His Face

by GRIERSON, G. | Category: Watchers At The Cross | Apr 2003

O sacred Head once wounded,

With grief and pain weighed down,

How scornfully surrounded

With thorns, Thine only crown! (1)

We continue to watch and meditate at the cross.

When the soldiers of the governor crucified Jesus, Matthew tells us that 'they kept watch over Him there.' (2) We join them there. What do we see? Certainly the soldiers see a man bearing all the marks of the violence that they and others had inflicted upon Him. They see no outward beauty in Him - just the opposite.

At the house of the High Priest, the previous night, after questioning, the officers or guards had spat in Jesus' face. Then they had blindfolded Him and struck Him about the face with their fists, 'saying, "Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?"' ( 3) The soldiers see spittle and bruising about the face of the Lord Jesus.

After Jesus had been questioned by Pilate, the soldiers of the governor had stripped and robed Him as a King, mocking Him with a crown made of sharp piercing thorns placed on His head. Then they had taken the reed or staff that they had put into His right hand and smitten Him on the head with it. Then they had led Him away to crucify Him and having shared out His garments they sat and watched Him there, suffering in grief and pain.

How art Thou pale with anguish,

With sore abuse and scorn!

How does that visage languish,

Which once was bright as morn! (4)

Writing prophetically, Isaiah had said,

'Just as many were astonished at you,

So His visage was marred more than any man,

And His form more than the sons of men.' (5)

Also speaking through Isaiah, the Lord Himself had anticipated His own suffering, saying,

'I gave My back to those who struck Me,

And my cheeks to those who plucked out the beard;

I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.' (6)

In their unrestrained violence those who tortured the Lord Jesus had even wrenched out parts of the beard from His face. Such cruelty! Such love to allow it!

So no beauty is seen by the watchers, but a face ripped; a head bruised and torn. They do not see the sorrow and love that, woven together, 'composed so rich a crown'. They do not know what it was costing 'the Holy One of God' to bear the sin of the world and to weave a rich garment of righteousness to cover our nakedness and guilt.

But what do we see, as watchers at the cross? Just a suffering man, or the glory of God? Paul, in his letter to the Corinthian church, wrote, 'For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' (7)

Glory in the face of Jesus Christ! Even in the face of God's Son on the cross? Yes, especially there in the terrible darkness of Calvary and against the dark background of man's inhumanity, shone out the glory of suffering Love, as the heart of God was revealed, for God is love.

At a later date, the Apostle John in his vision of the Lord in the book of The Revelation, saw Jesus, and 'His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.' (8) On the cross that light was blotted out for a short while so that our sins might be blotted out eternally. What cause for thankfulness and praise!

So, let us who have had light revealed to us, each say as we watch at the cross,

What language shall I borrow,

To praise Thee, heavenly Friend,

For this Thy dying sorrow,

Thy pity without end? (9)

1) Translated by Dr J.W.Alexander from P. Gerhardt & Bernard of Clairvaux, verse 1 2) Mat.27:36 3) Luke 22:64 4) As ref.1, verse 1 5) Is.52:14 6) Is.50:6

7) 2 Cor.4:6 8) Rev.1:16 9) As ref.1, verse 3

GRIERSON, G. | Apr 2003
Watchers At The Cross