The day has almost come to a close. One of the greatest days of history. It began during the night in Gethsemane. So much has taken place since then. Gethsemane, the trials, mockings, crucifixion, Christ speaking the seven cross words, the earth­quake and darkness. And just now He has died. This was the end of the "drama." So people thought.

We read of three things here. Of the centurion who perhaps shook his head when he praised God and said that surely this was a righteous man. Then we read about the multitudes, the masses. They beat their breasts and left. It's all over with now. And then we read about those who knew Him. They stood at a distance watching all that was taking place.

Who were they? We do read of the women, who had traveled with Him, served Him and showed a deep love for the Master. But there are also others. No doubt they, too, loved Him, had heard Him and seen His works. Perhaps there were some who had been healed. At any rate, it must have been a small group, or even a sizeable group, standing afar, watching everything very intently.

They stood at a distance, we read. Not too close by, and yet not so far away that they couldn't see what was happening. Neither did they leave. They remained standing. And the idea is that they con­tinued to stand.

Our first reaction is to say that this was nice, it was beautiful. They loved Him. They are described as people who knew Him. Knowing, true knowing al­ways implies love. If one knows the Lord, truly, He knows Him in the fellowship of love, with mind and heart. True knowledge and friendship always go to­gether. People whom we know best, in love, are peo­ple with whom we have much contact. They are our friends. And surely when special occasions arise and our friends suffer, we show this love. And so these people are here. They are glued to the ground, as it were. They just have to see what is going on. They have been here a long time already.

But the strange thing is that they keep their dis­tance. Only the apostle John and Mary, Jesus' mother, come near the cross. They are the excep­tions. The rest are there but stand afar off. Do they really know Him and can they be classified as such? Likely here are some of the disciples who have been with Him during most of His ministry. What lessons they have learned, and how much they have seen, heard, and experienced as the very Son of God lived with them? Quite probably Martha and Mary are here. And how they loved Him! Surely they know Jesus, their friend and Master! At least they claim that they know Him. But why then stand at a dis­tance? Is this the way we treat people whom we really know in love?

Why this kind of action? They could have done two things, either come close to the cross and show their real love for Him, or they could have left Him. But no, they stay there, but at a distance. Were they afraid of the Jews and soldiers? Other people were not. Why should they be?

The real answer for this bizarre action is that they were ashamed of Him. Had Jesus not predicted that they would all be offended in Him? And didn't John write later that even His own received Him not?

We must make a distinction here. They loved Him dearly, from the bottom of their hearts. He was their beloved Master. The women had also proven this again and again in going with Him on His journeys and serving Him. We would say, they served Him "hand and foot." That same love they showed after He died, intending to anoint His dead body with pounds of costly perfumes and ointments.

John says that perfect love drives out fear. If we really love someone we are not afraid to show it. But here it is different. That cross, O that cross. It just doesn't fit into the picture at all. In fact, that is ex­actly what does not fit in this big divine jigsaw puz­zle. They want a Savior without the cross. The same problem we see in the case of the Emmaus travelers. How puzzled they are! That cross doesn't fit into the picture of His work and miracles and Messianic pro­gram. And that He went willingly! When He gave Himself in the garden, and Peter was told to put aside his sword, then they all forsook Him and fled. He will give Himself as an offering for many, going the way of the cross.

And so they stand here, no doubt talking, discuss­ing, wondering, questioning the whole matter. It's all such a big riddle and problem. How they love Him. But they really don't know Him. They know and love Him as a person, but really don't know Him as the Messiah and Savior. They know Him as such a noble man, but not really as the Son of Man.

All this, too, spelled much suffering for Christ.

To be a stranger in the midst of strangers is to be expected, and nothing new. But to be a stranger in the midst of your own people and in the midst of the inner circle of friends, that hurts. It must have hurt deeply. A stranger He was even to His own mother, who loved Him so much and had nursed Him and cared for Him with deep motherly love.

Down deep the disciples, too, must have felt that there was something different about Him. In His walk and conversation He was different. His speech was different, His actions and way of life were so dif­ferent. He was known to them, and yet not known. How they had hoped that He would be the promised One, establishing an earthly kingdom. But how dif­ferent He was. Why did He have to "antagonize" the leaders and elders of the church? Why didn't He try to please them, at least when He could. So they looked at it. At one time His family actually tried to take Him home, considering Him to be unfit, or a misfit in society. He was out of His mind, they thought. They better lock Him up at home. And now on the cross! And that willingly! Not once did He try to prevent this, knowing that He had the power to do this. He even claimed that at any time he could call in the help of 12 legions of angels. A legion was considered to be about 6,000. Think of what one angel did with 185,000 Assyrians in the days of Hezekiah. But here, no angels are asked to help Him. Instead, their loved one hangs on this accursed cross. Willingly. This they don't understand at all!

No, they really don't know Him. He is a stranger to His brethren and to all people. Why? Because no one understands the wisdom of God, the way of the cross. It is foolishness to the natural man, and even to His people at this time. What God has prepared for His people, with the cross and all of salvation, is something which no eye has seen, no ear has heard it, nor has it arisen in the heart of any man.

And so they stand there at a distance. They love Him, but really don't know Him or the meaning of the cross. But Christ as the Son of God continues to go this way alone, which is a dark and lonely way. In­deed, the man of sorrows!

But thanks be to God. Even though they don't really know Him, God knows His own. Because of this eternal foreknowledge of love, He sent His Son to make the atonement on the cross. And with the Spirit of Pentecost we see the meaning of it all, the why and the wherefore of the cross. And we learn to know ourselves, as sinners. Then the cross fits per­fectly into the picture. Then we also learn to know the place and meaning of the cross for us. And we learn to know that wonderful Savior, know Him from the heart, with the knowledge of love.

Then we don't remain standing at a distance. In­stead, we come close to that cross. We bow before it every day. We cling to it. We sing, Jesus keep me near that cross. We know that the payment on that cross has infinite value. He paid for the sins of His people, once and for all.

Now I can sing:

O the love that drew salvation's plan
O the grace that brought it down to man
O the mighty gulf that God did span At Calvary!