“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3)
Christ was indeed a man of sorrows. The way that He was treated represents the greatest of injustices; a perfect, unselfish being; the Creator of the world, the Savior of the world; a man who healed and served and taught and loved, treated in the worst of ways. He was tempted, mocked, spat upon and scourged. He was betrayed, belittled and had several attempts made on His life. Bruce R. McConkie taught that in the Garden of Gethsemane, as he sweat blood from every pore, “he suffered, both body and spirit, more than it is possible for man to suffer, except it be unto death”. Then the crown of thorns, the purple robe, the carrying of the cross, the public execution.
It is difficult to read and think of His suffering, but we know that it was for a purpose.
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
Christ took upon himself sorrow and pain so that we can be comforted, healed and redeemed. Sometimes we ourselves, in a smaller way, feel like a man or woman ‘of sorrow’, sometimes we ourselves are ‘aquainted with grief’. Sometimes grief may even feel like less of an aquaintance and more of a constant companion. Elder Holland taught a group of missionaries that we can find comfort in Christ;
“When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
His suffering empowers Him not only to comfort us, but also to redeem us. He bears our grief. He carries our sorrows. His wounds pay for our transgressions and with His stripes, we are healed.
Sources:
Elder Bruce R. McConkie–The Purifying Power of Gethsemane
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland–Missionary Work and the Atonement, 2000
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2001/03/missionary-work-and-the-atonement?lang=eng