DESPISED - & REJECTED

Twice in Isa 53:3 the prophet states that “Jesus is despised”.  When He was on earth He was certainly the object of contempt and scorn, and regrettably it is no different today. On earth He was described as being “gluttonous and a winebibber  - a drunkard” (Mat 11:19), even though at the start of His earthly ministry He had fasted for 40 days (Luk 4:2), and on the Cross cried, “I thirst”, some people nevertheless held this idea of Him. They also held His miracles in contempt and accused Him of being in collusion with Beelzebub, the prince of the devils (Mat 12:24). He was despised.

Many of the Jewish people had no understanding of what we term the “virgin birth” and challenged His parentage. They claimed they had one “Father – God”; they sniggered “we were not born of fornication” (John 8:41). He was despised and held in derision.

They referred to Him as a deceiver because He said that after 3 days He would rise again (Mat 27:63). His teaching and many of His miracles were disapproved of because they were done on the Sabbath day.

“He is despised and rejected of men”. The word “rejected” implies “left off”, i.e. men kept their distance from Him; again, it is no different today and it has always been like that. The expression “rejected of men” summarises in 3 words how the majority of mankind has always behaved towards the Redeemer. He was rejected by the Jews, by the mass of the people – “away with Him” (John 19:15). His own people rejected Him (John 1:11). He Himself could say, “No prophet is accepted in his own country” (Luk 4:24).

He is described as “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief”. His life was characterised by sorrow. Sorrow that though He was in the world He had created, He was not recognised that He was God manifest in the flesh. Sorrow that He was rejected, not just by the Samaritans, but also by His own people. Sorrow that His own family didn’t believe in Him (Mat 13:55-56). Sorrow when He saw how people suffered because of sin (John 11:35). He was grieved at the hardness of people’s hearts (Mar 3:5), at the slowness of the disciples to understand (Mar 8:21). Judas betrayed Him; Peter denied Him. He was acquainted with grief.