This painting joins two gospel stories: Jesus calming the storm and the crucifixion. In the first Jesus questions the faith of the apostles by asking, “Why are you terrified?” In the second he utters the lament to the Father, ”Why have you abandoned me?”

The contrast of these two scenes probes the question of the relationship between God’s merciful salvation and the meaning of suffering in our lives, reminding us that suffering has great importance to the salvation of the world if it one humbly accepts and trusts God’s plan.