Perhaps the most painful moment of the terrible journey was when He met Mary, His loving mother, on the way. Imagine the look that passed between Mother and Son in that moment of anguish.

We can follow the last few hours in the words of Luke’s Gospel : “Two others, who were criminals, were led off with Him to be put to death. And when they reached the place which is named after a skull, they crucified Him there, and also the two criminals, one on His right and the other on His left. Jesus meanwhile was saying, `Father, forgive them; they do not know what it is they are doing.’ And they divided His garments among themselves by lot.

“The people stood by, watching; and the rulers joined them in pouring scorn on Him; `He saved others,’ they said, `if He is the Christ, God’s chosen, let him save Himself.’ The soldiers, too, mocked Him when they came and offered Him vinegar, by saying, `If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’

“And one of the two thieved who hung there fell to blaspheming against Him: `Save yourself,’ he said, `and us too if you are the Christ.’ But the other rebuked him : “What,’ he said `have you no fear of God when you are undergoing the same sentence? And we justly enough; we receive no more than the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing amiss. Then he said to Jesus, `Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, `I promise you, this day you will be with me in paradise.’

“It was about the sixth hour and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in the midst; and Jesus said, crying with a loud voice, `Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit,’ and yielded up His spirit as He said it. And the officer, when he saw what happened, gave glory to God: `This,’ he said, `was indeed a just man.’ And the whole multitude of those who stood there watching it, when they saw the issue, went home beating their breast.” (Luke 23, 32-48)

WHY DID CHRIST SUFFER

Graphic as this simple and straight forward account is, we shall miss the point of Jesus’ suffering and death, if we fail to see the divine motive behind it. Jesus’ death was not brought about solely by the blind hatred and wily scheming of His professed enemies. Nor is He to be pitied as the passive victim of man’s malice. All these factors no doubt contributed to His death. But they do not completely explain it.

Jesus knowingly and willingly went to His death. It was part of His Father’s divine plan to save man, to save you and me. Like the perfect Son, Jesus followed this plan closely and translated it into His life day by day till He finally fulfilled it – to the bitter end – on the cross crying out : “IT IS FINISHED.”