HE REFUSED TO DRINK

Blessed be the one who invented anaesthetic for numerous lives have been saved by its application at the time of operation. It helps a person undergo an operation even without sensing even the slightest pain whilst the surgeon is using a sharp knive on the body.

Dr William Barclay says that it was the custom for the women of Jerusalem to prepare an anaesthetic drink to any man crucified on the cross - the drugged wine would deaden their terrible pain. This drink was offered to Jesus whilst on the cross but the Bible tells us that after tasting it, he refused to drink it (Mathew 27:34). He was on the cross, suffering the cruellest sentence in the world, and it was certain that the wounds made by the crude iron nails which they drove through his hands and legs was unbearable even without all the persecution and abused he had suffered before reaching the mount of Calvary.

Jesus, as it have been predestined, preferred to undergo pain, suffering even death with all its terrors, so that his words "I have overcome the world" John 16: 33) would be fulfilled. By the same spirit, the martyrs (as the writer of Hebrew tells us) refused to be released in order that they might gain a better ressurrection (Hebrew 11: 35). they had been given the chance to deny their Lord and give up their faith in order to be released, but to the surprised of the persecutors, these martyrs refused to be released.

It is natural for human beings to lie or gives bribes for one to be released from suffering, blame, accusation or persecution. But Jesus said "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it" (Mathew 8: 35).