Some watched in horror and disbelief while others mocked and scorned their only hope of salvation. Mary watched in anguish, but not near the anguish her Son must have felt as He, with arms outstretched, hung on a cross.
Mary, along with a few other women and the disciple John, stood at the foot of the cross – close enough to hear Jesus’ words. She could not even begin to grasp the magnitude of necessity of her first-born Son’s crucifixion. What mother could? She leaned into John as Jesus spoke His first words.
“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:43)
God the Father addressed all of mankind – past, present, future – with an all-sweeping motion, “You are guilty.” A declaration known by God before man was even created. But God had a plan that time, or Satan, or man could not thwart – He would send His only begotten Son to die on a cross to pay the incredible debt of all the sins committed by humanity. Once for all. The Righteous for the unrighteous. And thousands of years later Jesus hung on a cross to pay that sin debt.
Mary clasped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming as tears ran down her cheeks.
She couldn’t take her eyes away from her battered and bloodied Son’s face, except for a brief moment when she noticed Roman soldiers a short distance away casting lots for Jesus’ tunic. At that moment, her soul was pierced by a sword. (Luke 2:35)
She choked back her tears as she looked to her barely recognizable Son with a crown of thorns jammed into his head.
Jesus looked down to her with compassion – the compassion she had witnessed so many times with people who were in need. He always had a multitude of people thronging about Him. The thought flitted through her mind. And she longed desperately to be back in those times when she and several other women traveled with Jesus and His disciples. Anywhere but at the foot of a cross that held Him outside her reach.
“Woman, behold your son,” Jesus said. John tightened his arms around Mary. Jesus turned His gaze to John. “Behold your mother.” (John 19:26-27)
At noon, an eerie, supernatural darkness fell upon the world, and Mary felt its weight deep within her heart.
She suddenly realized that there were two criminals hanging on their crosses – one on each side of Jesus. She was too intent on Jesus to barely notice them before. One criminal looked at Jesus and said, “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” She felt unreal as she heard Jesus’ reply, “Today, you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
Shortly thereafter, Jesus said, “I thirst.” (John 19:28) Mary remembered the words Jesus had said previously on the last day of the feast, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.”
“God of heaven and earth, have mercy,” she said, her voice barely audible.
Mary strained to hear what Jesus was saying, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46) She covered her ears. How could this be? Is it because Jesus carried the sins of the world upon Himself? Even my sins!
“It is finished!” Jesus said. (John 19:30) Mary buried her face into John’s chest and sobbed.
As Mary looked up to Jesus, He looked up toward the heavens, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit” and bowed His head and breathed His last. (Luke 23:46)
It was 3:00pm. The veil in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. A severe earthquake rocked the area. Huge rocks split wide opened. A centurion marveled, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)
While in His own deepest anguish, Jesus spoke words of forgiveness, compassion, care, love, hope, eternal life, and ultimate surrender to the will of God the Father.
Jesus was made sin who knew no sin, so that those who believe might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) He shed His blood for the forgiveness of sin since without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:2)
Today is the day an innocent Man died, and from a mother’s perspective, she couldn’t be more joyful to know her Son was obedient to God the Father for your sake and mine.