Was the Cross Enough?

When I was younger I understood that dying on the cross of Golgotha caused excruciating pain. Pain that I have never experienced. But I still had questions in my mind. Was Jesus' crucifixion enough to pay for all the sins of the world?

It is true that no man has ever lived a perfect life as Jesus did on earth, but haven't other humans experienced the same amount of pain? What about the two thieves that were crucified with Jesus, the thousands of Christians that were torn apart in the Roman Colosseum, and the millions of Jews that suffered the devastation of  Nazis concentration camps? I knew that their blood could not atone for sin, because they were sinners themselves, not perfect sacrifices. But was Jesus' death enough?

Yes. Jesus' death was enough. In searching the Bible I have learned that Jesus did not only endure physical death, but spiritual death as well. During the Last Supper Jesus was “troubled in spirit (John 13:21)” because he knew that one of His disciples was going to betray Him. Later in the evening, Jesus took His closest disciples took a certain place and informed them, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry here and watch with me. (Matthew 26:38)”. He walked a distance away and fell on His face, weakened from sadness and the weight of His burden. There were many times Jesus would travel to pray alone with God. In the garden of Gethsemane, God allowed us to hear in on their conversation. Jesus was so troubled emotionally that His life was susceptible to death. He prayed: “Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt”. Jesus was God, with God's power, but He was still 100% human, and was not sure that He could endure what He was required of His Father. God the Father loves His Son and He sent one of His angels to strengthen Jesus. Even then, Jesus prayed harder. “And being in agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground, (Luke 22:44).” The condition of sweating blood is identified as Hematidrosis, a "rare clinical phenomenon". A few cases in history have been recorded that men who were preparing for battle sweated blood and a few cases when men were unexpectedly told that they were going to face death. It is an uncontrollable condition in which there is “deposition of hemosiderin in the parenchymal cells, causing tissue damage and dysfunction of the liver, pancreas, heart, and pituitary" (Wikipedia). Jesus' human body was enduring the maximum stress level.

While on the cross Jesus' spiritual death occurred. He was separated from God Almighty. God the Father turned His face from His Son, allowing full wrath and punishment to fall on His shoulders for the past, present, and future sins of all the other humans that had lived and will live. Jesus was left in the blackness, pain, and filth of all evil. He was completely alone. No man, angel, or God Himself was there to bear it with Him. He was abandoned. “...He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and gave up the Ghost, (John 19:30).” When there was no more crime that could possibly be charged, Jesus gave up His spirit. “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost, (Luke 23:46).” Although God left His Son, Jesus called out to Him, commending His spirit to Him. Commend, the original Greek word parativqhmi, means to place beside, near, or before; to set forth in hopes that it would be received; to entrust. Jesus could not see God take His spirit, He could only commend it to Him with a prayer that it would be accepted of Him. He offered all He had.

Jesus' death was more than the physical hurt of the betrayal, mocking, stripes, and crucifixion. It was the separation from God. Pain was not the price of our redemption, but it was rather a by-product of the punishment and separation from God. Separation caused the most unbearable weight of human emotions and pain. It is something we will never be able to full appreciate or comprehend until we share perfect, sinless fellowship with God as Jesus did before He died. The words of Elizabeth Hewitt's hymn My Faith Has Found a Resting Place echoes in my heart: “Enough for me that Jesus saves, this ends my fear and doubt; a sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, it is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me”. May our life attitude be as the apostle Paul's. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world, (Galatians 6:14).”

~

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

His dying crimson, like a robe,
Spreads o’er His body on the tree;
Then I am dead to all the globe,
And all the globe is dead to me.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all. 

(by Isaac Watts, 1707)