The Cross Reveals the Cost of Our Forgiveness
The Cross Reveals the Cost of Our Forgiveness: an original Matthew 27:45-54 KJV devotional with biblical context and practical application.
“Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.”
Matthew 27:45-54 KJV
The cross must not become so familiar that its meaning is reduced to a religious symbol. Jesus truly suffered and died. The sinless Son gave Himself for sinners, bearing the judgment we could not remove through regret, ceremony, or improved conduct.
Read the passage carefully
The details Matthew records invite reverent attention. We should explain them in harmony with the rest of Scripture rather than add imaginative claims about events the text does not describe. The torn veil points to a decisive change associated with Christ's sacrifice, while the witnesses' response recognizes the extraordinary Person whose death they have seen.
Forgiveness is free to the one who believes because its cost was borne by the Saviour. That truth rules out both pride and despair. We cannot boast that our record made salvation unnecessary, and we need not conclude that our guilt is too great for His sufficient work. Come to Christ in faith, confess sin honestly, and receive the mercy the gospel announces. Do not attempt to repay Him through a life of anxious self-punishment.
Carry this truth into the day
Gratitude should still change conduct. Sin is not a small matter, and the cross gives no permission to continue harming others while repeating words about grace. Seek holiness, make appropriate repair, and show mercy as one who has needed mercy himself. The death of Christ is central to every faithful devotional and every true account of Christian hope. Let the day's work be shaped by that foundation. You are not trying to make the sacrifice more complete. You are learning to live in thankful obedience to the Lord who gave Himself completely and whose saving work has the power to reconcile sinners to God.
Why the setting matters
Matthew records darkness, Jesus' cry, His death, the torn temple veil, and the response of those watching. These events surround the completion of His sacrificial death for sinners.
Continue in the Word
Read further: Matthew 27 in the King James Bible.