Simply Jesus - The Greatest Pain of All

By guest blogger - John Dangana

The Greatest Pain of All

Mark 14 & 15

‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’(Mark 15:34)

What could be worse than rejection by God?

Betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, deserted by all the other disciples, I wonder how it must have felt.

Pilate had asked in disbelief, ‘Why, what evil has He done?’ as they cried even louder, ‘Crucify Him’. The mocking and whipping, the jesting and crowning with thorns, the physical exhaustion of carrying a heavy cross up the hill of Calvary must have been excruciating and oh the pain that travelled through His nerves as the nails pierced his hands and feet.

But nothing could compare with the Father turning his back on His Son. For three hours darkness covered the whole land, as God could not bear to behold His Son.
Jesus endured man’s wickedness and cruelty but not God’s rejection. How could the One who claimed to have been sent by God be rejected by Him? Didn’t he say he and the Father are one?

‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ were Jesus’ last words before he breathed his last.

Probably the worst words Jesus uttered or could they have been his best?