The Darkest Question of Christianity

The Darkest Question of Christianity is this: Why didn't God do something?

You see, Jesus Christ - God's only Son - was abandoned by His Father and left to die on the Cross.
Jesus died, not of torture; nor did He expire from fatigue.
Jesus Christ died from Asphyxiation. 

One man described it as follows:

- The cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Then he would repeat the act, allowing some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place. The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified.

- As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain—the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet.

- As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. Eventually, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.

- Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart.

The compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, blood into the tissues—the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air.

Finally he can allow his body to die.

All this the Bible records with the simple words, “And they crucified Him.” (Mark 15:24).

~ Adapted from C. Truman Davis, M.D. in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 8

When Charlemagne, King of the Franks, heard the account of Christ's arrest and crucifixion for the first time, he rattled his sabre and exploded in rage, saying,  "If only I had been there; I would have slain them all with my legions!"

Countless generations of Christians have harbored the same feelings towards the people responsible for the Lord's Crucifixion.

But Charlemagne nor his legions, were there.

You and I weren't there either; nor do we have legions of warriors at our disposal; even Jesus didn't call on the angels for aid.

In fact, the one person who did draw his sword was Peter; this turned out disastrously.

Behind all the raw emotion, behind the outrage.

Behind all the theology and the questions we might have stands the one question towards God Himself - it is the darkest question in the Christian faith.

"Why did God allow it?"

"Why didn't God act?"

Truly, the one person who could have done something was God the Father.

The One who Created the universe and flung the stars in place is far more powerful than earthly warriors; yet, He turned away and never attempted to lift a finger to help His condemned Son.

In those Six Hours that one Friday so long ago which transpired on the Cross at Calvary, the question of 'why' remains.

In one sense, Jesus died due to a vast conspiracy by wicked men; in another sense, Jesus was handed over to His enemies because He was betrayed by one of His close followers.

In another sense, God the Father sent His Son to accomplish this work to save fallen humanity; for we have all handed Him over for far less than 30 pieces of silver.

And in yet another sense, nobody took the life of Jesus Christ, He gave it up willingly for those whom He loved.

Still, why didn't God the Father do something?

As you read the Gospel account of the tragedy of events leading to the Crucifixion of Jesus; there is a yearning in the soul due to the injustices being carried out.

There is a slow crescendo until the point of Christ's death.

But when He dies, though the disciples had fled, the Sanhedrin rejoiced and God turned away; one thing did happen - all of creation seemed to stop and mourn the death of the Son of God.

In the moment He died; Creation shook to its very core.

The Sun darkened, the Earth shook and the dead were raised.

In truth, all of Creation groaned due to the death of the Savior.

But still, the question remains, 'Why didn't God do something?'

Why couldn't He have done...well, anything that would change the course of human history while providing salvation?

Maybe in the question lies the answer.

You see, it is not that God could not have done anything to aid His Son; it is the fact that

He did not do anything.

So, why didn't He do something?

I'm certain most Christians know the Sunday School answers to that question.

"God was fulfilling Prophecy..."

"God was satisfying His judgment..."

"Jesus had to die after being betrayed..."

And all of those, and more theological answers, are true.

But God has been forever more real than a theological answer.

Lest we lose our first love, the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is far more personal than any theological proof or answer.

There is something very real, very personal in one man dying for another.

In the Crucifixion, it is the God-Man who died in His innocence so that you and I, who are guilty from our birth, could stand with Him in eternity.

And why?

Because of His great love.

How did He choose to do it?

Through His endless grace.

And to offer His grace, forgiveness had to be available.

Forgiveness could only be available if One endured the punishment of our sin.

That One, was Jesus Christ.

In those six hours Jesus was on the Cross, some see Divine Wrath executed on the innocent; and it is there.

Others see the final result of betrayal; this is true as well.

Some see the wickedness to which the human heart can sink; they are right.

But through it all, on the Cross that day, I see the unification of human suffering and divine love in the person of Jesus Christ.

When Jesus died on the Cross, His head may have hung as His spirit left His body; but death had not conquered Him.

On the first day of the week, Christ would triumphantly burst forth from the tomb in which He had been placed; rising from the grave and defeating death itself.

The enemies of the Cross, from the time of the apostles even to the present age, have attempted to destroy its meaning.

The Cross cannot be destroyed, nor its meaning; the Cross cannot be defeated because the Cross itself is defeat.

Only being united with Christ in the likeness of His death can we be certain of being raised with Him in the likeness of the resurrection.

That is why, ‘Jesus and Him crucified’ remains the very heart of the message of the Gospel.

And that, my friend, is why God the Father did not intervene so long ago; that you and might be raised with Him in the Resurrection to Life on that great day to come.

Until next time, win one for the good guys.