Crushed for Our Iniquities: Was the Father Cruel?

God the Father: Knowing the First Person of the Trinity

A Serious Objection

A growing number of critics accuse the biblical doctrine of the atonement of portraying divine abuse. They say things like:

“Why would a loving Father crush His Son?”“Isn’t that cosmic child abuse?”“How can that be love?”

These questions are emotionally potent—but theologically flawed. The accusation misunderstands both the Trinity and the nature of the cross.

Let us look at what Scripture actually says—and how the Father’s role in the cross magnifies His justice, His mercy, and His love.

Isaiah 53 and the Will of the Father

The accusation stems in part from Isaiah 53:10:

“It was the will of the Lord to crush Him…”

This is a heavy verse. It teaches that the suffering of the Servant—Jesus—was not incidental. It was intentional, ordained, and executed under the sovereign plan of God the Father.

But does that make the Father cruel?

Let’s look deeper.

The Son Was Not a Passive Victim

The Son was not dragged unwillingly to the cross. He was not ambushed by the Father. He willingly laid down His life.

“No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord.” (John 10:18)

“He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:8)

The Son and the Father are not adversaries. They are eternally united in will and purpose. The cross was not a breach in their relationship—it was the fulfillment of their redemptive mission.

The Trinity Cannot Be Divided

Christian theology teaches that the Father, Son, and Spirit are one in essence, perfectly united in will. The Father does not impose something upon the Son that the Son resists. To suggest otherwise fractures the Trinity.

The plan of salvation was not hatched by one Person and imposed on another. It was a Triune decree, carried out in perfect unity:

• The Father planned it.

• The Son accomplished it.

• The Spirit applies it.

There is no divine abuse here—only divine agreement.

The Purpose Was Love

John 3:16 settles the motive behind the cross:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son…”

Romans 5:8 confirms it:

“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Love—not cruelty—drove the Father’s decision. And not just love for sinners, but love for the Son:

“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life…” (John 10:17)

There is mutual love, mutual agreement, and mutual glory between Father and Son.

The Cross Was Substitution, Not Abuse

Jesus did not die because the Father lost control or lashed out in anger. He died as a substitute—willingly taking upon Himself the judgment sinners deserved.

“He was pierced for our transgressions… the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him…” (Isa. 53:5)

Abuse is unjust, unpredictable, and violates the will of another.

But the cross was:

• Just (our sins were real),

• Foreknown (planned from eternity),

• Willingly accepted (by the Son),

• Gloriously victorious (through resurrection).

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The Father Was Not Absent at the Cross

At Calvary, the Father was not a distant observer. He was present, judging sin in the body of His Son, who bore it voluntarily on behalf of His people.

“God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us…” (2 Cor. 5:21)

“Christ… suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)

God the Father was not cruel—He was just. And through that justice, He revealed mercy.

The Resurrection Proves the Father’s Pleasure

Isaiah 53:11 continues:

“Out of the anguish of His soul He shall see and be satisfied…”

The resurrection is the Father’s vindication of the Son. The plan was fulfilled. The offering was accepted. The Son is glorified.

Far from divine cruelty, the cross and resurrection reveal the Father’s eternal pleasure in the obedience of the Son, and His power to save sinners through that obedience.

The Cross Is Good News

If the Father had not crushed the Son, we would still be under judgment. But because He did, and because the Son willingly bore it, we are now:

• Forgiven (Col. 2:13),

• Justified (Rom. 5:9),

• Reconciled (Rom. 5:10),

• Adopted (Gal. 4:5).

That’s not abuse. That’s salvation.

How Should We Respond?

1. With Worship

The cross reveals not a cruel Father, but a loving, just, and sovereign one.

2. With Repentance

This was the cost of sin. Don’t take lightly what cost the Father His Son.

3. With Confidence

If the Father planned your salvation at such a cost, He will surely bring it to completion (Rom. 8:32).

Conclusion: Not Cruelty, but Love

The Father is not cruel. He is holy. He is just. And He is infinitely loving.

The cross was not divine abuse—it was divine mercy. Planned by the Father. Accomplished by the Son. Applied by the Spirit. All for the glory of God and the salvation of sinners.

“It was the will of the Lord to crush Him…”—and it was the will of the Lord to raise Him, exalt Him, and give Him a name above every name (Phil. 2:9).

This is love. This is the Gospel. This is your Father.