Many think that Jesus died as some kind of martyr. Others think that he was the unfortunate victim of a miscarriage of justice. But we can be assured from the Scriptures that Christ was no martyr though he did die purposefully. Nor was his death merely the result of injustice on the part of the Jews or the Romans though they were indeed guilty of such.
Jesus’ death was no surprise to him but was actually his very reason for coming to earth. Speaking of himself, he said, “For even the Son of man [Christ] came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45; emphasis added). As he told Nicodemus, a religious leader of the Jews, “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17).
The world needed a Savior. Every man, woman, and child stands condemned for their sins before a holy God and the penalty for sin is eternal death. The Scriptures teach “There is none righteous, no, not one…for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10, 23). “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and Jesus bore this death in our place for each and every one of us. This is the ransom of which he spoke. He paid the price for our sins.
Jesus was mindful of the necessity of his death as part of God’s plan of salvation. As the time approached he told his disciples expressly of his impending demise. “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted upon: and they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again” (Luke 18:31-33). All of this came to pass just as he told them. What is just as remarkable is that he didn’t draw back from what God had planned. He endured it all for us!
Yes, Jesus Christ paid the debt for our sins on the cross of Calvary, was buried in a tomb, and rose again the third day. Let that last phrase resonate in your mind. He rose again. Jesus did not die for his own sin, but for ours. That being so, God raised him from the dead “who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:25). Justification means that God declares those righteous who believe on Jesus as their Savior. Christ died for our sins that we might have his righteousness. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
The gospel is really quite simple. Christ died for our sins that we might not have to die for them ourselves. Why do we sinners struggle to believe that? If our Lord could speak with prophetic authority about his death, burial, and resurrection, then why do we not listen when he speaks of the consequences of unbelief and the promise of eternal life? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
From the Chaplain 