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The Darkness and the Glory: His Cup and the Glory from Gethsemane to the Ascension
The Darkness and the Glory examines the cross from Christs perspective and provides a compelling behind-the-scenes look at the profound spiritual and theological realities of Calvaryrealities that transcend the physical, as the wrath of man was surpassed by both the wrath of Satan and ultimately the wrath of God. With theological acumen and pastoral insight, Greg Harris invites readers to join him on a journey to the cross they will never forget. Doctrinally sound yet warmly devotional, this Christ-centered book is highly recommended to all who desire a better understanding of the glories of the cross. (Adapted from the Foreword by John MacArthur)
210 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2008
11 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Greg Harris
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 7, 2026
Greg Harris has written a book (endorsed by Pastor and Teacher John MacArthur) that does the best theological job in clearly describing what our Lord experienced on the cross, using an exhaustive list of passages from both the Old and New Testament.
“What happened at Calvary was infinitely more profound than bodily pain and crippling torture. His suffering transcended far beyond either the physical or temporal. His deepest agonies were spiritual and relational—as the full fury of divine wrath was cast upon Him and He felt for the first time in eternity, a very bitter loneliness of being forsaken by His Heavenly Father”
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
— Matthew 27:46
When we think of the passion of the cross, we tend to focus on the physical aspects of crucifixion and the separation from Yahweh that our precious Savior experienced while He was suspended on the cross.
But this book takes the reader much further and deep into the harsh reality that our Lord was the sole object and horrific assault of God’s Wrath—an wrath intended for anyone not covered by the atoning work of Christ on the cross.
I am so much more sensitized to what my precious Lord experienced while suffering on the cross. My participation in the sacrament of communion will never be the same from this time forward.
This book is a must read for all believers. I pray it has as much of an impact on you as it has had on me.
We can be so ritualistic when we approach the “celebration of communion.” This book will definitely cause you to be much more serious and thankful for your precious salvation.
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:21
Blessings,
Chas Morse
“What happened at Calvary was infinitely more profound than bodily pain and crippling torture. His suffering transcended far beyond either the physical or temporal. His deepest agonies were spiritual and relational—as the full fury of divine wrath was cast upon Him and He felt for the first time in eternity, a very bitter loneliness of being forsaken by His Heavenly Father”
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
— Matthew 27:46
When we think of the passion of the cross, we tend to focus on the physical aspects of crucifixion and the separation from Yahweh that our precious Savior experienced while He was suspended on the cross.
But this book takes the reader much further and deep into the harsh reality that our Lord was the sole object and horrific assault of God’s Wrath—an wrath intended for anyone not covered by the atoning work of Christ on the cross.
I am so much more sensitized to what my precious Lord experienced while suffering on the cross. My participation in the sacrament of communion will never be the same from this time forward.
This book is a must read for all believers. I pray it has as much of an impact on you as it has had on me.
We can be so ritualistic when we approach the “celebration of communion.” This book will definitely cause you to be much more serious and thankful for your precious salvation.
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:21
Blessings,
Chas Morse
April 19, 2021
Harris brings out the biblical riches of what was going on behind the scenes, in the spiritual realms, of all that was going on in the garden, on the cross, and in Christ’s victorious return to heaven. Readers will be humbled as they come to a deeper understanding of the battles Christ fought and the victories he won through the cross. Often times we focus on the physical suffering of the cross; the beatings, the crown of thorns, and the nails. However, what Christ suffered spiritually was infinitely more intense, beyond what we could think or imagine, but he did so so that salvation and the forgiveness of sins might be secured for those who once were God’s enemies, now made good beloved children. Hallelujah, what a Savior!
May 7, 2020
This is a life-changing read. The author walks the readers through the darkness the Lord Jesus had to endure from the last supper with his apostles and all the way to the cross. He presents the narrative of Jesus’ suffering with intensity that literally gave me goosebumps. His description of the Father’s laying of His wrath on His beloved Son and the unimaginable torment of their separation brought tears of both sorrow and amazement to my thankful heart. Amazing love indeed; how can it be that the God of the Universe should die for me!
February 7, 2026
Most Christ-exalting, compelling book I've ever read and has passed John Owen's "The Glory of Christ" as my FAVORITE book of all time.
Could leave it at that and just drop the mic (the fact that someone living and breathing just topped the 17th Century "Prince of Puritan Divines" says enough), but this deserves a thorough review because it may have just become one of the most consequential books of my life that answered and linked many questions & mysteries about the spiritual nature of the atonement that have plagued me for years.
Yet, before you read any further, if you're still with me, stop what you're doing right now and buy this book. Last I checked it's just under $10 on Amazon (about how much you'll spend on your morning run to Starbucks; I just bought 5 more copies this morning). This was recommended to me by my pastor as his favorite book (which is saying something given his office has about as many books as Barnes & Noble). Surprisingly, it is not published by a major Christian publisher nor has received many looks on Goodreads. Like the spiritual treasures that Harris digs deep to uncover, you'd have to dig deep to even find out about this book. And perhaps that is what makes this book even more of a treasure.
Greg Harris writes that his aim is to "mine out" God's written treasure house ... and what this "goldmine" contains about God's redemptive plan in Christ. The book answers the question of whether there is “any way to know what the cup His Father had given Him contained? Or stated differently, is there any way to see – even in a mirror dimply – any of the elements that made Jesus drinking His cup so exceed all other cups combined?”
In the preface, John MacArthur describes this book as a "compelling behind-the-scenes look at the profound spiritual and theological realities of Calvary." I don't think I've ever read MacArthur use the word "compelling" to describe any books he's written the foreword to. Hence, once again if you haven't already, stop what you're doing and buy this book. :)
I'm going to just pick one or two highlights from each chapter, and I'll go ahead and announce SPOILER ALERT as I don't think you should move any further until you've read the book. My quotes just don't do justice to the biblical, logical, and 'sanctified imaginative' approach in which Harris mines these rich spiritual jewels. I was literally in tears during CHAPTER 3 "The Darkness" when God the Father enters the scene of the crucifixion. Like it was my first exposure to the cross. All I could do at that point was close the book and pray “Worthy is the Lamb Who Was Slain!”
The Beginning – His Cup:
- “What Jesus was able to receive infinitely surpassed the breadth of what the entirety of fallen man was able to receive … Jesus drinking His cup vastly exceeds the sum of all the redeemed drinking their own combined cups.”
CHAPTER 1: “The Wager:
- This chapter answers the question that has often plagued me, of “Why would Satan attempt to hinder Jesus from going to the cross by means of Peter in Matthew 16, but later in Luke 22 use Judas to help lead Jesus to the cross?”
- Luke 22:52-53 – “This is the hour of you and power of the darkness” or “this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” … “God had granted Satan the hour and the authority of the darkness to do all he desired to Jesus.”
- With Job being the first example, “In this second account of divine permissions granted to Satan to torment, the Lamb of God possessed an entirely different capacity to be tempted beyond what Job – or any other descendant of Adam – would be able (dynamai) to endure.”
CHAPTER 2: “The View” (First part of cup)
- “The Lamb of God was about to endure the torment caused by the combined attack of satanic forces during their God-given hour of darkness … Satan pouring out the entirety of his wrath on the Lamb.”
CHAPTER 3: “The Darkness” (Second part of cup)
- During Christ’s second 3 hrs on the cross, “The totality of both the heavenly and demonic realm watched as God the Father approached God the Son.”
- “In two Old Testament instances (Abrahamic and Mosaic) … God ratified eternally significant covenants, He did so surrounded by darkness.”
- “In the same manner by which the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenant had darkness when they were ratified, so too did God employ darkness as He ratified His New Covenant in the blood of Jesus. This obviously requires God’s presence at the cross.”
- “To the perplexed astonishment of the holy angelic world and to the utter disbelief of Satan and his angels, the Father begin striking the Son with wrath – violent, divine wrath poured out in vengeance upon the only Guilt Offering worthy to receive it (Isa.53:10). Approximately two thousand years earlier in Genesis 22, God had instructed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac by his own hand. He did not instruct him to have someone else perform the offering.”
CHAPTER 4: “The Separation” (Third part of cup)
- Jesus recorded his first words after 3 hours of silently absorbing the wrath of God: “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken Me?” … “We do not experientially know the richness of full fellowship with God without any trace or effect of sin, and then the gnawing agony of having it extracted from our life on earth.”
- “The intensity of the progression that Jesus endured staggers us ... the last agony Jesus experienced before His death was literally hell on the earth.”
CHAPTER 5: “The Boundaries”
- “Anyone doubting the extent of Satan’s power to tempt should consider this: holy angels in God’s holy presence, surrounded by the majesty and glory of the Godhead and their dwelling place, still were deceived by empty promises and enticements from the evil one.”
CHAPTER 6: “The Collusion”
- “A select group of demons would depart from their God-ordained realm and somehow infiltrate earth beyond the bound that any other demons had ever before attempted.”
CHAPTER 7: “The Help”
- Regarding the flood. “And so God has protected us – not only in what He destroyed but also in what He preserved, Not only did God annihilate the effects of the demonic collusion, He also protected and sustained the seed lineage even in the midst of the Flood. Mark this well, beloved: the protection of the seed family and its continuous existence is just as important in the biblical account as the destruction of the evil ones, yet we rarely acknowledge this.”
CHAPTER 8: “The Exchange”
- “Some people dream – Adam remembered.”
- “While Satan’s boast may repulse us, Scripture supports … strange as it may seem, Satan initially benefited more from Adam’s fall than anyone else, receiving an expanded authority, domain, and rule.”
CHAPTER 9: “The Positioning”
- “The Great Commission is a manmade designation or ‘title’. Perhaps a more accurate title would be ‘The Great Positioning.’
- “Instead of merely saying, ‘I AM with you,’ He splits the ‘I’ and the ‘AM’ in the Greek. Literally, what Jesus said was I 9ego) with you AM (eimi) – ‘I with you AM.’ Christ took His beloved … and placed us within Himself, within God’s holy name.”
CHAPTER 10: “The Glory”
- “For thousands of years these demons confined in pits of darkness … felt the approach of someone or some thing … eventually, every demon confined to the abyss realized that this was not a rescue of release. Divine Glory and Power Himself made His way toward them … and spoke… ‘You left your domain for that of another – the Seed did as well … the Promise of God likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is your leader the devil … I won so I could rescue and redeem My own … the Seed eternally triumphed because I AM the Promised Seed of God – and I have crushed your head forever!’”
Could leave it at that and just drop the mic (the fact that someone living and breathing just topped the 17th Century "Prince of Puritan Divines" says enough), but this deserves a thorough review because it may have just become one of the most consequential books of my life that answered and linked many questions & mysteries about the spiritual nature of the atonement that have plagued me for years.
Yet, before you read any further, if you're still with me, stop what you're doing right now and buy this book. Last I checked it's just under $10 on Amazon (about how much you'll spend on your morning run to Starbucks; I just bought 5 more copies this morning). This was recommended to me by my pastor as his favorite book (which is saying something given his office has about as many books as Barnes & Noble). Surprisingly, it is not published by a major Christian publisher nor has received many looks on Goodreads. Like the spiritual treasures that Harris digs deep to uncover, you'd have to dig deep to even find out about this book. And perhaps that is what makes this book even more of a treasure.
Greg Harris writes that his aim is to "mine out" God's written treasure house ... and what this "goldmine" contains about God's redemptive plan in Christ. The book answers the question of whether there is “any way to know what the cup His Father had given Him contained? Or stated differently, is there any way to see – even in a mirror dimply – any of the elements that made Jesus drinking His cup so exceed all other cups combined?”
In the preface, John MacArthur describes this book as a "compelling behind-the-scenes look at the profound spiritual and theological realities of Calvary." I don't think I've ever read MacArthur use the word "compelling" to describe any books he's written the foreword to. Hence, once again if you haven't already, stop what you're doing and buy this book. :)
I'm going to just pick one or two highlights from each chapter, and I'll go ahead and announce SPOILER ALERT as I don't think you should move any further until you've read the book. My quotes just don't do justice to the biblical, logical, and 'sanctified imaginative' approach in which Harris mines these rich spiritual jewels. I was literally in tears during CHAPTER 3 "The Darkness" when God the Father enters the scene of the crucifixion. Like it was my first exposure to the cross. All I could do at that point was close the book and pray “Worthy is the Lamb Who Was Slain!”
The Beginning – His Cup:
- “What Jesus was able to receive infinitely surpassed the breadth of what the entirety of fallen man was able to receive … Jesus drinking His cup vastly exceeds the sum of all the redeemed drinking their own combined cups.”
CHAPTER 1: “The Wager:
- This chapter answers the question that has often plagued me, of “Why would Satan attempt to hinder Jesus from going to the cross by means of Peter in Matthew 16, but later in Luke 22 use Judas to help lead Jesus to the cross?”
- Luke 22:52-53 – “This is the hour of you and power of the darkness” or “this hour and the power of darkness are yours.” … “God had granted Satan the hour and the authority of the darkness to do all he desired to Jesus.”
- With Job being the first example, “In this second account of divine permissions granted to Satan to torment, the Lamb of God possessed an entirely different capacity to be tempted beyond what Job – or any other descendant of Adam – would be able (dynamai) to endure.”
CHAPTER 2: “The View” (First part of cup)
- “The Lamb of God was about to endure the torment caused by the combined attack of satanic forces during their God-given hour of darkness … Satan pouring out the entirety of his wrath on the Lamb.”
CHAPTER 3: “The Darkness” (Second part of cup)
- During Christ’s second 3 hrs on the cross, “The totality of both the heavenly and demonic realm watched as God the Father approached God the Son.”
- “In two Old Testament instances (Abrahamic and Mosaic) … God ratified eternally significant covenants, He did so surrounded by darkness.”
- “In the same manner by which the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenant had darkness when they were ratified, so too did God employ darkness as He ratified His New Covenant in the blood of Jesus. This obviously requires God’s presence at the cross.”
- “To the perplexed astonishment of the holy angelic world and to the utter disbelief of Satan and his angels, the Father begin striking the Son with wrath – violent, divine wrath poured out in vengeance upon the only Guilt Offering worthy to receive it (Isa.53:10). Approximately two thousand years earlier in Genesis 22, God had instructed Abraham to sacrifice Isaac by his own hand. He did not instruct him to have someone else perform the offering.”
CHAPTER 4: “The Separation” (Third part of cup)
- Jesus recorded his first words after 3 hours of silently absorbing the wrath of God: “My God! My God! Why have you forsaken Me?” … “We do not experientially know the richness of full fellowship with God without any trace or effect of sin, and then the gnawing agony of having it extracted from our life on earth.”
- “The intensity of the progression that Jesus endured staggers us ... the last agony Jesus experienced before His death was literally hell on the earth.”
CHAPTER 5: “The Boundaries”
- “Anyone doubting the extent of Satan’s power to tempt should consider this: holy angels in God’s holy presence, surrounded by the majesty and glory of the Godhead and their dwelling place, still were deceived by empty promises and enticements from the evil one.”
CHAPTER 6: “The Collusion”
- “A select group of demons would depart from their God-ordained realm and somehow infiltrate earth beyond the bound that any other demons had ever before attempted.”
CHAPTER 7: “The Help”
- Regarding the flood. “And so God has protected us – not only in what He destroyed but also in what He preserved, Not only did God annihilate the effects of the demonic collusion, He also protected and sustained the seed lineage even in the midst of the Flood. Mark this well, beloved: the protection of the seed family and its continuous existence is just as important in the biblical account as the destruction of the evil ones, yet we rarely acknowledge this.”
CHAPTER 8: “The Exchange”
- “Some people dream – Adam remembered.”
- “While Satan’s boast may repulse us, Scripture supports … strange as it may seem, Satan initially benefited more from Adam’s fall than anyone else, receiving an expanded authority, domain, and rule.”
CHAPTER 9: “The Positioning”
- “The Great Commission is a manmade designation or ‘title’. Perhaps a more accurate title would be ‘The Great Positioning.’
- “Instead of merely saying, ‘I AM with you,’ He splits the ‘I’ and the ‘AM’ in the Greek. Literally, what Jesus said was I 9ego) with you AM (eimi) – ‘I with you AM.’ Christ took His beloved … and placed us within Himself, within God’s holy name.”
CHAPTER 10: “The Glory”
- “For thousands of years these demons confined in pits of darkness … felt the approach of someone or some thing … eventually, every demon confined to the abyss realized that this was not a rescue of release. Divine Glory and Power Himself made His way toward them … and spoke… ‘You left your domain for that of another – the Seed did as well … the Promise of God likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is your leader the devil … I won so I could rescue and redeem My own … the Seed eternally triumphed because I AM the Promised Seed of God – and I have crushed your head forever!’”
August 9, 2009
First, this book is much different than the first book the cup and the glory by Harris. It lacks the personal and appropriate stories that pulled in the reader in the first book. However, it does continue to exeget the texts in question and draw information for the reader that without a good understanding of Greek would miss. The reader should be aware that multiple times it appears that the author goes on a rabbit trail and is initially left wondering what happened with the last train of thought; however, it is soon shown how each apparent detour was necessary to build the necessary foundation to understand the bigger picture. In short it requires patience, but the reward in understanding is worth the diligent study.
I learned much from this book on what certain texts meant. The most profitable knowledge that I gained from this book is a much greater understanding on the spiritual aspect of Crucifixtion of Christ. I hate hearing others dwell so much on the physical aspect and completely ignore/diminish the great spiritual aspect/suffering. This book greatly furthered my knowledge of this subject. Some tidbits to make you want to read the book:
why was it dark during the mosaic and davidic covenants and its relation to the cross?
What were the three spiritual components to the cross?
How do we reconcile: today you shall be with me in paradise, stop clinging to me because I have not ascended to the Father and 1 Peter 3:18?
What is the significance of the great commision's use of I am in the greek?
If you can answer all of these questions and have a good understanding of the spiritual aspect of the crucifixtion then the book will be only a reminder. To me the best part of this book is the explanation of the spiritual aspect of the crucifixtion.
I learned much from this book on what certain texts meant. The most profitable knowledge that I gained from this book is a much greater understanding on the spiritual aspect of Crucifixtion of Christ. I hate hearing others dwell so much on the physical aspect and completely ignore/diminish the great spiritual aspect/suffering. This book greatly furthered my knowledge of this subject. Some tidbits to make you want to read the book:
why was it dark during the mosaic and davidic covenants and its relation to the cross?
What were the three spiritual components to the cross?
How do we reconcile: today you shall be with me in paradise, stop clinging to me because I have not ascended to the Father and 1 Peter 3:18?
What is the significance of the great commision's use of I am in the greek?
If you can answer all of these questions and have a good understanding of the spiritual aspect of the crucifixtion then the book will be only a reminder. To me the best part of this book is the explanation of the spiritual aspect of the crucifixtion.
September 12, 2018
Greg Harris is a name that I’ve continually come back to for his incredible books. Earlier this year, I read the phenomenal book, “The Cup and the Glory” by Harris. The “Darkness and the Glory” I read last year and I thought it was brilliant. I wanted to revisit this book to glean some of the things I had missed the first time around.
The subtitle of the book explains the premise of this book: the journey of Jesus from the garden of Gethsemane to his ascension into heaven. So the book starts with Jesus in the garden and the weight of the task he was about to take on. Harris details not only the dread of Jesus in going to the cross, but the spiritual battle that was occurring in the unseen realm prior to his crucifixion. He moves to the cross and the “darkness.” One of the most interesting narratives of the book is what happened to Jesus when He died. This has mystified theologians since the early church. The early church believed that Jesus went to hell to pay for the sins of man. But this is a contested belief, even today.
Harris unpacks this subject at the heart of his book. Jesus’ message to the thief on the cross, that he will be with him in paradise, gives some clue to where Jesus was during the three days. This has been argued more fervently in recent years. However, there is a problem with this: Jesus was in paradise but not with God, as John 20:17 makes clear. He has not ascended to the father yet. So this paradise must be something else.
Harris explains some other clues that the Bible gives us, most practically in 1st and 2nd Peter. 1 Peter 3 19-20 says, “[He] went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah…” To understand this, Harris goes back to the garden. The prophecy in Genesis 3 is the first look at what will happen to Jesus: “He will strike your head and you will strike his heel.” This foretells of Satan’s demise and is made clear that it will occur through human offspring. Satan, wanting to prevent God’s word from happening, decides to infect the bloodline of humans with another agent: angels.
Cue Genesis 6:2 – “…the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.” To pollute the bloodline would ultimately mean that this prophecy could never come true. God saw this evil plan and the flood on the earth was in part a response to it. God preserved the “promised seed” through Noah.
Now these spirits must have been bound up and put into prison. And Jesus visits them during the three days after his death. Why though? Peter wrote this letter as an encouragement to the Church. Does this seem strange?
It doesn’t when seen through this context. Jesus “ministered” to these spirits not to save them, but to proclaim that He had triumphed over evil. The early Christian church went through persecution that was at times unbearable. What Peter communicates then, is that in the end, Jesus wins. He will someday triumph over all evil. Every knee will someday bow and every tongue will someday confess that He is Lord. Just a little longer we have to wait on this earth to see this grand day.
This is a really awesome book. I loved re-reading it and gleaning nuances of details that I had missed. I highly recommend it.
The subtitle of the book explains the premise of this book: the journey of Jesus from the garden of Gethsemane to his ascension into heaven. So the book starts with Jesus in the garden and the weight of the task he was about to take on. Harris details not only the dread of Jesus in going to the cross, but the spiritual battle that was occurring in the unseen realm prior to his crucifixion. He moves to the cross and the “darkness.” One of the most interesting narratives of the book is what happened to Jesus when He died. This has mystified theologians since the early church. The early church believed that Jesus went to hell to pay for the sins of man. But this is a contested belief, even today.
Harris unpacks this subject at the heart of his book. Jesus’ message to the thief on the cross, that he will be with him in paradise, gives some clue to where Jesus was during the three days. This has been argued more fervently in recent years. However, there is a problem with this: Jesus was in paradise but not with God, as John 20:17 makes clear. He has not ascended to the father yet. So this paradise must be something else.
Harris explains some other clues that the Bible gives us, most practically in 1st and 2nd Peter. 1 Peter 3 19-20 says, “[He] went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah…” To understand this, Harris goes back to the garden. The prophecy in Genesis 3 is the first look at what will happen to Jesus: “He will strike your head and you will strike his heel.” This foretells of Satan’s demise and is made clear that it will occur through human offspring. Satan, wanting to prevent God’s word from happening, decides to infect the bloodline of humans with another agent: angels.
Cue Genesis 6:2 – “…the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose.” To pollute the bloodline would ultimately mean that this prophecy could never come true. God saw this evil plan and the flood on the earth was in part a response to it. God preserved the “promised seed” through Noah.
Now these spirits must have been bound up and put into prison. And Jesus visits them during the three days after his death. Why though? Peter wrote this letter as an encouragement to the Church. Does this seem strange?
It doesn’t when seen through this context. Jesus “ministered” to these spirits not to save them, but to proclaim that He had triumphed over evil. The early Christian church went through persecution that was at times unbearable. What Peter communicates then, is that in the end, Jesus wins. He will someday triumph over all evil. Every knee will someday bow and every tongue will someday confess that He is Lord. Just a little longer we have to wait on this earth to see this grand day.
This is a really awesome book. I loved re-reading it and gleaning nuances of details that I had missed. I highly recommend it.
June 23, 2020
Still in my top 10 books of all time. My favorite book in the Glory books series, slightly ahead of "The Face and the Glory" and the upcoming "The King and the Glory".
This book is about a love story, the ultimate love story. The Eternal Son of God chose to leave the glory He enjoyed in heaven with His Father, become one of His creature in order to redeem them. The price of that redemption was His own death on a Cross, after enduring tremendous sufferings beyond what we can even imagine. Because of our human limitations, it is impossible for us to fully measure the extent of Christ’s sufferings on the Cross; yet, as you read this book you will be contemplating the closest description possible of these sufferings based on what God has chosen to reveal in Scripture. You will not emerge from this book without being impacted. If you are a believer, it will bring to tears as you realize the depth of the love your Savior has for you, and it will make you exult in praise to God for ordaining all these events in His infinite wisdom before the foundations of the world, so that you may be reconciled with Him.
If you are an unbeliever and came across this book, I pray that you will read it all. I pray that God will use this book to help you realize that this love story can be yours also. He drank the cup of God’s wrath against your sin so you might never know what it feels like. Christ’s death and resurrection change the course of history for mankind. It can also change the course of your life.
I was introduced to Dr Harris’ work by reading “the Cup and the Glory” which I thoroughly enjoyed. But this book is much more significant because the subject it deals with is loftier. We are on holy ground as we travel with Dr Harris through Scripture and see God at work through His Son defeating death and subjecting to Himself Satan and all heavenly authorities.
I had tears in my eyes for most of this book, sometimes of sorrow and other times of joy. This love story ends well. We can be certain of that. Jesus, the Lamb of God is the reigning Lion of Judah. He promised that those who believe in Him will be in Him always, that the Light has overcome the darkness and that one day we will reign permanently with Him and share His glory!
Read this book and feast in those staggering truths!
This book is about a love story, the ultimate love story. The Eternal Son of God chose to leave the glory He enjoyed in heaven with His Father, become one of His creature in order to redeem them. The price of that redemption was His own death on a Cross, after enduring tremendous sufferings beyond what we can even imagine. Because of our human limitations, it is impossible for us to fully measure the extent of Christ’s sufferings on the Cross; yet, as you read this book you will be contemplating the closest description possible of these sufferings based on what God has chosen to reveal in Scripture. You will not emerge from this book without being impacted. If you are a believer, it will bring to tears as you realize the depth of the love your Savior has for you, and it will make you exult in praise to God for ordaining all these events in His infinite wisdom before the foundations of the world, so that you may be reconciled with Him.
If you are an unbeliever and came across this book, I pray that you will read it all. I pray that God will use this book to help you realize that this love story can be yours also. He drank the cup of God’s wrath against your sin so you might never know what it feels like. Christ’s death and resurrection change the course of history for mankind. It can also change the course of your life.
I was introduced to Dr Harris’ work by reading “the Cup and the Glory” which I thoroughly enjoyed. But this book is much more significant because the subject it deals with is loftier. We are on holy ground as we travel with Dr Harris through Scripture and see God at work through His Son defeating death and subjecting to Himself Satan and all heavenly authorities.
I had tears in my eyes for most of this book, sometimes of sorrow and other times of joy. This love story ends well. We can be certain of that. Jesus, the Lamb of God is the reigning Lion of Judah. He promised that those who believe in Him will be in Him always, that the Light has overcome the darkness and that one day we will reign permanently with Him and share His glory!
Read this book and feast in those staggering truths!
August 24, 2025
This is my favorite book outside of the Bible. It is so Christ-exalting.
March 31, 2016
This is an excellent book. The author Greg Harris is a professor of Biblical Exposition at the Master’s Seminary and he is proof that Dispensationalists can do Biblical theology and Redemptive History and do it well. I can only hope that with time his writings would become better known among Christians.
The subtitle of this book is “His Cup and the Glory From Gethsemane to the Ascension.” While I enjoyed all the chapters in the book it was the first five chapters that focused on the last day of Jesus and his suffering that stood above the rest in my opinion. I write this book review a year after I read it and after reading more books on Jesus and the Gospel my mind keeps on returning back to the first half of this book with its amazing insights Dr. Harris was able to gleam from the Scriptures surrounding the incredible work of Christ. Harris demonstrate from Scripture that the suffering Christ had led up to the darkest moment of all when darkness descends upon the crucifixion scene and employing biblical theology Harris shows us what the darkness means (I won’t spoil it for you, it’s more than what most people think).
If this book was to be categorized as an academic biblical theology I think it would already have been excellent in terms of its content. But what makes this book more amazing to me is that this book is a devotional. And it isn’t your typical devotional book. Many associate “devotionals” with your stereotypical shallow fluff that is often in Christian bookstores. I’m afraid that when we call this book devotional some would not read this book and miss the vast amount of Biblical insights and focus on the meaty subject of Scripture that would bless many seasoned saints and preachers/theologians since this book presents amazing studies without being academically dry and sterile. It led me to worship God at a deeper level with a greater appreciation for what the Son has done on the Cross. Harris’ writings in all his books is a great example of how one can go deep in the Scriptures and yet explain things in lay man terms.
This work is an example of what it looks like when someone studies the Bible intensely for oneself. The lack of footnote doesn’t mean there’s no research. Elsewhere the author has revealed that there’s no substitute for reading and working through the materials in the Bible directly—and how Harris often find so much there with the primary source that he can stay up all throughout the night and amazed to find that its already morning.
The author in this book has a keen eye for the activity of Satan’s battle with God and Jesus without being hyper-focused on the devil. Again I attribute this to his focus on what Scripture says and the connection between passages to come up with fresh insights. For instance he makes the interesting observation from the Gospel of John that Satan as “the ruler of this world” was “coming” during the moments leading up to Jesus’ passion. On this basis Harris gives the readers an appreciation for what Jesus did on the cross in light of Satan’s own attack against Jesus. I appreciate Dr. Harris’ discussion about Satan’s attempt to kill the Messianic “Seed” predicted in Genesis 3:15 in the chapter titled “the Help,” with Satan’s activities all throughout recorded history in the Scriptures. It’s not without reason that Jesus called Satan a murderer from the beginning if we see Satan’s involvement with Cain murdering Abel, and also Satan’s employing fallen angels to corrupt man’s lineage before the Noahic flood and Lamech thinking Noah must have been the promised one who would remove the curse of toiling the land (Genesis 5:28-29). Ultimately no matter how crafty Satan is, God’s wisdom as revealed in the Gospel triumphed.
I recommend this book. If I could, I would give this book a 6 out of 5.
The subtitle of this book is “His Cup and the Glory From Gethsemane to the Ascension.” While I enjoyed all the chapters in the book it was the first five chapters that focused on the last day of Jesus and his suffering that stood above the rest in my opinion. I write this book review a year after I read it and after reading more books on Jesus and the Gospel my mind keeps on returning back to the first half of this book with its amazing insights Dr. Harris was able to gleam from the Scriptures surrounding the incredible work of Christ. Harris demonstrate from Scripture that the suffering Christ had led up to the darkest moment of all when darkness descends upon the crucifixion scene and employing biblical theology Harris shows us what the darkness means (I won’t spoil it for you, it’s more than what most people think).
If this book was to be categorized as an academic biblical theology I think it would already have been excellent in terms of its content. But what makes this book more amazing to me is that this book is a devotional. And it isn’t your typical devotional book. Many associate “devotionals” with your stereotypical shallow fluff that is often in Christian bookstores. I’m afraid that when we call this book devotional some would not read this book and miss the vast amount of Biblical insights and focus on the meaty subject of Scripture that would bless many seasoned saints and preachers/theologians since this book presents amazing studies without being academically dry and sterile. It led me to worship God at a deeper level with a greater appreciation for what the Son has done on the Cross. Harris’ writings in all his books is a great example of how one can go deep in the Scriptures and yet explain things in lay man terms.
This work is an example of what it looks like when someone studies the Bible intensely for oneself. The lack of footnote doesn’t mean there’s no research. Elsewhere the author has revealed that there’s no substitute for reading and working through the materials in the Bible directly—and how Harris often find so much there with the primary source that he can stay up all throughout the night and amazed to find that its already morning.
The author in this book has a keen eye for the activity of Satan’s battle with God and Jesus without being hyper-focused on the devil. Again I attribute this to his focus on what Scripture says and the connection between passages to come up with fresh insights. For instance he makes the interesting observation from the Gospel of John that Satan as “the ruler of this world” was “coming” during the moments leading up to Jesus’ passion. On this basis Harris gives the readers an appreciation for what Jesus did on the cross in light of Satan’s own attack against Jesus. I appreciate Dr. Harris’ discussion about Satan’s attempt to kill the Messianic “Seed” predicted in Genesis 3:15 in the chapter titled “the Help,” with Satan’s activities all throughout recorded history in the Scriptures. It’s not without reason that Jesus called Satan a murderer from the beginning if we see Satan’s involvement with Cain murdering Abel, and also Satan’s employing fallen angels to corrupt man’s lineage before the Noahic flood and Lamech thinking Noah must have been the promised one who would remove the curse of toiling the land (Genesis 5:28-29). Ultimately no matter how crafty Satan is, God’s wisdom as revealed in the Gospel triumphed.
I recommend this book. If I could, I would give this book a 6 out of 5.
July 29, 2013
Greg Harris has written a keeper! If you want a fuller understanding of what Jesus endured when He offered Himself as the sacrificial Lamb of the world, please read this book! With exegetical skill and pastoral care, Harris explains that Jesus did not merely offer Himself to suffer physical pain at the hands of human beings; He offered Himself also to be tormented by the totality of Satan's demonic arsenal. Yet both the excruciating pain He endured at the hands of men and the incomprehensible agony He endured by Satan and his demons pale in comparison to what He endured when He received the full weight of God the Father's holy wrath.
When you understand all that Jesus endured on the cross, and when you recognize that He received what YOU deserve, you're bound to get emotional as you read Harris' clear explanations in this book. I know it brought me to tears at times.
Yet the books ends by reminding the reader that Christ is risen! And not only is He risen, but He's made Christians His fellow heirs!
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
When you understand all that Jesus endured on the cross, and when you recognize that He received what YOU deserve, you're bound to get emotional as you read Harris' clear explanations in this book. I know it brought me to tears at times.
Yet the books ends by reminding the reader that Christ is risen! And not only is He risen, but He's made Christians His fellow heirs!
Hallelujah! What a Savior!
April 12, 2014
Greg Harris gives one a clear & dramatic understanding of what Jesus endured when He offered Himself as the sacrificial Lamb for sinners. His points are drawn from his careful exegetical handling of the Scripture. He explains that Jesus did not merely offer Himself to suffer physical pain at the hands of human beings; but that He offered Himself to be tormented by the totality of Satan's demonic arsenal. Yet both the excruciating pain He endured at the hands of men & the agony He endured by Satan & his demons pale in comparison to what He endured when He received the full weight of God’s wrath. His description will enable you to not only have a clearer understanding of Christ’s sacrifice but you will never view the crucifixion of Jesus the same again.
August 13, 2013
this book holds a biblical view of whats up! which means its not meant for the general audience and fair weather christians wont comprehend this book.
this book is meant for devout christians who have an intermediate to advanced level (if this is even quantifiable) to fully comprehend what is happening, has happened and will happen.
an easy argument can be made if you have trouble understanding this text, then theres a high probability that you doubt the synoptic gospels or perhaps dont understand the synoptics. but its ok cus that stuff is fixable but it depends on the reader and the espiritus sanctus.
this book is meant for devout christians who have an intermediate to advanced level (if this is even quantifiable) to fully comprehend what is happening, has happened and will happen.
an easy argument can be made if you have trouble understanding this text, then theres a high probability that you doubt the synoptic gospels or perhaps dont understand the synoptics. but its ok cus that stuff is fixable but it depends on the reader and the espiritus sanctus.
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May 19, 2011I wanted to like this book, but there were just too may times that the other asked, "What if this?" or "What if that?" that didn't seem to be helpful or necessary.
July 22, 2012
This was the last book I read in 2011, so I finished the year strong! I learned a lot from Greg Harris, and It drove me to worship several times.
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