by When Jesus’ spoke His fourth phrase on the cross ─ Mark 15:25-34 ─ He had just entered the darkest phase of death that any man would ever face. It was here that the man Christ Jesus, who could not sin, was made into sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). As a result, God the Father had no choice but turn His back and forsake God the Son to separate Himself from the sins of all mankind.
At this moment on His cross ─ Jesus became the embodiment of sin, that God could judge Him in the place of every sinner that would ever live (Hebrews 10:10-12)! Notice, 10:10 does not say “once and for all” which implies only a point in time. It says, “once for all” ─ this is both a “once” point in time and an event offered “for all” mankind. Salvation is thus a one-time transaction, for all who would believe (Romans 3:22).
At this moment on His cross ─ Jesus had nailed the ordinances of His own Law to His cross (Colossians 2:14). By this, He took the eternal punishment we deserve and offered His eternal righteousness that none of us deserve. This is a picture of the doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement, where Jesus became sin and our substitute “that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:4-10).
At this moment on His cross ─ Jesus fully understood the word forsaken. He had already walked in our flesh, through all of our brutal temptations (Hebrews 4:15). By this, He truly understood the flesh that we live in and struggle with day by day (Psalm 78:39). At this point, He is standing where the unsaved man stands, in complete separation from God because of sin.
By Jesus’ fourth phrase on the cross, our Great and Almighty God is becoming our compassionate and empathetic Savior. After we accept Jesus’ righteousness in salvation, this One who was forsaken of the Father for three hours on the cross made us an eternal promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).
Is Jesus your personal Savior today? If not, contact me today.
