Why did he have to die? No doubt you too have asked that same question at some point in your life. Many children too have asked that question – Why did Jesus have to die? If God is so powerful, and can do all things, they reason, why did he allow Jesus to suffer and die?
On the surface, Jesus’ death seemed horribly unfair. He was the most perfect person who ever lived, yet he suffered unimaginable pain and agony for us. Why did God allow this? Why didn’t God just make sin vanish away instead of allowing Jesus to die? These questions still mystify others. So, as we commemorate the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, what better time for us to reflect and focus our attention on the question: “Why did Jesus have to die?”
Let us not only take time out for ourselves, but for our children as well to help them understand the reason behind Jesus’ death and the significance of his burial and glorious resurrection. You see, Jesus not only had to die but others wanted him dead as well. Let us examine why his death was necessary to them and himself.
Firstly, let us look at the reasons why the Romans wanted the death of Jesus? Here are some reasons from their perspective:
• Because Jesus disturbed the Romans order.
• Because Jesus spoke incessantly of a coming kingdom other than that of Caesar.
• Because Jesus allowed himself to be called “King of the Jews.”
• Because Jesus made a nuisance of himself at the wrong time (Passover), in the wrong place (Jerusalem) and in the presence of the wrong people (Pilate and the temple leadership under his command).
• Because Jesus’ crucifixion would be a powerful deterrent that might keep other Jews from following in his footsteps.
Secondly, why did some Jewish leaders think Jesus had to die? The Jewish leaders who sought to have Jesus crucified believed that his death was necessary for the following reasons:
a. By stirring up the people, Jesus was threatening the peace and life of the Jewish people, thus increasing the likelihood thatRomewould destroy bothJerusalemand the temple. The death of Jesus would be preferable to the destruction of the nation.
b. Jesus “seducedIsraeland led them astray from God.” His message and ministry lessened the people’s commitment to living out their Judaism in the way approved of by the Jewish leaders (priests, Pharisees).
c. Jesus interrupted the orderly system of sacrifices in theJerusalemtemple, speaking against the temple and its leaders, thus opposing not only the core of Judaism but God himself. Jesus’ quotation from Jeremiah 7 (“den of robbers”), combined with other things he had said during his ministry, clarified his condemnation of the temple – a blasphemous offense. Moreover, he insisted that God was on his side, thus adding blasphemy to blasphemy.
d. Jesus presented himself as the Messiah, the one anointed by God to bring divine salvation toIsrael. But he failed to do what the Messiah was supposed to do, notably, lead a successful revolt againstRome. Instead, Jesus turned his judgment against God’s own temple. Thus Jesus was a false messiah. This fact alone might not have warranted his crucifixion. But, when combined with his other offenses, his false claim to messiah-ship increased further the chances that his actions would bring devastation uponJudea. This was demonstrated when Jesus said, “I and the Father are one.” The Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning me?” The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy; and because you, being a man, make yourself out to be God.” (John 10:30-33).
Thirdly, why did Jesus himself think that he had to die? In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes it clear that he is choosing to die. Nobody is forcing him to do it: For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father. (John 10:17-18).
Here alongside Jesus’ claim that he freely gives up his life, is the observation that he has “received this command from [his] Father.” So, one major reason why Jesus believed that he must be killed is that he also believed this to be the will of his Heavenly Father. This observation is confirmed in theGardenofGethsemanewhere Jesus asks his Father to “remove this cup” from him. Yet, he adds, “not what I want, but what you want” (Mark 14:36). In other words, Jesus asks not to have to go to the cross, but he perceives this to be the will of his Father in heaven. Thus he offers up his life out of obedience.
You might be still wondering why Jesus thought his own death was necessary? What did he think his death would accomplish? Jesus provides several different answers to these questions. They include:
• Jesus believed that his death was the will of his Heavenly Father, so he chose to obey the Father’s will (John 10:17-18; Mark 14:36).
• Jesus believed it was his calling to “drink the cup” of God’s judgment, taking upon himself the righteous judgment of God upon the sin ofIsrael(and, indeed, all humanity) (Mark 10:38; 14:36).
• Jesus believed that his mission as the Son of Man was to serve rather than to be served, and in fact to give his life as a “ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Thus he combined the Old Testament (Daniel 7) visions of the Son of Man and the suffering Servant of God (Isaiah 52-53).
• Jesus believed that his death was at the center of God’s plan for salvation, even as the exodus fromEgyptwas central to Old Testament salvation. Through his broken body and shed blood the new covenant would be inaugurated (Mark 14:22-25).
You see Jesus’ rationale for his suffering and dying was that He would bear the sins of many in order to bring the healing and forgiveness of God’s kingdom. The death of Jesus was a unique, one of a kind, once for all death that ransomed mankind from sin, satisfied the righteousness of God, and made it possible for man to once again have a personal relationship with God.
The death of Jesus was significant because only that death was the complete and final, once for all sacrifice for the sins of the world. No other person could have done that. Jesus’ physical death was important because of the resurrection that followed; however, it was not Jesus’ physical death that paid the ransom for the sin of man. If that were all it took, then any man’s death would have sufficed. It was his shed blood. That made the difference! Jesus’ physical death or physical separation from His body was significant, but it was only after the price for our sin had been paid, and Jesus cried “It is finished”, that He died physically.
Jesus not only predicted his death, but he also spoke of it as being necessary. His death was the crux of God’s plan for the salvation, not only ofIsrael, but also of the world. It was for our sake that God made Jesus who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. In his death Jesus bore the sin of the world. So we read in 1 Peter 2:24: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” Through the death of Jesus, we experience personal renewal and, indeed, the beginning of the renewal of all creation. Isn’t that awesome! Let us pause and give God thanks! John 3:16 reminds us: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
To understand Jesus, we need to understand his death. Death was an important part of his ministry. His death is part of the gospel message and something all Christians should know about. This is the way we remember him, through the cross as a symbol of Christianity or through the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus not only died. He was buried and He rose again. Hallelujah! They could not take his life. He gave it up! The grave could not hold him. He rose again! Our Savior is a Savior who died. Our Savior is a Savior who was raised from the Dead! Thanks be to God! Our lamb has conquered! Let us follow Him!
Do you still want to know why he died? Well the song writer will tell you why:-
As the Savior was walking upCalvary’s hill
All the birds hushed their singing and the leaves stood still
All the flowers in the fields bowed their lovely heads
As the Savior toCalvarywas led
Chorus:
Tell me why, tell me why, did Jesus die onCalvary
Tell me why He suffered such agony
For God so loved this old world, that He gave His only Son
And that is why Jesus died for you and me
Then they nailed His hands and they pierced His precious side
Oh, the pain was so great, that tears filled His eyes
Yet, He spoke not a word until the last breath He drew
Then said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Remember: Mankind debt was paid in full when Jesus died on the cross.
