Q. Why did Jesus REFUSE to drink wine mixed with gall while he was dying on the cross? What exactly IS gall? (Submitted by: Jensen ) A. First, lets take a look at the scriptures that bear on your question: "And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave Him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink." (Matthew 27:33-34, NKJV throughout) "After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, 'I thirst!' Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!' And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit." (John 19:28-30) Jesus refused the wine mixed with gall, however, he did take of the sour wine. The word gall comes from the Greek word χολή or chole (Strong's Concordance #G5521) which means POISON. Gall is very bitter. As an ex-chemistry teacher, I use to teach that all poisons are BITTER but acids are SOUR. Christ refused the gall, knowing the bitter taste meant it was a poison. He did not want to die from poisoning, but by His shed blood so as to become the supreme sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. As Matthew 27 and John 19 states, a Roman soldier pierced His side with a spear (a fulfillment of prophecy - See Zechariah 12:10) and blood and water came out. This is what finally killed Christ. It was not the crucifixion per se nor the beatings he took. It was the spear that penetrated his side: "And immediately one of them ran and, taking a sponge, filled it with vinegar and put it on a stick, and gave it to Him to drink. But the rest said, 'Let Him alone! Let us see if Elijah comes to save Him.' "Then another took a spear and thrust it into His side, and out came water and blood. And after crying out again with a loud voice, Jesus yielded up His spirit." (Matthew 27:48-50, Holy Bible in Its Original Order)
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