The Crimson Worm and the Cross

“But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.”
— Psalm 22:6

These words are part of Psalm 22, written centuries before the birth of Christ. It is the same psalm Jesus quoted while He was on the cross when He said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46). After the words Jesus quoted, a rather particular expression appears in the same psalm: “But I am a worm, and no man.”

In the Hebrew text, the word translated as “worm” is tola’at. The term is also associated with the color scarlet, since this type of insect was used to produce the crimson-red dye used in ancient times.

The life cycle of this insect has recently drawn the attention of many Christians because of its particular characteristics. One of them is found precisely in the way the female protects her eggs. She remains fixed to the branches of the tree and lays her eggs beneath her body. At the end of the process, she dies there, and her hardened body continues to protect them. A crimson pigment can also be obtained from this insect and used to produce red dyes. In addition, it produces whitish wax secretions during its life cycle.

When you read these details alongside Psalm 22, it is easy to understand why many believers have seen a resemblance to the crucifixion: Christ upon the wood, His blood shed, and His life given for us.

Although the Bible does not say that the life cycle of the scarlet worm was a prophecy of the crucifixion, it is an extremely interesting comparison and an image that reminds us of Christ.

As for what we can affirm from the Bible, Psalm 22 is closely connected to what happened at the cross. Jesus spoke the words with which the psalm begins while He was being crucified. Later, the same psalm speaks of someone despised by the people: “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” Isaiah also described the Messiah as “despised and rejected of men” (Isaiah 53:3).

Christ’s humiliation went as far as death. Philippians 2:8 says that He “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” God Himself had come and allowed Himself to be rejected, betrayed, mocked, and ultimately crucified out of love for us.

His blood also holds a central place in our redemption. Ephesians 1:7 says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Hebrews 9:12 adds that Christ entered “once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” When we think about the scarlet color associated with tola’at, it is understandable that our thoughts turn to the blood Jesus shed for us.

Perhaps we may never know whether there was any additional intention behind the use of that word in Psalm 22. After all, God Himself was the One who designed the scarlet worm. Nor do we need to claim that there was in order to appreciate the comparison.

He knew what awaited Him and was willing to go through it. Jesus Himself said about His life, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself” (John 10:18). He was despised and humiliated, and even so, He willingly offered Himself for us.

A small scarlet worm can remind us of that story. However, what makes the story important is not the worm. It is Christ, who was willing to give His life so that you and I could be redeemed.

Photo by Alicia Quan on Unsplash

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