We begin in Genesis 4:13 as it relates to punishment. Interestingly and profoundly, God’s Word makes reference to the bearing of our sins, its punishment, and its remedy. As we have highlighted these, let us look personally and take them to heart.

H5375 nâsâʼ, naw-saw’; to lift; in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative; accept, advance, bring (forth), burn, carry

“And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.” Genesis 4:13

 “And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.” Exodus 28:29

Leviticus 10:17 speaks of Aaron eating the sin offering to bear the iniquity of the congregation, to make atonement for them before the Lord. 

“And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.” Leviticus 16:22

And the Levites shall even bear their iniquity. Ezekiel 44:10

Moses was not able to bear all the people alone. Numbers 11:14

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“And even to your old age I am he;
and even to hoar hairs will I carry you:
I have made, and I will bear;
even I will carry, and will deliver you.:
Isaiah 46:4

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“Even he shall build the temple of the Lord;
and he shall bear the glory,
and shall sit and rule upon his throne;
and he shall be a priest upon his throne:”
Zechariah 6:13

 That Christ shall bear the glory. Glory is a burden, but not too heavy for him to bear who upholds all things. The cross was his glory, and he bore that; so was the crown an exceeding weight of glory, and he bears that. The government is upon his shoulders, and in it he bears the glory, Isa. 9:6. They shall hang upon him all the glory of his Father’s house, Isa. 22:24. It becomes him, and he is par negotio-well able to bear it. The glory of the priesthood and royalty had been divided between the house of Aaron and that of David; but now he alone shall bear all the glory of both. That which he shall bear, which he shall undertake, shall be indeed the glory of Israel; and they must wait for that, and, in prospect of it, must be content in the want of that external glory which they formerly had. He shall bear such a glory as shall make the glory of this latter house greater than that of the former. He shall lift up the glory (so it may be read); the glory of Israel had been thrown down and depressed, but he shall raise it out of the dust. Matthew Henry

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H3205 yâlad, yaw-lad’; a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; bring forth (children, young),

The following are references to the everlasting covenant established with Abraham; revealed and fulfilled in Jesus.

“And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” Genesis 17:19

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 (See reference below John 18:37)

H5445 çâbal, saw-bal’; to bear, bear a load, drag oneself along to carry(literally or figuratively), or (reflexively) be burdensome
The same word is used for labor and burden.

In the center of these references is the well-known prophecy from Isaiah of the Son, Immanuel, who would bear the iniquities of His people.

“He shall see of the travail of his soul,
and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many;
for he shall bear their iniquities.”
Isaiah 53:11

H6030 ʻânâh, aw-naw’; to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout the same word is used for answer and answered

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.” Exodus 20:16

H5201 nâṭar, naw-tar’; a primitive root; to guard; figuratively, to cherish (anger):—bear grudge, keep(-er), reserve.

Leviticus 19:18 commands us not to bear any grudge but to love thy neighbour as thyself.

H4910 mâshal, maw-shal’;  to rule:—(have, make to have) dominion, governor, reign, (bear, cause to, have) rule(-ing, -r), have power.

Proverbs 12:24 relates to the diligent who shall bear rule.

New Testament

G3140 martyreō mar-too-reh’-o to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something, or that he knows it because taught by divine revelation or inspiration

 “The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.” John 1:7

“There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.” John 5:32

“To this end was I born, and for this cause
came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth.
Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”
John 18:37

“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.” 1 John 5:7-8

G5342 pherō  fe’-rō; to bear i.e. bring forth, produce; endure

“Abide in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,
except it abide in the vine;
no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”
John 15:4

 “Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.” Hebrews 13:13

 G941 bastazōbä-stä’-zō  perhaps remotely derived from the base of G939 (through the idea of removal); to lift, literally or figuratively (endure, declare, sustain, receive, etc.) The same word is used for bare, bearing and borne

 “And whosoever doth not bear his cross,
and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:27

Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free?
No, there’s a cross for all His own, and there’s a cross for me.

“I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.” John 16:12

the strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, Romans 15:1 

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Paul said, “… for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”Galatians 6:17

G2592 karpophoréō, kar-pof-or-eh’-o; from G2593; to be fertile (literally or figuratively):—be (bear, bring forth) fruit(-ful).

 “seed in good ground beareth fruit.” Matthew 13:23

G3114 makrothyméō ,mak-roth-oo-meh’-o; from the same as G3116; to be long-spirited, i.e. (objectively) forbearing or (subjectively) patient

“And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?” Luke 18:7

G4828 symmartyréō, soom-mar-too-reh’-o; from G4862 and G3140; to testify jointly, i.e. corroborate by (concurrent) evidence:—

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit,
that we are the children of God:”
Romans 8:16

 G5297 hypophérō, hoop-of-er’-o; from G5259 and G5342; to bear from underneath, i.e. (figuratively) to undergo hardship:—endure

 “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

G4722 stégō, steg’-o; from G4721; to roof over, i.e. (figuratively) to cover with silence (endure patiently)

“Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:7

G5409 phoréō, for-eh’-o; from G5411; to have a burden, i.e. (by analogy) to wear as clothing or a constant accompaniment:—bear, wear,

“And as we have borne the image of the earthy,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1 Corinthians 15:49

G4064 periphérō, per-ee-fer’-o; from G4012 and G5342; to convey around, i.e. transport hither and thither: (carry) about

 “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4;10

G399 anaphérō, an-af-er’-o; from G303 and G5342; to take up (literally or figuratively):—bear, bring (carry, lead) up, offer (up).

“So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time
without sin unto salvation.”
Hebrews 9:28

From the beginning, God brings us through His Word to see man’s need for a Savior. We are led to His promises and His provision for redemption, forgiveness, and restoration through Jesus, Lord and Savior to those whose sins He has borne on the cross.

Gracious Father of heaven, earth, and all life ~ we praise you for planning for our salvation before the world began, showing us our need and how you have reconciled us to yourself by putting all our sins upon Jesus. How true that only He, the spotless Lamb, could bear our sins, and only He is able to bear the glory. No wonder the disciples could not bear all when He was here. Thank you for eternity when we will be able to receive all you have planned for us. In Jesus’ name, I pray.
Fran