The Bodily Weakness of Christ

Grace Bible Church

The lot of mankind is frailty and weakness, when the body just won't go anymore. This often results in a loss of appetite and motivation and drive. It feels like a dishrag wrung out.This is a profound weakness, not to be confused with routine hunger, thirst, or tiredness. Rather, it is an invincible weakness that knows no cure.Sometimes it is the result of old age, or some illness, or perhaps medicine gone wrong. It is this latter cause that has knocked this preacher out the last several weeks!Thinking of the bodily weakness of Christ at the cross, I take comfort that Jesus knows my profound physical weakness!Usually, we speak of Christ's posture of weakness in submitting to death, wherein to others, He appeared weak, psychologically and positionally.But we exult in His strength in that lowly posture, because unbeknownst to everybody around Him, Christ always had the upper hand!He laid down His life to save us! His victory was by weakness and defeat! He trod all our foes beneath His feet by being trodden down!But today we speak of Christ's bodily physical weakness – not that strategic weakness postured to great victory.There are several places in Scripture that describe the bodily weakness of Jesus. In Psalm 22, many aspects of His crucifixion are portrayed, but references to Christ being "poured out like water," "heart like wax and melted," "strength dried up like a potsherd," and "tongue cleaving to my jaws," focus on the draining and profound physical weakness of our Savior at the cross.These are descriptions of the particular manner in which crucifixion drains the life force out of the victim, creating positional asphyxiation and heart failure.