Just as there was never anyone as righteous as Christ, so there was no one who ever suffered as much as he did.
“Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.”
See how we hated Him:
“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”
See how our mockery of His lordship drives cruel thorns into His head and covers Him with a mantle of shame. See how He is stricken with fists, beaten with rods, and scourged with deadly whips. See how He is made to carry the very cross that He is to die on. See the nails, the blood, the agony of gasping for breath and having only gall to drink.
But more than all of this, see His true suffering as the holy Trinity is broken. See the Father cast off the Son and slay Him; see the Holy Spirit take swift flight and leave Him. See Jesus, cut off, alone, hated, despised, tormented, having become sin, accursed, dying, in hell.
And now, see the purpose of it all:
“He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
“It was the will of the Lord to crush Him; He has put Him to grief; when His soul makes an offering for guilt, He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied; by His knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and He shall bear their iniquities.”
Thank You, Jesus, for enduring the cross, scorning the shame, passing through Hades, and sitting down at the right hand of God in eternal victory!
“We give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.”
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
Amen.