Stricken for Me? (June 4, 2023)

 Stricken for Me? (June 4, 2023)

“Striken” is related to the verb “to strike,” the noun form being “stroke.” In our current culture, “stroke” makes us think first of traveling blood clots. But that would be the wrong use. Here it means to hit or beat, with the sense that if the stroke were heavy enough, it would be lethal. It was for Jesus. In His trial, He was beaten and abused, but the “striking” continued with nails in His hands and feet, and a sword in His side. He died.

Isaiah 53 and many references in the New Testament as well give us not only the historical detail that Jesus died, but also the purpose of His death: He died for me. He died in our place, in our stead. It was us that deserved the stroke, the penalty and punishment for our sin. But He stepped into our place. He did this “for us.”

Jesus shared these words in the upper room at the Last Supper, just before He was arrested and crucified: “this is My body which is given for you” (Lk 22:19); and repeated by Paul in 1 Cor 11:24. Also, “This cup which is poured out for you” (Lk 22:20). 

“For” is a funny little word, and the original language gives us a bit more depth. The Greek preposition communicates that what is done “for you” is done “in behalf of you,” or, “on behalf of you.” Which is it? Maybe both.

When Jesus does something “in our behalf,” it means that He is acting, not in His own interest, but in ours. And since in our case Jesus is dying on the cross, and it is clear that He did not deserve to die for His own sins, then He was acting in our interest. He died in our behalf; in behalf of you and in behalf of me.

But Jesus also died “on our behalf,” which is the sense when someone acts are our agent or representative. There is a line from the modern hymn “Before the Throne of God Above” that goes like this: “Before the throne of God above. I have a strong, a perfect plea; A great High Priest, whose Name is Love, Who ever lives and pleads for me.”

So we have a Savior who acted both “in our behalf” and “on our behalf.” We could not do it ourselves. The value and worth of His sacrifice as eternal Son of God is the only sacrifice that could bring about salvation. Our own punishment would have merely eaten us up, eternally. We could not and cannot save ourselves.

So what do we make of this Jesus, and what He has done for us? Here are words of another song: 

“No other King would stand the mockery; Be led to slaughter and refuse to speak; Take up a cross and choose to die with thieves; Take up a cross and give His life for me.” For me. Stricken for me. That’s Jesus.