There is man's side of the death of the cross, constituting the blackest and foulest crime that ever stained the page of history. The blessed Son of God, who lived a life entirely well pleasing and glorifying to God, was accounted by man as unworthy to live. And man will assuredly have to answer for this crime. If Abel's innocent blood cried for vengeance from the ground, how much more that of the Lord of glory. Little did the fanatical Jews realize what was involved when they took up the challenge, " His blood be on us, and on our children." (Matt. 27:2525Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25)). No one can be neutral here. If we refuse Christ as our Savior, if we neglect Him as unworthy of our trust, equally with the Jewish chief priests and rulers we shall be held guilty of the Lord's death.
But there is God's side of the cross. That is a different story! It is indeed a wondrous tale we have to unfold. The cross is the full expression of God's wondrous love to guilty man. We read that on that crucifixion day when the sun was at its noonday height, darkness fell on the land. Surely the chief priests and rulers must have felt that this was a testimony from heaven, for it was utterly beyond the power of man to bring it about. What did it mean? Above all what was the meaning of that cry of bitterest anguish that burst forth from the lips of the Son of God, " My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"