Why did Jesus refuse the wine mixed with myrrh in Mark 15:23? Setting the Scene “ They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it.” (Mark 15:23) At the place of crucifixion Roman soldiers customarily offered a narcotic drink. Myrrh deadened pain and dulled awareness—an act of rough mercy meant to quiet the condemned. What Was the Wine Mixed with Myrrh? • Grape wine blended with myrrh resin, an aromatic gum from desert shrubs • Functioned as an analgesic, similar to an ancient sedative • Offered before the nails were driven, to blunt the agony that followed Old-Testament Foreshadowing • Psalm 69:21 “They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” The psalm anticipates two offers: first a drugged drink (poison/gall), later a sour wine without sedative qualities (fulfilled in John 19:28-30). • Exodus 12:5,17; Isaiah 53:7 picture an unblemished, conscious sacrifice. A numbed Lamb would undercut the type. • Numbers 6:1-4: a Nazirite’s vow abstained from wine; Jesus, the ultimate dedicated One, had just vowed in Matthew 26:29 not to drink again “until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” Why Jesus Declined the Drink • To experience the full cup of suffering – Isaiah 53:4-5: “He carried our sorrows… He was pierced for our transgressions.” A partial, drug-softened experience would compromise the substitutionary nature of His work. • To remain fully conscious and in control – John 10:18: “No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.” He chose to feel every blow so His sacrifice was entirely voluntary. • To fulfill Scripture precisely – Psalm 22:24: “He has not hidden His face from him but has listened to his cry for help.” The Messiah would suffer with unclouded awareness, able to pray, forgive, and entrust His spirit to the Father. • To secure a perfect, sympathetic priesthood – Hebrews 2:17-18: “He had to be made like His brothers in every way… to help those who are tempted.” Experiencing pain untempered by narcotics equips Him to comfort believers in their own trials. • To keep His vow of future celebration – Matthew 26:29: He refused ordinary wine until the Kingdom feast; accepting a stupefying draught would contradict that pledge. A Contrast: The Sour Wine He Later Accepted • Near death Jesus said, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28). Soldiers offered sour wine—cheap vinegar, devoid of myrrh. • By accepting it, He fulfilled Psalm 69:21 and moistened His mouth to declare, “It is finished.” This second drink was not an anesthetic; it closed prophecy rather than dulling suffering. Key Takeaways for Us Today • Christ’s deliberate choice underscores the cost of redemption—He bore sin awake and aware. • His refusal proves His authority: even in agony, He controlled every detail of the atonement timeline. • Because He entered pain without relief, He can meet believers in their hardest moments with genuine empathy and power (Hebrews 4:14-16). The rejected cup of myrrh assures us that no part of our salvation was accomplished half-heartedly or under sedation; the Savior endured it all, eyes open, heart set on finishing the Father’s will for our eternal good. |
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