By Michael J. S. Austin, Ph.D.
Easter is not the only time of the year to ask this question. What do you think of it; is it the most imponderable of all, or have you got it sorted? From fickle crowds, to hostile religious leaders, to a weak-willed Roman Governor, to a popular messianic movement that drew the increasing ire of the powerful religious elite because Jesus was working without a licence from them. And then there are Jesus' own reasons, because he knew beforehand, both the public scandalous nature of his death by Roman crucifixion, and the goal and purpose of his death - and that has to be the most central and vital issue of all.
• ACCOUNTS
So let's dig into this a little deeper. The four Gospel accounts are so well established and so extraordinarily fresh that when you read the details of Jesus' death, it's as if it all happened today! There are so many touches of what eye-witnesses have seen and heard, that you find you are in the presence of accounts that have no other reason for their existence but that the writers were utterly convinced this was so real, so terrible, so appalling, but yet so amazing, heart-rending, and mind captivating - that they had to make sure it was recorded carefully for the future.
Let's be clear, this is not the story of a mild-mannered Galilean peasant who began to dream that his death would usher in the final golden age of the kingdom of God. If that's all the 'why' answer you have seen in Jesus' death, you have missed the heart and centre. This is an account that shakes the foundations; a story like no other. That has people wondering about ultimate issues, like 'Is Jesus really the way to God?' This is a death, which incidentally is denied by Islamic teaching, but which recently had one Imam saying to a follower of Christ, after reading the account in one of the Gospels, 'In the end you will be proved right.'
• PURPOSE
That Imam was maybe beginning to see that Jesus' death was both the vilest, public scandal, and the final revelation of God's purpose in inspired Scripture, and that Jesus was a whole lot more than a Prophet, who was spared from death and whose place on the cross was taken by someone else. Strange, confused enigma there, for the New Testament Scriptures, with abundant eye-witness evidence, are clear that Jesus Messiah actually died in place of others, on their behalf, as the substitute for those who justly deserved death; death that is, as God's universal penalty for sin; an everlasting death from which all were completely unable to deliver themselves.
Oh, what a wonder that the creator God; the God who sent his beloved, eternal Son into the world with the purpose (the 'why') that his death, evidenced by blood shed on the cross, would pay the price for sin and would be the brim-full death-filled judgement that God's justice required (the 'how'), never to be repeated. That Jesus alone would be the Lamb of God, whose shed blood would end all the annual sacrifice of Passover lambs, and all the other sacrifices as well of the Old Testament - Jesus alone would fulfil them all - once. None other are needed, ever again.
• PICTURE
So, now it's no use trying to go back to the ancient sacrificial practices of the Patriarchs, like Abraham. Animal sacrifices were then faint pictures, now done away with because fulfilled in Jesus' sacrifice. Monetary payments would never be enough, climbing mountains on bare knees, grieving for one's sins, anguished praying, ritual confession of sins to priests, again and again, without an understanding of salvation as a wholly undeserved gift of God, securely established on the finished, non-repeatable sacrifice of Christ. Without that simple, trusting confidence, all religious efforts are empty and to no avail.
• PERFECT
Jesus' sacrifice was accomplished once for all. The giving up of his sinless, perfectly righteous life as both God and man is the wonder of the Incarnation. Jesus combined in one perfect person the attributes of God - all that make the eternal Son of God who he is, was united with perfect, sinless humanity. Jesus was truly one of us, he was tired, hungry, wept, worked as a carpenter, had friends, and with all of that he was not less than eternal God.
So, when Jesus died it was hardly surprising that the sun ceased its shining, that the massive curtain in the Jewish Jerusalem Temple was torn in two from top to bottom - the old way into the presence of God over and done with. It was hardly surprising that the Roman centurion, who watched him die, said 'Truly this man was the Son of God' (Mark 15:39).
Take a read through Mark's Gospel, and I trust you too will see that Jesus' death has a vast sufficiency, as an effective redemptive ransom sacrifice sufficient for all of your own sins. For we have all broken the law of God, and are judged to be transgressors.
• LOVE
That, in summary, is both the 'why' and the 'how' of Jesus' death. The 'why' is answered by God's purpose in salvation; that Jesus came to willingly give himself into death. The 'how' is answered by the substitutionary, sacrificial nature of Jesus' death. His was not the death of a martyr; his was the death of the God-man Saviour, dying effectively in the place of all the multitudes that will ever trust him, dying to bear their judgement and condemnation for them. That is love like no other - that is the love of God.
Will you accept it and live unreservedly for him who gave his all, and who was raised to be the one ever-living Saviour?
ANSWERS - FOR A SEARCHING GENERATION
Hello - I've written several books and many articles - with the goal of showing that biblical Christianity answers the MOST VITAL questions of all - "Who am I?" "What does it mean?" "Has it gone wrong?" "Why JESUS - & why is HE so vital?" and "Who is God and what is he like?"
Please don't give up the search.
Best regards,
Michael J. S. Austin, Ph.D.
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My new e-book - "Jesus DIED - Does it matter?" offers a thought-provoking question and answer approach to Jesus' crucifixion and whether or not it really happened.
Did Jesus really DIE? Not sure? An urgent message about this VITAL question!
Please use this link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PE2XN76
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Or take a look at my e-book, 'I saw Him Die - Viewing Jesus' Death TODAY', which gives a challenging view of Jesus' crucifixion and its meaning based on Hebrews in the New Testament.
Biblical truth for TODAY! http://www.amazon.com/saw-Him-die-Viewing-ebook/dp/B007TX696U/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_t_2
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Use my books and articles to help you find faith in Christ, or to strengthen your faith.