Jesus was crucified and died on the cross. He said in Matthew 20:18-19 “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified; and on the third day he will be raised.” He said also in Matthew 26: 2, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.
John 19: 18 says there they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. (Read the full account in Matthew 27) Although the authorities and their rented incited crowds wanted him dead, they had on crime punishable by death against him. So, Pilate asked in Matthew 27: 22-23, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”
John 18: 29-31 record, So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.” The Jews replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” In truth, Jewish laws did not permit death to innocent people so they shifted the burden to Pilate. How often have we falsely accused innocent lives even to death?
The power of evil in our tongues
Upon their persistence outside the purview of Jewish legal principles, Pilate acceded to their demand and released Jesus to them. Matthew 27: 26 says, he released Barabbas for them; and thereafter flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified. Though Barabbas was a known criminal, they rather released him and crucified Jesus, the innocent one. Do we defend the truth of God always?
In Matthew 27: 35-36 when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; and they sat down there and kept watch over him. They did this to show by their tradition that they were witnesses to his death; and his clothes served as a trophy for them. However, Jesus’ life, wealth, and authority were spiritual and no human authority can destroy. 2Chronicles 35: 21 says cease opposing God, who is with me, so that he will not destroy you. Gamaliel also cautioned Acts 5: 35-39.
Why the cross was chosen
In Matthew 27: 50; Mark 15: 37; Luke 23: 46 Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. The cross was a way of inflicting a long and painful dying process reserved for nation wreckers, insurrectionists, and convicts of heinous crimes and offences. Jesus was placed in this category for us. It was also to publicly shame his family and descendants as a family of social outcasts. It was therefore to deter other would-be followers from his principles.
Jesus who knew the wickedness of the authorities earlier said in Luke 9:62 no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. He said in Matthew 10: 30 whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. He said in Mark 8: 34; Luke 9: 23… if any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. He said in Matthew 10: 28; Luke 12: 4 do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are we deterred from going the way of the cross?
Why was Jesus crucified?
Jesus was crucified to change our love for darkness. John 3: 19 says… the people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Jesus became an enemy of the world. Colossians 1: 13-14 said, he has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, and forgiveness of sins. Satan could not stop him from redeeming us.
Jesus was crucified to pacify our sins. Hebrews 9: 22 says indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the blood there was no forgiveness of sins… but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. Only Jesus was worthy of pure blood without sin. Hebrews 12: 24 says to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.(Read also Matthew 23: 35) How are we appropriating Jesus’ blood?
Jesus was crucified to stop the truth of God. Jesus said in John 14: 6, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. He was the Saviour of the world, John 3: 17; 1 Timothy 1: 15. He gave light to the world as he was the light of the world, John 8: 12; 9: 5. He also made us light to continue his legacy, John 5: 14. He fed our souls as the bread of life, John 6: 33, 35, 48, 51. He made us salt of the earth, Matthew 5: 13. He is the good shepherd, John 10: 11, 14. Are we crucified with Christ with the truth of God?
Jesus was crucified to fulfill scripture. Isaiah 53:5 says, he was wounded for our transgression, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. Let us dilate on these principles:
Christ was crucified for our transgression
Our transgression is the perversion of justice. Isaiah 53: 7 says by a perversion of justice he was taken away… cut off from the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people. Christ Jesus himself had no transgression but ours to the cross. Isaiah 53: 9 says they made his grave with the wicked… although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Are we just?
Christ was crucified for our iniquities
We read from Isaiah 53: 6 … the LORD laid on him (Christ Jesus) the iniquity of us all (world). To that extent, Ezekiel 18: 20 says the person who sins shall die. However, in our stead, Christ Jesus upon whom our iniquities laid rather died for us so we may live. He did so because God does not take delight in our death but repentance through Christ Jesus. Isaiah 53: 10 says… the righteous one… shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Will we invite Christ Jesus to redeem us on the cross?
Christ was crucified for our punishment
God sent Christ Jesus to be crucified as punishment for us. Isaiah 53: 10 says yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring… through him the will of the LORD shall prosper. The punishment was the pain he suffered on the cross. His life became an offering so we may gain eternity with him. Do we appreciate God for his love expressed through Christ?
Christ was crucified for our healing
Sin, however described, is spiritual illnesses. It can only be healed by righteousness in Christ Jesus. His wounds which led to his death opened the gates for our eternal spiritual healing. Isaiah 53: 5 says upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed. The only way to heal spiritually is through Christ Jesus, hence he had to suffer crucifixion. Are our souls healed?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, you were nailed to the cross for us and by your death, you rolled our burdens away. Let the pain, the shame and the bruises you suffered for us out of your unfailing love for our redemption resonate in our souls to also sacrifice for you and to glorify your name in our lives. Because you never capitated, let us not turn back till the battle is won. Let the blood from the cross wash clean, renew us and heal our dying souls in your holy name, Amen!!
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