by our lack of spiritual insight even when the nature of God is so clearly demonstrated in his life and death.
We are wounded as well. We all have an essential emotional need to be loved and valued. No child has ever had that need perfectly met. Our prisons are full of adults who had parents and guardians who loved them little or none at all.
Some people are manipulated by those who would say to them in one way or another, “If you love me, then you will do this or that for me.” Some have been emotionally or physically abused by those who should love them. Some are wounded because they have been betrayed by those who should have been loyal and caring toward them.
None of us, however, has been deserted by the One sent to redeem us. Turn again to the words recorded in Isaiah 53:5: “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
There was no wound that Jesus bore, no injury that He incurred that was not for our sakes. We go to his cross and discover that we are loved — deeply, thoroughly, and without reserve. We gaze upon his sacrifice and we are healed.
Dr. Dan Darby is a retired United Methodist pastor.
