Chapter 155—Unutterable Loneliness
I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none
with me.
Isaiah 63:3
.
Through childhood, youth, and manhood, Jesus walked alone. In His
purity and His faithfulness, He trod the winepress alone, and of the people
there was none with Him. He carried the awful weight of responsibility for
the salvation of men. He knew that unless there was a decided change in the
principles and purposes of the human race, all would be lost. This was the
burden of His soul, and none could appreciate the weight that rested upon
Him.
Throughout His life His mother and His brothers did not comprehend His
mission. Even His disciples did not understand Him. He had dwelt in eternal
light, as one with God, but His life on earth must be spent in solitude. As
one with us, He must bear the burden of our guilt and woe. The Sinless One
must feel the shame of sin. The peace lover must dwell with strife, the truth
must abide with falsehood, purity with vileness. Every sin, every discord,
every defiling lust that transgression had brought, was torture to His spirit.
Alone He must tread the path; alone He must bear the burden. Upon
Him who had laid off His glory and accepted the weakness of humanity the
redemption of the world must rest. He saw and felt it all, but His purpose
remained steadfast. Upon His arm depended the salvation of the fallen race,
and He reached out His hand to grasp the hand of Omnipotent love.
The loneliness of Christ, separated from the heavenly courts, living the
life of humanity, was never understood or appreciated by the disciples as it
should have been.... When Jesus was no longer with them, ... they began
to see how they might have shown Him attentions that would have brought
gladness to His heart....
The same want is evident in our world today. But few appreciate all that
Christ is to them. If they did, the great love of Mary [
Matthew 26:6-13
]
would be expressed, the anointing would be freely bestowed.... Nothing
would be thought too costly to give for Christ, no self-denial or self-sacrifice
too great to be endured for His sake.
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