The Significance of The Cross

Why was Jesus killed?

The killing of Jesus is the pinnacle event of Christian faith. God orchestrated the death of Jesus Christ to take place as He paid the ransom for many. This is God's sovereign plan for salvation, to redeem us back to the fold of the Father. We are presented with eternal life or eternal death. Should we be reconciled back to God through the blood of Jesus, or should we choose to be eternally separated from God in the outer darkness. While human agents carried out the execution, the ultimate reason for the cross was God’s sovereign plan for the salvation of the world, fulfilling the Scriptures.

Historically, Jesus was killed due to accusations of both religious blasphemy and political anarchy brought upon him by human authorities, embodied in the Jewish leadership in conjunction with the Roman government. The chief priests, scribes, and elders perceived Jesus as a threat to their worldly authority. He confronted their extrabiblical traditions. He explained to them how they misinterpreted Mosaic Law. In Jesus' lifetime, he performed signs and miracles. He asserted himself as one who could forgive sins (Mark 2:5-7). Only God was recognized as being able to forgive sins, so this claim was interpreted as being blasphemous. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God who would return riding on the clouds (Matt 26:63). Jesus exercised his authority to cleanse the temple (Mark 11:15-18). He also condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt 23). The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, executed Jesus with the support of the Jewish leadership, as He was presented as being a political threat to the Roman rule. Jesus was said to have challenged Caesar's authority by claiming to be a King. Pilate said that he had found no guilt in him, but still listened to the voice of the people as they were adamite that Jesus deserved to be crucified (Luke 23:23).

The death of Jesus taking place on a cross was divinely orchestrated by the eternal will of God. Jesus submitted his body to do the will of Father as he understood that the cross was a necessary component of the plan of God. Without the killing, the death of Jesus, there is no means of substitutionary atonement as our sin debt is paid for by Jesus becoming our sacrificial Passover lamb that satisfies the ransom debt required for us to be reconciled back to God (Matt 26:28, Mark 10:45, 1 Pet 3:18,). Jesus' death was the fulfillment of Scripture. The Old Testament foretold the suffering and death of the Messiah (Isa 53). The early apostles proclaimed that Jesus was delivered up "according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God" (Acts 2:23). Jesus bore the wrath of God on the cross. Jesus was killed because of the sin condition, the wickedness of the human heart. In earthly terms, Jewish authorities and Pilate were historically responsible for the death of Jesus. God's divine plan, in His supernatural divine wisdom had orchestrated this event to take place. In His sovereignty, God addressed the sin of humanity and portrayed the supreme act of love by sending His only son to take our place, to pay the price required for reconciliation. How else can sinful man find there way back to the Father? It is only by the precious blood spilled for us on that cross that we find eternal life for all who believe (John 3:16).