Wine Mingled with Myrrh - Mark 15:23

Mark wrote how, “Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshiped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull”, and in chapter fifteen and verse twenty-three of his book, Mark shared how, “they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh” where we read:

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.

The verse reads, “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh:”. Mark began with the words, “and they gave him” which means “and the Roman soldiers granted, bestowed, furnished and supplied Jesus” “to drink wine” or “to imbibe of wine made with the fruit of the vine” “mingled with myrrh” which means “mixed and so flavored with the fragrance of embittered myrrh which was used as a narcotic”. Mark shared how the Roman soldiers gave Jesus “wine” that was mixed with the flavor of “myrrh” which was used as a narcotic.

The verse goes on to say, “but he received it not.” Mark continued with the words, “but he received it not” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding, moreover and Jesus did not take, procure or accept the wine mingled with myrrh”. Mark shared how Jesus would not “accept” the “wine mingled with myrrh”.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus refused to “drink” the “narcotic” combination offered to Him by the Roman soldiers. Though His pain was exceedingly great, Jesus endured the excruciating wounds to feel the full effects of the penalty for the sins of mankind. God could have rescued Him at any time, but He left His Son Jesus there to die on the cross. God desires to have a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and when they realize the great price He paid for their sins, they need only to believe and trust in Him as their personal “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven and receive “everlasting life” with God.

Next time Mark shares, “when they had crucified him, they parted his garments”, 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".