I read this famous verse today with a couple of different translations, and thought about the phrasing. Where the NKJV says ‘despising the shame’, the NIV uses ‘scorning its shame’, and the NLT says ‘disregarding its shame’.
This might just mean that Jesus didn’t like, or perhaps ignored, that He had to go through this. But I wonder if He despised, scorned, or disregarded it in a different way. Perhaps, Jesus saw what we see now, looking back to that great and terrible event. From my perspective – after the deed was done – what was intended as the ‘shame’ of being hung on a cross as a criminal, is instead a moment to rejoice.
Just think about what He accomplished on that cross! Jesus completed His earthly ministry there, forever taking away the sins of the world. Our Savior turned this instrument of death into a lifesaver. When we are drowning in our sins, it is not a floating circle we need, but a bloody cross – this is the only instrument that can pull us from a certain death to eternal life.
Thinking about the cross in this way – about what would be accomplished by this tragic event – would certainly change a person’s perspective. Instead of dwelling on the shame of being hung on a tree as a criminal, we spurn that thought – we scorn it – we disregard it – we despise it – because we know that isn’t all that’s happening here… The people may see a life slipping away on that cross, but Jesus foresaw millions of lives being saved there.
#LoveMatters