What is tragedy?  In the movie Ran, by Akira Kurosawa, which is based on William Shakespeare’s King Lear, a warlord pushes away his one good son, and his other sons betray, murder, and destroy everything in their path before they all die. The only tragic death in this movie is the good son’s. He stood up to his father because he recognized his father was wrong and that his decisions would lead to destruction. The only good character did not deserve such a death.

So too is the tragedy of The LORD Jesus Christ, for our sin and pride sacrificed Him and put Him to a bitter death for us. The perfect Son of God, dead. In this painting, I attempted to capture the tragedy of the crucifixion. I painted this on a 24x32 canvas with oils, using streaks of clouds and thick brushstrokes to create a visceral, gritty image. The goal in mind: make it real what He has done for us. Because when it comes down to it, it’s My Fault that He was on that cross. Mine.

The characters at the bottom represent different responses to the cross; some come begging, some stare, and many run away unwittingly. I felt as though I was the man at center stage, his shifty eyes looking back as he flees. As he runs, I too look back while continuing further into sin and condemnation. This painting was a call to my soul to repent and remember why Jesus died.