When
Jesus died for our sins, everyone forsook Him. His disciples deserted or denied
Him. Even His Father forsook Him on the cross.
Genesis 2:18 – After Adam had been created, God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. So God created woman as a companion. Loneliness is a serious problem.
Yet a song in our songbook says, Jesus “died alone for you and me.”
Consider the fact that Jesus suffered alone on the cross.
Jesus’ Disciples Forsook Him.
John 6:66 – Great multitudes had been following Him. But many left and followed Him no longer, because they viewed His teaching as being too demanding. At this point His apostles remained with him, yet even they deserted Him at His arrest and crucifixion.
Matthew 26:47-49 – He was arrested because Judas, one of His closest companions, betrayed Him into the hands of His enemies.
Psalm 41:9 – Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Matthew 26:56 – After his arrest, all His disciples forsook Him and fled.
Matthew 26:59-75 – As He was being tried Peter, another of his closest companions, three times denied that he even knew Jesus.
After all Jesus had done for His disciples during His lifetime, when He came to His trials and crucifixion, He had to face them alone with none of His friends to support Him.
On the Cross Jesus’ Father Forsook Him.
Until the cross, Jesus had always had the Father with Him.
John 1:1 – Jesus was with the Father from the beginning.
Matthew 3:17; 17:5 – At Jesus’ baptism and at the Transfiguration, the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
John 16:32 – Jesus said the disciples would be scattered and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.” Even during Jesus’ trials, when the disciples forsook Jesus and fled, yet the Father was with Jesus.
Throughout all His existence and all His life on earth, Jesus always knew the Father was with Him. People forsook Him and rejected Him. Yet the Father stood by Him and helped Him with every difficulty that He faced.
But on the cross Jesus cried, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Matthew 27:46
This statement quotes Psalms 22:1. There the statement is explained to mean God had not come to help Him in His time of need and distress. Jesus was facing great problems. He sought a source of strength, but not even His Father in heaven came to help him. He dealt with the suffering and hardship alone.
No matter what explanation you give, the fact is that Jesus plainly said His Father forsook Him on the cross.
Besides all the other hardships Jesus faced in His crucifixion, He was also forsaken by everyone and faced His suffering alone. This was the price He paid for your sins and mine.
And this death on the cross we remember in the Lord's Supper.
(C) Copyright 2020, David E. Pratte You are free to keep copies of this material on computer and/or in printed form for your own further study. If you have any other requests about the use of this material, please read our copyright guidelines at www.gospelway.com/copyrite.htm.
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