The apostle John wrote, “Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst”, and in chapter nineteen and verse twenty-nine of his book John wrote how, “there was set a vessel full of vinegar” where we read:
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar,
and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
The verse reads, “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, ...” John began with the words, “Now there was set a vessel” which means “then and at that time there was appointed, laid up and situated an apparatus” “full of vinegar” or “replete and filled with the mixture of sour wine or vinegar and water which the Roman soldiers were accustomed to drink”: “and they filled a sponge” which means “and the Roman soldiers imbued and supplied the sponge” “with vinegar” or “the mixture of sour wine or vinegar and water which the Roman soldiers were accustomed to drink”. John shared how an “apparatus” replete with “vinegar” was near to the Roman soldiers so they supplied a “sponge” with the “vinegar” and did the following with it.
The verse continues, “... and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.” John added the words, “and put it upon hyssop” or “and placed, set and bound the sponge on a hyssop plant used by the Hebrews in their ritual sprinklings”, “and put it to his mount” which means “and lead and bear the sponge toward his, Jesus', physical mouth”. John shared how the Roman soldiers placed the “sponge” upon a “hyssop plant” and offered it to the “mouth” of Jesus.
When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn how the “Roman soldiers” responded to Jesus telling them He was “thirsty”. Rather than offering Him water or some other refreshing drink, the Roman soldiers offered Jesus a “sponge” placed on a “hyssop stick' that was “filled with vinegar” which tended to be a numbing agent for pain. According to Jesus' disciple Matthew, He refused to drink of the “vinegar” after He knew what it was, (See Matthew 27:34), because He was purposed to experience and endure all the suffering the cross could give. The “salvation” of mankind was in the balance, and when Jesus died, He gave access to every person who believes and trusts in Him to be forgiven of their sins and granted everlasting life with God. Let all who read these words understand what Jesus did for them and the fact that He would not even receive “vinegar” to lessen His suffering on their behalf.
Next time John shares how Jesus says, “it is finished”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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