THE CUP THAT CHRIST DRANK

The Inner Turmoil of Christ

Though Christ came as a willing Savior, He dreaded the coming agony He would endure.

John 12:27–28 ““Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.””

The thought of bearing the sins of the whole world filled Christ with overwhelming dread.

The Lord laid on Christ the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). Christ came to become a curse that we could be redeemed (Galatians 3:13). The Heavenly Father made Christ to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).

See Psalm 49:7-9...

This suggests a rare condition known as hematidrosis, which is characterized by blood oozing from the skin. It is most frequently caused by extreme mental and emotional strain, causing subcutaneous capillaries to dilate and burst, releasing blood to mingle with sweat. — John MacArthur

The Cup That Christ Dreaded

God’s punishment of the wicked was often described as them drinking from the cup of God’s wrath.

Jeremiah 25:15 “Thus the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.”

Psalm 75:8 “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.”

The Wrath of God

God’s has an infinite anger and hatred of sin.

See Nahum 1:2-8...

No one can stand before the terrible wrath of God.

See Revelation 6:15-17...

2 Thessalonians 1:8–9 “in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,”

Romans 2:5 “But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”

God’s Pleasure and Joy

Christ’s suffering under the wrath of God pleased the Father and the Son because it was the only way to save us.

Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Isaiah 53:10 “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.”

The Lord doesn’t delight in the death of the wicked. He desires for us to be saved!

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (see Ezekiel 33:11)

There is no wrath left for those who repent and believe in Christ.

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”