A cross in the heart of God
The Father had a role in the Son's suffering. We can compare it to a father bringing a son to a dentist. The son has a bad tooth that is infected. That bad tooth causes a toxic condition in the son's body. The dentist says, 'This infection is in the tooth. Your son will experience considerable pain. I may have to remove the tooth; I certainly will have to drill it, and then I shall have to remove that toxic condition.' Now, the human race had a point of infection: our first parents. That sin created a toxic condition in the human race. When the drill is applied by the dentist, does the father say, 'Do not do that; that hurts my son?' Or will the father deliberately allow his son to experience pain? Is there not a cross in the very heart of God?