April 22

Mark 15:34

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

At that moment, all of our sins in all their filth and evil were placed on Jesus. Paul said that He was actually MADE TO BE SIN for us, and that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a CURSE for us.” Gal. 3:13. This moment that God judgmentally accepted Christ as bearing ALL the sins of the world was the horror of Gethsemane when Jesus prayed alone in the garden. This was the dreaded cup that he must drink to the dregs.

This was the shadow of Calvary that had haunted him all his life. From all eternity Jesus had enjoyed blessed fellowship and closeness to the Father. He was daily His delight. He had said, “ I and my Father are one.” In Isaiah 42:1 God says of Jesus that He is “mine elect, in whom my soul delights.” Now as Jesus is made sin and a curse, the Father turns away and Jesus cries out in horror and agony at the rejection, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Jesus endured this out of love to you and me. What do you think will be the fate of those who never come to Jesus and surrender themselves to Him after He endured all this for us? The anguish and torment of eternity will be the consciousness of having rejected Him who is “altogether lovely”.

Commentary by Francis L. Harris

"...what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:30