The gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixion record seven things that he said whilst hanging on the cross. The fourth is found in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 where we read that Jesus said, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’
These words must be amongst the most agonising ever spoken and, at the same time, amongst the most profound. Because for God the Son to have been abandoned by God the Father, two separate members of the triune God who are, at the same time, united as one in the Trinity, is far beyond our human capabilities to understand, and all the more so when one considers how perfectly both the Father loves the Son, and the Son loves the Father.
Even so, as a supernatural darkness covered the land, these are the words that Jesus uttered – words that express something of how it must have felt for him to experience the full weight of God’s wrath being poured out on him who, sinless himself, was bearing the punishment for the sin of those he’d come to save.
For that is what was taking place on the cross that first Good Friday – a glorious exchange was taking place. Our sin was laid on Jesus such that, as he suffered, he was being ‘pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities’ [Isiaih 53:5]. And it was his chastisement that brought us peace with God. Likewise, Jesus’ perfect righteousness was credited to we who believe him to be the Christ, the Son of God and, by believing, have life in his name. Because, for our sake, God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God’ [2 Corinthains 5:12].
There is though something else of significance that is worth mentioning about these words of Jesus. For as he says them, he is quoting the opening verse of Psalm 22, a psalm that, despite being written nearly a thousand years previously, accurately predicted the nature of Jesus’ death long before crucifixion had ever been considered as a form of execution. But as well as foreseeing that his hands and feet would be pierced, the psalm also speaks of how those who gloated over him would divide his garments amongst them and cast lots for his clothing, how he would be mocked by those who passed by ‘wagging their heads’, and how some would question why, despite trusting in the Lord, Jesus was not spared his terrible ordeal.
But whilst all these ancient prophecies were subsequently fulfilled [Matthew 27:35-43], Jesus was not spared. Nor did he spare himself, as others suggested he should. Instead Jesus allowed himself to be killed so that, by his death, he could save others.
Why? Well because that is the reason he came into the world in the first place, to save sinners. [1 Timothey 3:15]. Because that was his Father’s will – the will that, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed would be done [Luke 22:42]. And because God loves the world and demonstrates that love by giving his only Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life [John 3:16].
So then, by dying in our place, Jesus propitiated God’s wrath. He demonstrated his Father’s righteousness by satisfying the need for divine justice and thus enabled God to be both just and the justifier of those who have faith in Christ [Romans 3:26]. These were the reasons that Jesus endured the cross and despised the shame that was rightfully ours to bear.
All of which means that, because of what Christ achieved for us on the cross, we no longer need to be ashamed of the shameful things that we’ve done. ‘For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s steadfast love towards those who fear him – and as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us’ [Psalm 103:11-12].
Related blogs:
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 3 – ‘Mother, behold your son! Behold your Mother!’, click here
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 2 – ‘Tomorrow, you will be with me in paradise’, click here
To read ‘Some Words for Holy Week: 1 – ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’, click here.
To read ‘What becomes of the broken hearted – sorrowful yet always rejoicing on Palm Sunday’, click here
Some musings 