The Love of the Cross
“How bad was crucifixion? We get our English word excruciating from the Roman word “out of the cross.” (David Guzik) We have come to the part of Mark’s gospel where the weight of the entire world’s sin was placed upon Christ’s shoulders. The cruelest of punishments was set aside for our Savior. He willingly stayed and carried it for us. Though offered a drug to ease his pain, Jesus denied it. The act of salvation was not one to be undertaken without a clear mind. Charles Spurgeon commented, “This suffering to the utmost was necessary to the completion of the atonement, which saves to the utmost; and because this suffering to the utmost was necessary to perfect his character as ‘a merciful High Priest’ who has to compassionate souls that have gone to the utmost of miseries themselves; that he might know how to succor them that are tempted.” Jesus intentionally felt it all. Each gasp of breath was measured. Each bite of insect attracted to the smell of his fresh blood was experienced in full. The rough tear of the wood against beaten and scourged flesh was perceived in its completeness. Why? Jesus felt it all so he could heal it all.
Jesus felt every ounce of pain a human could endure so we know we can run to him with our pain. However, his suffering was not limited to that of the flesh. As he hung for our sins, his ears were filled with mocking hatred of those beneath him. David Guzik wrote, “It was bad enough that the Son of God came to earth and man murdered Him in the most tortured way possible. Worst of all, sinful men enjoyed doing it.” Why did he endure this? He experienced every depth of human pain. Physical pain does not cut deeper than emotional pain. The agony of rejection and betrayal cuts deep into our souls, and we can turn to Christ for comfort because he completely understands every imaginable pain.
The crucifixion is a love story. Though it looks nothing like any love story I have ever read before, it holds love at its core. Love led him and love kept him. Love calls us and love heals us. Without love, we would all be lost. Praise God for the love of three iron nails and two wood beams.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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