The Tola Worm And The Cross Of Jesus
Psalm 22:1-6 – Within this psalm of David are the very words of Christ while on the cross. Within His declaration that He was "a worm" is a typology that is amazing. It wasn’t just any worm that is being referred to, but the “tola worm,” also known as the “scarlet worm,” or “crimson worm.”
1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning.
2 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest.
3 Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.
4 In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You delivered them.
5 To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm [8438] and not a man, a reproach [2781- “reproach, disgrace, taunt, scorn”] of men and despised by the people.
NASU
OT:8438 towla` (to-law'); and (feminine) towle`ah (to-lay-aw'); or towla`ath (to-lah'-ath); or tola`ath (to-lah'-ath)
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
from OT:3216; a maggot (as voracious); specifically (often with ellipsis of OT:8144) the crimson-grub, but used only (in this connection) of the color from it, and cloths dyed therewith:
KJV - crimson, scarlet, worm.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
1) a worm, scarlet stuff, crimson
a) a worm, the female `coccus ilicis'
b) scarlet stuff, crimson, scarlet; the dye made from the dried body of the female of the worm "coccus ilicis"
2) a worm, a maggot
a) a worm, a grub
b) the worm. "coccus ilicis"
From the article “The Lesson of the Worm: The Surprising Meaning of “Tola”
“In verse 6 [of Psalm 22], the Messiah declares, “I am a worm and not a man.” The word “worm” used in the Psalm has a surprising meaning. It refers to a specific worm in the Near East, a “tola”. The word “tola” is also the word for scarlet in Hebrew. In Psalm 22, the victim says, “I am tola”. In Exodus 26, the Lord commands the people of Israel to use scarlet (tola) threads in the curtains of the Tabernacle. This calls to mind to the Israelites the scarlet blood of the sacrifice that spiritually covers and purifies the Tent where the people and priest met with God. The dye to color the threads tola (scarlet) came from the tola (the scarlet worm).
The whole lifecycle of the tola points to the redemption that Jesus won for us on the cross [more on this further below]. The scarlet dye that was used in the Tabernacle, the place where God meets with human beings, was extracted from the tola by crushing it. When the worm is ready to give birth, the creature makes a cocoon for itself attached to a tree. After the baby worms hatch, they feed on the mother, draining her of life before they escape from the cocoon. In the final stage of the worm’s life cycle, it secretes a white waxy shell that falls to the ground like snow, leaving behind a scarlet stain on the tree.
Do you see the parallels? The tola had to be crushed to release its crimson dye, just as Jesus was crushed to make a way between God and us (Isaiah 53:5 [see further below]). The worm is attached to a tree, just as Jesus was nailed to the hard wood of the cross. For the worm’s children to be born, the worm gave its life, just as Jesus gives his life so we can be born again. The worm excretes a white casing that falls to the ground like snow, just as our sin is washed in the scarlet blood of Jesus and made white as snow (Isaiah 1:18 [see further below]). The tree is stained with scarlet, just as the cross is stained with the blood of Jesus.”
From the article “The Scarlet Worm”
“‘Come now, let us reason together’, says the LORD: ‘though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool’.”
(Isaiah 1:18)
This amazing verse reveals an astounding truth which is hidden in English translations but which is revealed in the original Hebrew. This verse focuses on how God deals with sins. How can sins change their color in God’s eyes; what does He do to cover our sins? There is a scarlet cord running throughout the entire Bible. Let us investigate.
Let us look at some of the Hebrew of the above verse.
The LORD says ‘come’ or ‘walk please’, ‘let us consider, judge, prove together’. The first point here is that we need to come to the LORD God of Israel and consider together with him. Hear what He wants us to consider. He speaks of sins which in Hebrew is the word ‘chata’ which means to ‘miss the mark’ like an arrow which fails to reach its target. We tend to think of sins as things we do, we commit sins but it also includes things we fail to do. The Ten Words or Ten Commandments reveal that within all mankind there is a failure to do what is right. There is a nature within us which stops us from even obeying the greatest commandment to love the LORD with all our heart, soul and mind. We all fail to reach this goal. King Solomon, in his prayer for all Israel at the dedication of the Temple, said as much: ‘If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin’. 1 Kings 8:46.
The Color of Sins
Our sins are what we do and what we fail to do which are ultimately sins against God. Our sins are described as being ‘like scarlet’ and ‘red like crimson’. Scarlet is a translation of the Hebrew word ‘shani’, red is a translation of the Hebrew word ‘adom’ and crimson is a translation of the Hebrew word ‘tola’. ‘Shani’ and ‘tola’ are very interesting Hebrew words. These two words appear together to describe one of the colors used in the Tabernacle and the garments of the High Priest. They appear together, side by side, in the Torah 33 times and are normally translated as one English word – ‘scarlet’. They appear together 26 times in Exodus, 5 times in Leviticus and twice in Numbers. Both of these Hebrew words appear alone in various places but it is highly significant therefore that the LORD would put these in the same verse in Isaiah 1:18.
‘Shani’ is always translated as red, scarlet or crimson. ‘Tola’ likewise is translated the same but with a different word used in Exodus 16:20, the first time it appears in the Torah being translated as worm. It is also translated this way in its final appearance in the Torah in Deuteronomy 28:39. It is also translated worm in Job 25:6, Psalm 22:6, Isaiah 14:11, 41:14 and 66:24. One of the sons of Issachar is called Tola and is mentioned in Genesis 46:13, Numbers 26:23, Judges 10:1 and 1 Chronicles 7:1-2.
The interesting verse above is Psalm 22:6;
‘But I am a worm [tola] and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people.’ Psalm 22 is regarded by both Christian and early Jewish scholars as a Psalm which speaks of Messiah.
So, what is the connection between a worm and the color scarlet? Well, tola is actually an insect and to be precise, using the technical term, it is the ‘coccus ilicus’, a grub that when it is crushed and placed in hot water produces a brilliant crimson or scarlet color. It was used as an indelible or permanent colorfast dye for the tabernacle curtains, the veil and the priestly garments.
There is more to this insect however as we look at the life-cycle of the mother:
“The whole lifecycle of the tola points to the redemption that Jesus won for us on the cross.”
The mother climbs up a piece of wood, mainly a particular type of tree, in order to lay her eggs.
She then attaches herself to the tree, building a hard red shell around her.
Inside this crimson shell, she lays her eggs and keeps them under her body to protect them.
The baby grubs are hatched and they feed on the mother’s body for 3 days.
During this time a bright crimson red fluid oozes from the mother.
This red fluid stains the wood that she is attached to and the baby grubs are covered being permanently stained with it.
The young are ready to leave the shell after 3 days.
The mother, being still attached to the shell and to the tree, dies so that she can birth a family.
On day 4 the mother’s tail pulls up to her head making a heart-like shape and she is no longer red – she has turned into a snow-white wax.
This snow-white body looks like a little piece of wool on the side of the tree. It begins to flake off and falls to the ground like snow.
We see here the wonderful Hebrew background to Isaiah 1:18 [see verse right below].
Isaiah 1:18
18 “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet [8144], they will be as white as snow; though they are red [119- 'adam (aw-dam'); “to be red, ruddy”] like crimson [8438- def. in psalm 22:6 above], they will be like wool.”
NASU
OT:8144 shaniy (shaw-nee')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
of uncertain derivation; crimson, properly, the insect or its color, also stuff dyed with it:
KJV - crimson, scarlet (thread).
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
scarlet, crimson; properly, the insect ‘coccus ilicis’. The dried body of the female yields coloring matter from which the dye is made. It can be used to color cloth as scarlet or crimson.
Isaiah 53:5, 10 – As the tola worm was crushed in order to extract the scarlet dye, so was Jesus crushed for our sin so that “by His scourging we are healed.”
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions [6588- “a revolt, guilt, rebellion”], He was crushed [1792- “to crush, to be contrite, to be broken”] for our iniquities [5771- “perversity, depravity, guilt, punishment”]; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging [2250- “a bruise, a stripe, a wound, a blow”] we are healed [7495- “to mend (by stitching), to cure, to heal, make healthful”]…
10 But the Lord was pleased [2654- “to delight in, to be pleased with”] to crush [1792] Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.
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The Reproach Of Christ (Psalm 22:6)
Hebrews 11:24-26
24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter,
25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin,
26 considering the reproach [3680- “a reproach, defamation”] of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.
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Hebrews 13:10-14
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach [3680].
14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
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The Picture In The Death Of The Tola Worm
1 John 3:16 – The tola worm lays down its life for its offspring. They actually feed off of His body. Jesus laid down His life on the cross for us. John says that we ought to do the same for our brothers.
16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.
NIV
John 10:11, 15-18 – Jesus defines what a good shepherd is; he lays down his life for the sheep, as He would soon do. Jesus laid down His life on His own initiative.
11 "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep…
15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
16 "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd.
17 "For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.
18 "No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."
NASU
John 15:12-14 – Jesus teaches us what love is in this passage. One thing is that he lay down his life for his friends.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command.
NIV
Luke 9:23-24 – Jesus defines for us what it means to be His follower; “he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” The crucified life in Christ, not living for self, is the only way to save our life.
23 And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.
24 "For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
NASU
AI overview of what it means to lose your life for Jesus’ sake:
“Losing your life for Jesus’ sake means surrendering your personal agenda, selfish ambitions, and desire for self-preservation to follow Him, prioritizing His will and the Gospel above all else. It involves daily self-denial and “taking up your cross,” which may require sacrificing comfort, reputation, or relationships for His sake.”
“Key aspects of this concept include:
Surrendering Control: Placing your plans, goals, and future at the feet of Jesus rather than trying to secure your own life.
A "Living Death": It is not necessarily dying physically, but a daily, intentional commitment to turn away from a selfish, worldly, and sinful lifestyle.
The Paradox of Life: Jesus teaches that attempting to save your life (living only for oneself) leads to spiritual loss, while giving up your life for His sake results in finding true, eternal life.
Devotion to the Gospel: Prioritizing Jesus and the message of the Gospel above all, even in the face of persecution or sacrifice.
Ultimately, it is a call to recognize Jesus as Lord, trusting that his plan is better than your own, which leads to spiritual fulfillment and eternal, rather than temporary, satisfaction.”
2 Corinthians 5:15 – Paul says that we are to die to ourselves, and to live for Christ (see Romans 14:7-8).
15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. [See Galatians 2:20, and Romans 6:1-14.]
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1 Corinthians 1:17-18 – Paul says “the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.”
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.
18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
NASU
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