What is the worst of all evils? It’s not homicide or even genocide. No, it’s deicide, the murder of God’s Son! Unimaginable as it may be, that is what occurred at a place called Calvary (Lk. 23:33).

Whom does God the Father hold responsible for what happened there? Shall we indict the religious leaders who plotted the Savior’s execution? Pilate, the spineless Roman governor? The callous soldiers who nailed Jesus to the cross? The fickle multitude who clamored 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 depicts 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 the Savior’s death.

Have we acknowledged that Jesus bore our guilt on the cross? (Isa. 53:6). Because we all have sinned, the whole race of rebellious transgressors is responsible for the crucifixion as much as the soldiers who did the grisly execution.

Let us, then, take our place alongside Rembrandt. Only let’s not stand there. Let’s kneel in contrite gratitude.