This Is What Love Is

“…Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."  - Isaiah 1:18b

While on the cross, Jesus famously cried out in a loud voice “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt 27:46, Mark 15:34) Those in attendance of his crucifixion would have recognized that Jesus was directly quoting the first verse of Psalms 22. In fact we can see several parallels within Psalms 22, written by King David over 1000 years before Jesus' death is recorded in the Gospels. The crowds would hurl insults at Jesus, challenging him to save himself (V 7-8). As Jesus hung on the cross, hands & feet pierced, the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments (V.16-18). These specific similarities is why it is widely believed this psalm points to Jesus.

One verse I would like to highlight is Psalms 22:6 which says “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people.” What is peculiar in this verse is that King David’s use תּוֹלָע (tôlā’) instead of the common word רִמָּה (rimmah) to express “worm”. The “tôlā’”, also known as the “crimson/scarlet worm”, is native to the area of Israel and the people would crush them to make scarlet/red dye for the High Priest garments. But what is remarkable is the lifecycle of the “tôlā’”. When the female “tôlā’” is ready to give birth, she will attach herself onto a tree and form a hard shell to protect the eggs she lays beneath her. The “tôlā’” knows she will live the remainder of her life there. When the larvae hatch, they live protected in the mother’s hard shell, while feeding themselves on her body. A scarlet red liquid is secreted when the mother dies, permanently staining both the tree and the baby larvae. As her body decays over the course of ~3 days, the scarlet red body turns into a white wool-like substance. Can we see the symbolism here when we think about Jesus? 

The crimson worm has one purpose : sacrifice. In order for her offspring to live, she must die. She willingly climbs up the tree knowing she will not come down alive. Jesus had one purpose in coming to earth : sacrifice. The only way for us to live is for him to die. Jesus willingly went to the cross for you & me, so let us bestow him all the glory! “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us…” (1 John 3:6a)