The Lord Jesus was made to feel totally alone when His enemies poured reproach upon Him, subjecting Him to callous persecution, both physically and with their words of contempt and hatred. Before the high priest, He bore much as they struck Him with rods, spit in His face, and mocked Him contemptuously. Added to this, before Pilate, who was a Gentile, they crowned Him with that crown of thorns.

Where were His disciples then? Where were His friends? They had all forsaken Him and fled. When He looked for sympathy, not even one was found to provide any sympathy or pity for Him. There were no comforters to make the pain and sorrow of His sufferings more bearable. Has anyone ever been so overwhelmed as the faithful, gracious, holy Lord of glory?

This reproach from men gave Him deep agony. Then we also see the anguish of His suffering under the judgment of God, when the sun was darkened for three hours, causing Him to cry out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34). Surely our hearts are moved to their depths in wondering adoration as we consider such pure love that would willingly bear all of this for our sakes, so that the guilt of our sins might be atoned for fully. Thus, we who trust in Him as Savior are free from ever having to suffer the awful results of our guilt.

The Lord was left utterly alone, without human help, and at the same time He was forsaken by God in order that we might never be alone to suffer the judgment that we deserved. May our hearts respond with thankful adoration to Him whose love and grace have been so marvelously shown to unworthy sinners! “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving” (Ps. 69:30).