The Lord Jesus had glorified the Father all His life, but now it was a question of glorifying God in His death, for God is the Judge of sin. It was not a question with the Father as such, but with God as God touching sin. He who had glorified the Father in a life of obedience glorified God in the death in which that very obedience was consummated, and not merely this: Evil was laid on Him in whom all was good, and they met. What a meeting!
Yes, God was there, not the Approver of what was good only, but the Judge of all evil laid upon that blessed head. It was God forsaking the faithful, obedient Servant; yet it was His God: This would— could—never be given up, for, on the contrary, He even then firmly holds to it. "My God, My God," yet He has to add now, "Why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
It was the Son of the Father, but as Son of Man necessarily that He so cried out, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" Then, and then only, did God desert His one unswerving Servant, the Man Christ Jesus.
Nevertheless we bow before the mystery of mysteries in His Person-God manifest in flesh. Had He not been man, of what avail for us? Had He not been God, all must have failed to give to His suffering for sins the infinite worth of Himself. This is atonement. And atonement has two parts in its character and range. It is expiation before God; it is also substitution for sins. [39]