Who’s To Blame?

What is the worst of all evils? It’s not homicide or even genocide. No, it’s the murder of God’s Son! That is what happened over 2,000 years ago when Jesus was hung on a cross.

for His blood? All these, to be sure, share the guilt.

The great artist Rembrandt captured the truth of Scripture in one of his paintings. It shows Christ on the cross, with a mob surrounding Him. In the shadows at the edge of that appalling scene stands a man. Who is it? Rembrandt himself! By including himself, the artist confessed that he too was responsible for Jesus’ death.

Have we realised that Jesus bore our guilt on the cross? (Isaiah 53:6). Because we have all sinned (ignored and rejected God, our Creator), we are all responsible for the crucifixion as much as the soldiers who carried out the actual execution.

Who does God the Father hold responsible for what happened there? The religious leaders who plotted the Saviour’s execution? Pilate, the cowardly Roman governor? The harsh soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross? The crowd who called

Let us, then, take our place alongside Rembrandt. Only let’s not stand there. Let’s kneel in thanks that Jesus took our punishment for us.

—Vernon Grounds

When Jesus Christ my Saviour suffered loss, He gave Himself because He saw my need; It was my sin that nailed Him to the cross; I cannot blame another for the deed. —Hess

The only people God forgives are those who confess their guilt.