Why did Jesus have to die? Isn’t this a strange way for God to save the world? Isn’t this a strange way for God to make a way to have relationship with us? Why did he do this? Why become one of us, live 33 years to show us abundant flourishing way of life, and then die? It can seem like a waste, a failure. Why not keep living for a while longer at least? Why die at all? What does his birth, life and death accomplish?
In John 19:31-42, Jesus is dead and buried. Two Jewish leaders, Joseph and Nicodemus, secret followers of Jesus, step in and care for Jesus’ body. And that is the end of the crucifixion story, as John tells it.
Theologians and Bible scholars through the ages have thought long and hard about this ever since. In the pages of the New Testament we read lots about it.
First of all, we cannot talk about the crucifixion without talking about the resurrection. They are integrally related. In our blog series we’re going to focus on the resurrection next week.
Second, Jesus’ death in the last few hundred years, at least in evangelical circles, is described primarily as a penal substitution. He was punished as our substitute. It’s this image of God the Father hauling back ready to give us a mighty blow of his wrath for our sin, and Jesus steps in front of us, taking the blow.
While there are some passages in Scripture that convey Jesus as a sacrificial substitute, my opinion is that the Penal Substitutionary viewpoint is also deeply inadequate. God the father killing God the son is a terrible, unbiblical picture of what is happening on the cross. It is far better to see Jesus who is God lovingly giving himself over to death. Jesus chose this, out of love for us.
In his death, he completes the sacrificial system, once for all, so that all human sin is forgiven. That means all humans have the opportunity of freedom. The sacrificial system was comprised of laws and rules. Jesus’ choice to become human, live a perfect life, and then give his life as the once-for-all sacrifice puts an end to the sacrificial system, setting us free to live an abundant life in relationship with him.
It is finished! Jesus defeats sin, death and the devil. While it seems that his death is a total failure, in the upside-down Kingdom of God, Jesus’ death is a victory. Next week when we talk about the resurrection we’re going to see that victory in its totality.
Engaging Scripture 