[Note] The intention of this article is to express the depth of the Lord Jesus’ willingness to relate with us concerning the infirmity of all our trials in this life!
Was Jesus’ cry of desertion on the Cross a manifestation of Him actually being “forsaken” by the Father, or could it have been to show how far He went to “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb 4:15)? Though this issue carries no essential doctrine for receiving salvation, I’ve come to find it interesting to attempt a determination in considering whether of the two might be most likely. Myself, the latter seems more than a little possible, considering all that was involved with “this cup,” which first began in the “garden” when He admitted to Peter, James and John that He had become “exceedingly sorrowful” and sought their support in being on “watch” with Him (Mat 26:37; 38, 40).
Even though an angel appeared to Jesus, “to strengthen Him” (Luk 22:42) following His first request to determine some other way than “this cup,” He was still in agony upon His second request, “sweating as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (v 44). During His arrest He also knew He would be enduring the hardness of knowing the sorrow (after His third prayer request - Mat 26:44) His Apostles would encounter after forsaking Him” (Mat 26:56; Jhn 16:20, 22); which was to fulfill the prophecy that “I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad” (Zec 13:7; Mat 26:31).
Including all this, and that which the Lord Jesus endured from the “garden” to the time of beginning His walk with the Cross—to the time of His death, I wouldn’t consider it inordinate to entertain the thought that it was possible that allowing Himself (Jhn 19:11) to be overcome with so great excruciating infirmity resulted in His feeling of abandonment concerning His Apostles and His Father.
Considering that the Father and the Son are inseparable (Jhn 8:16, 29); and that there’s nothing that the Father hasn’t already known and seen with His omniscience, including all of the sin in the world (Prov 15:3; Jer 16:17; Heb 4:13), there remains little, in my opinion, to conceive that God was so moved (as it were) that He could not continue to look upon His Son, despite the depth that Christ achieved being “compassed with infirmity” (Heb 5:2) and “exceeding sorrow, even unto death” (Mat 26:38)! Yet, through all this His encouraging final words were, “It is finished.” “Father, into thy hands I commend My Spirit” (Jhn 19:30; Luk 23:46).
“Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (Jhn 16:32).
Was Jesus’ cry of desertion on the Cross a manifestation of Him actually being “forsaken” by the Father, or could it have been to show how far He went to “be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” (Heb 4:15)? Though this issue carries no essential doctrine for receiving salvation, I’ve come to find it interesting to attempt a determination in considering whether of the two might be most likely. Myself, the latter seems more than a little possible, considering all that was involved with “this cup,” which first began in the “garden” when He admitted to Peter, James and John that He had become “exceedingly sorrowful” and sought their support in being on “watch” with Him (Mat 26:37; 38, 40).
Even though an angel appeared to Jesus, “to strengthen Him” (Luk 22:42) following His first request to determine some other way than “this cup,” He was still in agony upon His second request, “sweating as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (v 44). During His arrest He also knew He would be enduring the hardness of knowing the sorrow (after His third prayer request - Mat 26:44) His Apostles would encounter after forsaking Him” (Mat 26:56; Jhn 16:20, 22); which was to fulfill the prophecy that “I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad” (Zec 13:7; Mat 26:31).
Including all this, and that which the Lord Jesus endured from the “garden” to the time of beginning His walk with the Cross—to the time of His death, I wouldn’t consider it inordinate to entertain the thought that it was possible that allowing Himself (Jhn 19:11) to be overcome with so great excruciating infirmity resulted in His feeling of abandonment concerning His Apostles and His Father.
Considering that the Father and the Son are inseparable (Jhn 8:16, 29); and that there’s nothing that the Father hasn’t already known and seen with His omniscience, including all of the sin in the world (Prov 15:3; Jer 16:17; Heb 4:13), there remains little, in my opinion, to conceive that God was so moved (as it were) that He could not continue to look upon His Son, despite the depth that Christ achieved being “compassed with infirmity” (Heb 5:2) and “exceeding sorrow, even unto death” (Mat 26:38)! Yet, through all this His encouraging final words were, “It is finished.” “Father, into thy hands I commend My Spirit” (Jhn 19:30; Luk 23:46).
“Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me” (Jhn 16:32).
