Isaiah 53:4, commentary and pictures

He took human griefs, sorrows, pains, sicknesses and burdens upon himself and made them his own, and in bearing them he bore sin itself with its guilt, curse, penalty and wrath, though he was sinless and had none of his own.
Yet men wrongly esteemed him stricken and smitten of God, failing to recognize who he was and that he suffered for them, despising and rejecting him as if his affliction proved his own sin.
It is a plain prophecy that Christ must suffer and die in humiliation, poverty and sorrow at his first advent, not come as a temporal conquering prince, and it was exactly fulfilled in the life, ministry and death of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah.
As substitute, surety and sin-bearer he stood between guilty man and the Father's wrath, took the curse upon himself and paid the ransom, thereby satisfying justice, vindicating the law and opening pardon, righteousness and eternal life to repentant sinners.
Appointed by God to bear griefs, he knows suffering by experience and draws near as Physician and Priest to heal, relieve, pardon and intercede, so burdened sinners must bring every trouble to him in faith, contemplate his sacrifice, and follow him in self-denying love and burden-bearing for others.

Meaning of Bearing Griefs

Surely the word means he lifted human griefs and sorrows onto himself and carried them as his own burden, taking pains, troubles, infirmities, sicknesses, woes and burdens upon himself and making them his own. His bearing was suffering for others in humiliation for their transgressions and iniquities, giving his life as the Good Shepherd gives life for the sheep. He was appointed to this work as humanity's substitute, fulfilling divine purpose while drawing near in trial with divine love and sympathy to help and supply need.

To bear grief and sorrow is to bear sin itself, taking guilt, iniquity, transgression, curse, penalty and wrath due to sinners upon himself as divine Substitute. Made sin for the guilty though innocent, with the iniquity of all laid on him, he was treated as transgressor and sinner, standing as representative between the Father's wrath and guilty man to die in their place. His suffering under that weight reached greatest intensity in Gethsemane where he bore the sins of the whole world, with mental agony beyond bodily agony that angels veiled their faces from, and by that bearing he makes atonement, pays ransom, redeems from death, opens hope, and brings cleansing, righteousness, restoration to favor and holiness to those who trust, accept and obey. The teaching belongs to the claims of God's law and the meaning of the atonement, joining himself to humanity in sympathy to bridge the gulf opened by sin.

What he bore was not his own, for he was sinless, spotless, perfect and undeserving, knowing no sin by experience and having no grief or sin of his own. The sins of every person were charged to him as though they were his own, and he bore the world's sin and its suffering as though guilty, draining the cup completely, wounded and bruised for human sin so that his stripes bring healing. Only one who was himself perfection could be at once sin-bearer and sin-pardoner, standing as sin-burdened Surety and substitute made sin that the redeemed might be made righteousness, pardoned and returned to allegiance through faith. From birth in Bethlehem through humiliation to the cross of Calvary he remained pure, yet human sin continues to bring him its consequences.

That bearing required incarnation, clothing divinity with humanity and entering real identity with men as bone of bone and flesh of flesh. He laid aside glory, laid off the royal robe, laid aside the kingly crown and crown of honor, stepped down from high command over all heaven and over the angels, left royal courts, admiration of angels, reputation, majesty, splendor and riches, and for human sake became poor that fallen people through his poverty might be made rich. After Adam's sin plunged the race into hopeless misery under death sentence, instead of cutting himself loose or treating sinners as deserved he came still nearer to draw men close to God, that humanity might touch humanity and divinity lay hold of divine power in behalf of the fallen race, demonstrating before heaven, unfallen worlds and the fallen world how much God loves. So humbled to reach the depths of human woe in continual self-denial, acquainted by experience with temptation, grief, sorrow, infirmity and misery to know how to succor the tempted and lift up fallen man, he endured torturing agony of soul and ignominious death as all God and Christ could do as ransom.

Course of His Sufferings

His suffering spanned the whole earthly life from the manger to Calvary, and most intensely in its closing scenes and on the cross, in self-denial, poverty, weariness, hunger, homelessness, hardship, temptation, and service among the poor, neglected, suffering, sorrowing and oppressed. He voluntarily took human nature with its burdens, griefs, illnesses, afflictions and infirmities and made them his own, yet never used divine power to relieve his own suffering or to save himself, for he came to save others and bring blessing, hope and life. When men tried to kill him his life was preserved by angels. He lived as a man of sorrows with few sympathizers, unappreciated, unacknowledged, despised and rejected by his own nation, which did not realize his mission but misunderstood and misinterpreted him, hid faces from him, esteemed him not, and met his love with unrequited love that filled him with sorrow. His lowly suffering in his first coming stands opposite his second coming with power and great glory accompanied by the whole heavenly host, with glory crowning the brow once crowned with thorns, to wake the dead, and calls believers to imitate his pure faultless life and character and to suffer with him on earth in order to reign with him in heaven and be prepared to meet him as Saviour.

His suffering included temptation and agony, the wilderness temptation, Gethsemane, betrayal, trial, delivery into the hands of men, scourging, piercing, the crown of thorns, scorn, mockery, abuse, cruelty and the cross, hung between heaven and earth as a guilty sinner dying the cruelest death. He left all his glory in heaven, appeared as a man, humbled himself, and became acquainted by his own experience with the temptations besetting man, while few received him as the Son of God and nearly all hated and rejected him. He endured almost every cruelty and suffering that Satan and his angels could inspire wicked men to inflict, for Satan bruised him through cruel agents, and his death brought Satan's rule to an end. His suffering was not bodily agony only but mental agony beyond comparison, bearing iniquity, scorn, grief and sorrow and the weight of the sins of the whole world to save people and intercede for them, standing between the wrath of the Father and guilty man.

The bitterness of his suffering came from feeling sin's offense to God and the wrath it brings, not merely from physical pain or fear of death, for he experienced the sinner's anguish under the prospect of being separated from God. Our transgression gathered a veil of darkness about his divine soul and drew from him the cry as of one smitten and forsaken of God, with the Father's face hidden and withdrawn presence, enduring God's wrath against sin and divine justice under the iniquity and guilt laid upon him as substitute. His suffering reached its greatest intensity in Gethsemane, where he bore the sins of the whole world, and on the cross where in dreadful hours angels could not look upon him but veiled their faces. Though sinless he was treated as a sinner so that sinful people could be treated as innocent, suffering for their transgressions and making atonement through his death, willingly submitting his will to God's will and consenting to humiliation to shield men and save them from everlasting disgrace and ruin.

He will ever bear the marks of his earthly humiliation, slaying and death as a sin-atoning Saviour, and his wounded hands remain a memorial of his humiliation and anguish. His bearing of infirmities and enduring of sacrifice and death was an infinite sacrifice to give immortal life, so believers can rejoice in every condition of life and triumph under all circumstances, and the more fully that sacrifice is appreciated the more closely they come into harmony with heaven. Even while honored and worshiped by the redeemed host and pure angelic throng, he remains the great High Priest in God's presence, presenting his people's repentance and prayers to the Father and claiming their pardon through the merits of his righteousness, with his wounds securing divine gifts for his church.

Regarded as Smitten

Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows, yet men regarded him as struck and punished by God. On the cross he took human grief, sorrow, pain and trouble upon himself as his own burden, while those who watched failed to recognize who he was and what he was doing for them. His death was caused by sin, which is transgression of the law, so the cross exposes the heinous character of sin and shows the measure of divine love in providing salvation. When the sinner realizes Christ died for him in order to clothe him with imputed righteousness, he magnifies that love. His bearing of grief was humiliation for the transgressions and iniquities of others as Prince Immanuel and Redeemer, yet the world would not receive and acknowledge him, despising him and esteeming him not.

That misjudgment was foretold and took place in shameful humiliation on the cross. Priests and rulers, chief priests and elders and scribes, passersby, and even the thieves crucified with him scoffed and mocked him as he hung there bearing griefs and sorrows and the heavy guilt incurred by transgression. They challenged him to come down and save himself, treating him as a deceiver justly afflicted by God. He suffered public shame and a criminal's death, appearing abandoned even by God, with rejection, beating, scourging, piercing and crucifixion, wounded and bruised for human transgressions and iniquities. In that very act mercy and truth met together and righteousness and peace embraced each other, and by submitting to it as sin-bearer he glorified the Father and brought life and immortality to light.

Men mistook his humiliation for evidence that God had struck him because his divine character and union with the Father were hidden from the world. The glory of his divine character was veiled, so the world did not recognize who he was. The blindness of the impenitent was also because Satan held controlling power over them as they chose his service before the service of Christ. The Jews further erred by holding that affliction proved sin in the sufferer or in his parents, whereas the history of Job had already shown that suffering comes from Satan and may be overruled by God for mercy. His followers likewise face humiliation and reproach because the world cannot see their adoption into God's family or their fellowship with the Father and the Son.

He was in this life of self-denial, poverty, weariness, hunger and suffering for others unappreciated, unacknowledged, despised and rejected. His own nation did not realize his mission but misunderstood and misinterpreted him, hiding faces from him and meeting his love with unrequited love that filled him with sorrow. The world did not desire him and failed to recognize why he suffered to deliver people from sin. Even those near him and his own disciples struggled to accept his rejection, suffering and death, because teachers had wrongly applied descriptions of his glorious second coming to his first coming and people looked for a temporal ruler to free them from Roman rule rather than a spiritual king.

Foretold Rejected Messiah

Isaiah 53:4 is unmistakably plain prophecy that the Messiah must suffer and die, setting forth His rejection, humiliation, suffering and death for others. It belongs with the prophecies of His work that were given to help and bless His people, and its suffering makes possible a life that measures with the life of God for those who follow in His footsteps. It presents Him as a Man of Sorrows who would bear human griefs and sorrows upon Himself, whose wounds and affliction are for human sin, rather than a temporal ruler who conquers nations and exalts Israel. Its meaning holds deep truths long obscured yet vital to the salvation of souls, setting forth suffering and death rather than only wonderful elevation for the nation at the Messiah's coming.

The prophecy was perfectly fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, proving Him the Messiah and Son of God, a truth that convinced Wolff even as a child. Its agreement with His life, suffering, death and resurrection proves Him the Messiah, for His lowly, self-denying life and every step of His way were revealed beforehand in detail and history fulfilled that prophetic picture. He came in His first advent in humiliation as a Man of Sorrows acquainted with grief, with hands and feet pierced and like a lamb brought to the slaughter as a sacrifice for the sins of men after the scepter was taken from Judah. This first coming as a Saviour in humility and poverty to be rejected, despised and slain stands distinct from, yet with equal clearness prophesied with, His second advent in the clouds of heaven with power and glory as King and Deliverer over all the earth. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world and makes known the plan of salvation, the key that unlocks the Old Testament and gives access to its riches, so that without accepting Him the religious services and ceremonies that represented Him are valueless, and He was revealed through humanity as the world's Redeemer.

It foretells the first advent in humility, poverty and sorrow, not a temporal prince bringing political elevation, conquest and earthly victory. He came not as a temporal prince who would defeat enemies and free men from Roman rule, but as the Messiah who would be rejected, condemned, suffer and die, fulfilling every specification of Scripture yet with no outward beauty or display and no visible conquering armies. Teachers wrongly applied descriptions of His glorious second coming to His first coming to fit their own opinions and traditions, so people looked for an illustrious conquering King and temporal ruler rather than a spiritual King. Their meaning was obscured so that people expecting such a king would be prepared to reject Him, and even His disciples struggled to accept His rejection, suffering and death because they expected victory over their enemies. The people trusted priests and rulers instead of searching and comparing Scripture for themselves, and saw no form or comeliness in Him. His lowly suffering stands opposite His second coming with power and great glory accompanied by the whole heavenly host, with glory crowning the brow once crowned with thorns to wake the dead, when as the still-predicted Messiah He will shine gloriously and reign from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.

His suffering was ordained in the councils between the Father and the Son, where God's dear Son undertook through love and pity to redeem man from the curse and disgrace of Adam's failure and to conquer Satan, becoming man's substitute and surety to bear man's guilt and the Father's wrath that for disobedience would otherwise have fallen upon man. It was written beforehand by prophets and men inspired by the Holy Spirit with remarkable vividness, portraying His experience in detail, and every specification was fulfilled exactly in what He passed through. He opened it from the Scriptures step by step to show His kingdom is spiritual and not a temporal kingdom on David's throne, and its Old Testament truth is to be sacredly cherished and searched diligently to see its fulfillment. When He was twelve years old on His first visit to the temple at Jerusalem at the Passover after the custom of the feast, the veil over His mission and work was lifted by what He saw and heard there and He knew He was its fulfillment. He set this prophecy before the rabbis and teachers against their view that His appearing would bring wonderful elevation, asking the meaning of these Scriptures and interpreting them to their darkened minds, and while taking the attitude of a learner and hearer asking questions He imparted light in every word that shone as clear shining light in a dark place.

Sin Bearer and Ransom

As substitute and surety and sin-bearer he stood between the wrath of the Father and guilty man, taking the penalty and curse upon himself, enduring God's wrath against sin, and paying the ransom to redeem humanity from sin and Satan's claim. Though innocent he was made sin for the guilty, with iniquity laid upon him, feeling every pang of anguish that man can feel while suffering being tempted and tried under insult. In human nature he felt need of his Father's help and of the ministration of heavenly angels, placing himself in his Father's hands, and under the most trying circumstances his faith did not fail. Every insult made him more conscious of man's need of divine sympathy, and as a powerful warrior he was winning victory in behalf of the world he had created while suffering for others as part of the divine purpose. Through the crucified and risen Saviour sinners may be pardoned and return to allegiance to God through faith in him as personal Redeemer.

He passed over the ground where Adam failed, taking human nature with its weaknesses and degeneracy, enduring temptation on appetite and in the wilderness without yielding, overcoming where Adam fell to redeem Adam's disgraceful fall and give moral power with strength to gain victory over sin. His divine bosom received the anguish, agony and pain brought by Adam's sinfulness and by transgression of Jehovah's holy law, and his soul was weighed down as he paid the vast debt man owed to God which man could never pay to redeem himself from bondage. In Adam all was lost by transgression, and man had separated himself so far by transgression that he could not humble himself in any degree proportionate to the magnitude of his sin. In his sinless character he alone could fully understand the aggravating sins of the transgressor and make an acceptable atonement by suffering the agonizing sense of his Father's displeasure, with sorrow proportionate to his divine excellence and purity and to the magnitude of the offense. As man's substitute the law exacted its fullest claims upon him in battle on this earth against Satan's tyranny, where Satan bruised his heel by afflicting his humanity with suffering but could not defile him with one evil thought or action, and he in redeeming man bruised Satan's head, coming off in the wilderness under the pressure of Adam's guilt and that of his posterity more than conqueror over the powers of evil.

His suffering arose from human transgression and iniquity, including the griefs brought by Adam's sin and transgression of the holy law, and he bore the sorrow caused by sin to save the world from eternal ruin and death. The sins of every person were charged to him as though they were his own, and he was wounded and bruised for human sin as the innocent sufferer in the sinner's place. His suffering and death were a sacrifice for transgressions and iniquities, paying sin's debt, so that the wounded are healed and people might not die eternally. Through his suffering he brings peace and healing, draws sinners to him, and gives them chance to be reconciled to God and elevated to glory. His saving work is complete, not partial, and he is the source of strength and help for people living amid sin and sorrow.

Through his atoning sacrifice God upholds justice while forgiving the sinner, satisfying justice, vindicating the honor of the law, upholding its unchanging authority and dignity, and exposing the heinous character of sin as transgression of the law. His death was caused by sin, and the cross exposes its heinousness, showing both the cost of sin and the sacrifice made to save sinners. As humanity's representative he was treated as a transgressor and bore the burden of human iniquity, joining himself to humanity in sympathy to bridge the gulf opened by sin. Though innocent he was scorned by those who claimed to await the Messiah and suffered intense agony with the sense of being forsaken by God in the sinner's place. His sacrifice revealed God's love and character and made salvation available to those who have an interest in the crucified Christ.

He imputes his righteousness, clothes repentant sinners with his robe, speaks pardon, buys them with his blood, restores them to favor, adopts them into God's family, and gives eternal life and a life that measures with the life of God as Mediator. Without his righteousness man could not give God perfect obedience, but through his perfect obedience he gives man opportunity to return to allegiance and lays hold of souls for elevation by the merits of Jesus Christ. Those who trust him as personal Redeemer receive salvation, being healed, drawn to him, reconciled to God and elevated to glory through his suffering which paid sin's debt. The chapter reveals the life-giving Saviour as fallen sinful humanity's only hope, presenting his self-giving as the means of redemption and of his work as Mediator between God and humanity. His suffering makes it possible to receive life that measures with the life of God if men follow in his footsteps.

He alone is the sin-bearer for the whole human family, having taken human sins upon himself and carried human sorrows on the cross because no human being could bear that weight. No person can bear even his own sins or another's sins, take the burden of others' mistakes, or renew another's conscience and heart. Human beings are not sin-bearers, and therefore no church member is another person's sin-bearer and followers are not to take the burden of other people's sins upon themselves. Sinners must be left with Christ who bears their sins, while God deals with each person according to his work. He came to take away sin and saves fully all who come to him, but he cannot take away the sins of those who refuse to put away their wrong spirit, words and actions.

Sympathetic Healer and Priest

He was appointed by God to bear human griefs and carry human sorrows and to supply human needs. As substitute and surety He bore them as His own, feeling every pang of anguish that human beings can ever feel while being tempted and tried. In His human nature He felt need of His Father's help and of angelic ministration, placing Himself in His Father's hands, and under the most trying circumstances His faith did not fail. He Himself has weighed every human burden, so no one knows its weight as He does, and His knowledge of His flock, especially the weak, the suffering and the lame, is more intimate than Jacob's knowledge of his sheep. That bearing made Him a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and because of it He gives the deepest, richest, most refreshing sympathy to those who think they have no sympathy from any human heart, while every insult shown by men made Him more conscious of their need of His divine sympathy and better understanding of man's great need, even as He as a powerful warrior was winning victory in behalf of the world He had created.

With divine as well as human love and sympathy He draws near in trial, entering into griefs and sorrows and making them His own. He stays close beside those who struggle, ready to help as their sin-bearer, Saviour and burden-bearer, and He shares in their afflictions and identifies His interests with suffering humanity. He invites them to lay their burdens on Him by faith, and He removes crushing burdens in answer to earnest prayer and removes sin and pardons the sinner. To the weary and heavy laden He gives rest, peace, pardon and refreshment, comforting them in conflict with the assurance that He has fought the battle on their behalf and that they can conquer in His name.

As the great Physician and mighty Healer He took human infirmities, sicknesses, griefs, sorrows and burdens, and His saving work is complete, not partial, saving fully all who come to Him. He was bruised so that healing could flow from Him to cure humanity's diseases, combating disease including that brought on by imprudent and sinful conduct, as the only One able to overcome it successfully. His healing restores not body only but mind and soul, bringing complete wholeness and return to God. By sharing human suffering and poverty He binds the believing, trusting poor man to His own soul of infinite love, and though poor Himself He is the poor man's Friend, the center of all goodness and blessing and a reservoir of power enabling consecration of powers to become sons of God.

The One who suffered now intercedes as priest and great High Priest with the Father, and His suffering, wounded body and spotless, sinless life plead for fallen people whose redemption was purchased at infinite cost. Ascended to His Father He presents His people's repentance and prayers and claims their pardon through the merits of His righteousness, and His wounds secure divine gifts for His church. Through His merits and intercession atonement is made available, so that those who accept the atonement and obey God's law may be received again into God's favor and restored to holiness. Having left all His glory in heaven, taken human nature, humbled Himself, become acquainted by His own experience with temptation so He could know how to succor the tempted, endured almost every cruelty Satan could inspire wicked men to inflict, died the cruelest death with mental agony under the weight of the sins of the whole world beyond bodily agony, then risen the third day, He now intercedes for wayward, guilty man.

Because He suffered in their behalf and bore their sorrows, afflictions, infirmities and griefs as their representative, not for His own sake but because of human sin, those who suffer reproach or persecution for faith are not forsaken by God even when tempted to think themselves forsaken. Even when in the eyes of men they are in the minority and to all appearance their enemies triumph over them, they must not violate conscience, for no pang or suffering is beyond His sympathy and His sufferings bring them into fellowship with Him. His testing and temptation were greater than what they are called to endure, and reliance on His merits enables them to overcome in His name. He knows their suffering because He has endured it and fought the battle for them, He comforts those who mourn and meets the needs of fallen people as a perfect Saviour through whom they may be perfected and become heirs of God and joint-heirs with Him, and they can therefore stand fast without fear trusting that help is coming just when needed.

Images and Other Scriptures

He is the smitten rock, smitten of God, from whom the stream of salvation flows for a lost race as life-giving waters flowed from the smitten rock, and presenting his wounds in penitential prayer in his name causes life-giving blood to flow forth afresh as living water for Israel.
He is the meek slain Lamb, led to slaughter and silent before shearers, wounded, bruised, smitten and afflicted, torn and bruised on account of those who come to him, who confess their sins before him and receive pardon.
The prophecy of his humiliation, suffering and death as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world makes known the plan of salvation and holds deep truths long obscured yet vital to the salvation of souls, setting forth suffering and death rather than only wonderful elevation for the Jewish nation at the Messiah's coming.
At twelve years of age in the temple at Jerusalem at the Passover he set this prophecy before the rabbis and teachers against their view that the appearing of Messiah would bring wonderful elevation, asking the meaning of these scriptures and interpreting them to their darkened minds, and while taking the attitude of a learner and hearer asking questions he imparted light in every word that shone as clear shining light in a dark place.
His first advent in humiliation with hands and feet pierced as a sacrifice for the sins of men, after the scepter was taken from Judah, is distinct from but with equal clearness prophesied with his second advent in the clouds of heaven with power and glory as King and Deliverer over all the earth.

He is the sure tried foundation stone laid by God himself to bear the burdens and griefs of the whole world and endure them all, never disappointing those who trust and build on him with perfect safety.
In the wilderness of temptation he endured the pressure of Adam's guilt and that of his posterity without failing, bore every test imposed on him, and came off more than conqueror over the powers of evil.
He bears the burdens cast on him by those who fall broken upon this rock, their guilty hearts find relief in him, and those who make him their foundation rest in perfect security.
He is the Man of Sorrows acquainted with grief and wounded for human transgressions, by whose suffering the wounded are healed, yet high and lifted up with his train filling the temple as the source of strength and help for people living amid sin and sorrow and suffering for their transgressions and iniquities.

As Israel's invisible leader he bore the people's iniquities, whom they had sinned against and offended, and suffered more intensely than Moses, whom their sin had led to his own disobedience, with sacrificial offerings pointing forward to his crucifixion.
In bearing the griefs and sorrows that Adam's sinfulness brought upon the race and that come from transgression of Jehovah's holy law, his divine bosom received their anguish, agony and pain, and his soul was weighed down and disquieted as he paid the vast debt man owed to God which man could never pay to redeem himself from bondage.
As man's Substitute and Surety the law exacted its fullest claims upon him in a battle fought here on this earth against Satan's tyranny and oppressive power, where Satan bruised his heel by afflicting his humanity with temptation, agony, scourging, piercing, crown of thorns, beating, rejection and crucifixion through cruel agents, but could not touch his head by defiling him with one evil thought or action.
In redeeming man he bruised Satan's head, bringing victory over the powers of darkness on our behalf, defeating Satan and bringing his rule to an end.

His sympathy shares the sorrows of the bereaved and those who mourn, as shown when he wept at Lazarus's grave.
As he suffered and died on the cross he felt love and sympathy for his mother and made sure John would care for her.
His pardon of the dying thief was evidence that he bore human sins in his body on the cross, and through his death he promised the thief a home with him in Paradise.
His suffering under the burden of sin and sorrow teaches people to endure, forbear, and forgive, to die to self, follow his footsteps, and endure hardship for his sake.

Trust and Follow Him

He took pain and trouble upon himself in humiliation for the transgressions and iniquities of others, and this lays claim upon all who see it to deny self, make covenant with him, walk in his footsteps, and willingly share his humiliation and sufferings rather than shunning the cross or siding with breakers of the law through timidity and fear of reproach. His life of humiliation in behalf of people was endured for others, and considering how much he suffered rebukes independence toward his claims and all love of supremacy and self-exaltation, calling servants to press close to his side, become as little children, learn his meekness, take up God-given responsibilities in his Spirit, and be partakers with him in self-sacrifice in order to be partakers with him in glory when the Deliverer comes. His lowly suffering in his first coming stands opposite his second coming with power and great glory accompanied by the whole heavenly host, with glory crowning the brow once crowned with thorns to wake the dead, and this calls believers to imitate his pure faultless life and character and to suffer with him on earth in order to reign with him in heaven and be prepared to meet him as Saviour. His self-denial and suffering make it possible for fallen humanity to receive divine power and life that measures with the life of God, and those who surrender themselves to God share in his self-denial and fellowship in his sufferings.

He took humanity upon himself, experienced childhood weaknesses and temptations, and was tempted in every way yet remained without sin, so he can help people overcome, and the burden of sin is to be brought to him to seek pardon through his death. He is a faithful, constant, unfailing friend who shares every sorrow, bears sins, and offers refuge to the weak and burdened, sharing in afflictions and identifying his interests with suffering humanity, ready to carry the burdens brought to him, remove sin, and pardon the sinner. All who are burdened are bidden to come to him with griefs in prayer by faith, to put the hand in his and be led step by step, to believe his pardon, rest in his love, and look away from own wretchedness to his perfection instead of doubting his love and dishonoring him, for he promises rest, peace, pardon, and refreshment as from fountains of living water. He offers relief to guilty souls groaning under affliction and to the disappointed whose hopes of this world have been crushed, giving peace and happiness to those who put trust in him and accept his sympathy and comfort, while doubting his power and hesitating to believe his truth is turning from that offered relief, hugging cankering cares to the heart and shutting the heart against his sympathy. Sinners cannot make righteousness for themselves, so he clothes them with his own pure robe of righteousness, speaks pardon for past guilt, buys them with his own blood, strengthens the weakened will, removes remorse for sin, accepts the broken contrite heart, adopts into God's family with grace to help weakness, and bids them look to him rather than self or human beings and not try to carry burdens alone.

From the manger to Calvary and especially on the cross he carried human sorrow and was put to grief for human sins, with transgression gathering a veil of darkness about his divine soul and drawing from him the cry as of one smitten and forsaken of God, consenting to humiliation, scorn, mockery, and abuse to shield and save from everlasting disgrace and making himself an offering for sin so that justification before God might come through him. Contemplating his teachings, sufferings, and infinite sacrifice point by point strengthens faith, quickens love, imparts the spirit that sustained him, teaches penitence and faith at the foot of the cross, and draws out everything noble and generous in man. Meditating on him with penitence and humble trust teaches believers to follow his example and changes them into his likeness, so that those changed by beholding him claim no righteousness of their own but exalt him and depend on his merits. Because he came down from heaven and submitted to bear infirmities and to endure sacrifice and death in order to give immortal life, believers can rejoice in every condition of life and triumph under all circumstances, and the more fully that infinite sin-atoning sacrifice is appreciated the more closely believers come into harmony with heaven. When he is looked upon in the light of the cross as author and finisher of faith, all blessings are estimated aright and cause for gratitude and praise is seen, and thoughts and desires are brought into submission to his will.

His willingness to suffer insult and abuse for those he came to bless reveals how highly God values people and the price paid for their ransom, and this calls people to humility and to treat one another with respect rather than contempt or indifference. As meek and lowly, led like a lamb to slaughter and silent before shearers, suffering under the burden of sin and sorrow, he teaches people to endure, forbear, and forgive. His life and suffering, wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities with healing by his stripes, make him the example for those who represent him. His example of sorrow and sacrifice calls Christians to self-denial, patience, mercy, long-suffering, and love in seeking to restore those who have gone astray, to bear one another's burdens, help others carry theirs, share the sorrows of the needy, and make self-sacrificing efforts that bring hope, peace, and comfort.

He bears the grief and sorrow caused by sin not only as a sympathizing friend but as the sinner's substitute, therefore those who come to him must put away sins and wrong practices, wrong spirit, words, and actions. His taking on human sorrow and suffering and accepting shame and death delivers people from the consequences of disobedience, saving them from their sins and not in their sins, so they must turn from wrongdoing and follow his example of self-denial and obedience to God. Remembering him as the great Exemplar who left heaven and glory behind, clothed divinity with humanity to seek and save the perishing, and bore grief and suffered as humans never can while tempted in all points like them, quiets murmuring under personal affliction and separation from loved ones and brings gratitude for the honor of sharing even in the least degree the privilege of bearing his cross. Dwelling on his sufferings breaks the heart, brings weeping, and stirs deep feeling, and because he bore sin and carried sorrow he must not be grieved by acting in ways that misrepresent his character, but followers are to serve God with meekness and lowliness and reveal his sweetness and overcoming grace through his mind.

His chastisement brings peace while his stripes bring healing, for as the innocent sufferer the sins of every person were charged to him as though they were his own in the sinner's place, and his suffering and death reveal his sympathy and love since he joined himself to humanity. He is the great Physician and Redeemer, acquainted with the suffering of those he helps, and his saving work is complete, not partial, saving fully all who come to him. His suffering paid sin's debt, and through his sacrifice sinners are healed, drawn to him, given the chance to be reconciled to God, elevated to glory, and procured happiness and everlasting life. He is the man of sorrows acquainted with grief yet exalted with his train filling the temple, the source of strength and help for people living amid sin and sorrow, and he will ever bear the marks of his earthly humiliation and slaying even while honored and worshiped by the redeemed host and pure angelic throng. Full salvation, cleansing, restoration of soul and body, happiness, and eternal life and glory come to all who receive him by faith as personal Saviour.

The salvation secured by his being despised and rejected, bearing griefs and carrying sorrows while counted stricken, smitten of God and afflicted, and being wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities so that peace and healing come through his chastisement and stripes, is for the inhabitants of the unworked cities who have not heard the message of present truth and must be carried to them without delay as time rapidly passes into eternity. He gave up reputation, majesty, splendor, glory, and riches to leave heaven and come to earth to die for sinful men, calling believers to venture everything for the sake of truth. As the one appointed by God to bear griefs and sorrows and supply needs, he calls people to look beyond human beings and rely on him with steadfast, persevering faith. In his humanity he bore infirmities and carried burdens as the great Physician and mighty Healer of all diseases, and by sharing human suffering and poverty he binds the believing, trusting poor man to his own soul of infinite love, and though poor himself he is the center of all goodness and all blessings and a reservoir of power enabling all to consecrate their powers to becoming sons of God. His tenderest sympathies and susceptibility to the needs of all who needed help and to the griefs and sorrows of men is to be dwelt on in presenting the Word, especially before those who have spoiled their lives by self-indulgence and are impatient and fretful, holding up the beauty of his life from the manger to the cross as the pattern for every human soul, so that those acquainted with his teachings learn right feelings and manifest his Spirit in dealing with souls, treating the suffering with kindness and tenderness and his gentleness. As the mighty, all-powerful Medical Missionary he came to remove all sin and disease from the bodies and minds and souls of those who accept him as Teacher and Physician-in-chief, and the greater the knowledge of leaders and teachers in medical missionary lines the heavier and more solemn their obligation to represent him in word and deed.