This beautiful prophecy of Christ tells us that He both is and was despised. That being the case, we are left to ask why this is so. Why is He despised, and why was He despised? Why was, and is, the only perfect and holy, harmless and undefiled person who ever walked the earth despised and rejected of men? Popular religionists admit that he was despised and rejected, but they cannot assign a logical reason for it because they reject the doctrine of Total Depravity---and apart from that there is no logical reason for it. Arminianism argues that Christ loves all men, and that all men, even in a state of unregeneracy, possess the ability to love Christ, merely by a decision of their natural will. But if that is so, why do they all by nature choose to despise and reject Him? Popular religion does not have the answer.

The apostle John says that those who have had the love of God bestowed upon them and who are consequently called the sons of God, are not known by the world, just as it did not know Christ (See I John 3:1). Not only are they not known by the world, they are also hated by the world. Christ said to His disciples, "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you" (John 15:18-19). From whence then cometh this hatred of Christ and His true followers? It comes from their native depravity, which they inherited from their fallen father Adam. Men in nature are not simply indifferent to God but "the carnal mind is enmity against God" (See Romans. 8:7). Paul tells the Roman brethren that it was when they were enemies that they were reconciled to God by the death of His Son (See Romans 5:10).

The "reproach of Christ" goes as far back as His true disciples go (See for instance Hebrews 11:25). He has given His true disciples fair warning as to how they will be treated in the world. Some examples are Matt. 10:17 & 24:9, John 15:18-21 & 16:2, II Tim. 3:12. Christ is still despised and rejected of men, and the more we conform our lives to His teachings the more we likewise will be despised and rejected by the world.