Who Was Responsible For The Death Of Christ?

This is the third post in a series from Chapter 3 of Friends With God: “The Joy That Was Set Before Him”.

In the Second Post we examined what Christ said we must actually do in order to be granted the gift of eternal life.

In this article we will see what scripture informs us as to who was responsible for the death of Christ.

Those Who Live By The Sword

On the night of the Passover, (at the last supper) the disciples were told to bring some swords. (Luke 22:36-38) They duly found two, and later Peter used his sword against those who were sent to arrest Jesus. (Matt 26:51)

Perhaps, given the request for swords, the disciples assumed that Jesus was going to die in a battle? But as soon as they used their swords, he immediately stopped them, saying:

Put up your sword again into its place; for all who take the sword shall perish with the sword. Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions (about 72,000) of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so? (Matt 26:53-54)

Jesus was in charge of his own fate. He was not going to be protected by a few friends with swords. He could have spoken the word, and things would have been radically different- with thousands of powerful angels to fight for him! But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?

Jesus also told them of the many prophecies regarding his death: Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)

Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.

Earlier in his ministry, Christ had strongly rebuked Peter, for trying to dissuade Him from saying that he was going to be killed. (Matt 16:23, Mark 8:33) Peter totally believed in Jesus, and knew his awesome power. He had seen firsthand how he gave sight to the blind, restored hearing to the deaf, made the lame walk, and even raised the dead on many occasions! (Matt 10:8, Matt 11:5, Luke 7:22) It seemed impossible that he, the Messiah- the anointed of God- could actually be murdered! But that is what Jesus told them:

 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes,
and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying,
“Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” 
But he (Jesus) turned, and said unto Peter, Get you behind me, Satan: you are an offence unto me: for you care not for the things that be of God, but those that be of men. (Matt 16:21-23)

What a dramatic confrontation, and all the more so as it came not long after Peter had proclaimed Jesus as being the Messiah, the Son of the living God. (Matt 16:16)

Perhaps Peter was assuming that Jesus was a bit depressed when he said that he was going to be killed?- So he decided to take Jesus in hand and give him some strong encouragement and correction!

However, judging by Jesus’ rebuke, Peter could not have got it more wrong!

Jesus was not depressed. He was very earnest about his fate, and did not need anyone, no matter how well meaning, to undermine his determination to fulfil the Father’s purpose for him. 

Yet Peter, at that time, obviously did not understand that Jesus was not simply going to be taken by a mob of thugs to be killed- rather, it’s clear from the scriptures, that he willingly gave himself up to them:

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knows me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. ….
Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
No man taketh it (my life) from me, but I lay it down of myself.
I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.
This commandment have I received of my Father. (John 10:14-18)

Clearly Jesus was in control of his own life, and it was the Father’s Will that he lay down his life. As he said: No one has greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Prior to that day of Passover when he surrendered to the mob, he had made sure he escaped all physical harm, as his hour had not yet come. (John 7:30, 8:20)

At the time of Jesus’ death we see that He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth. (Isa 53:7, Acts 8:32)

However, prior to his death he had often sternly rebuked the religious leaders, and strongly refuted the wrong teachings of those who wanted to kill him. (Luke 4:16-30, John 8:31-59, John 10:24-39, Mark 7:4-13) Yet he escaped out of their hands, until his hour had come to die.

Jesus was certainly not ready or willing to lay down his life to the evil people of his day, until it was the appropriate time. Then, when it was God’s will that he die, he was willing to be arrested. Even so, as we see in his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, it took some deep prayer and strong emotions for his will to be fully reconciled to the will of God the Father. (Matt 26:36-46)

The example of Christ’s suffering is one of patient endurance:

For what glory is it if you patiently endure while sinning and being buffeted? (what great thing is it, if you are patient when you are punished for doing unrighteousness) But if you suffer while doing good, and patiently endure, this is acceptable with God. (if you are patient, having been punished for doing good works, then this is acceptable to God) for to this (purpose) you were called, (to be patient in suffering) For Christ also suffered on our behalf, leaving us an example, that we should follow in His steps, (1Peter 2:20-21)

Jesus showed us how to handle the suffering we will go through, by his example. He willingly gave up his life to those who were destined to kill him, so that we in the future would know by his example how to handle suffering for his name’s sake.

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. (Matt 24:9) There are many other scriptures warning of Christians being martyred: Matt 10:17-22, Matt 22:6, Matt 23:34; Mark 13:9-13; Luke 11:49, Luke 21:12, Luke 21:16-17; John 15:19-20, John 16:2.

This reason for the death of Christ as being an example for us is clear:

He who did no sin, nor was guile (deceit) found in His mouth (he did not try to deceive his oppressors), who when He was reviled (criticized angrily by them) did not revile in return. (He did not verbally attack those who reviled him) When He suffered, He did not threaten, but gave Himself up to Him who judges righteously. (1Peter 2:22-23)

Jesus gave himself up to follow the will of God, who is the only one who judges righteously.

What he commands us to do is to follow his example, such that we are also willing to live and die for our friends, as he did for us. This is the Will of God for us:

No one has greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:13-14)

Doing God’s will in our lives means that we are to be a living sacrifice for others, which demonstrates that we love God in the same way that Christ loved us, and gave himself as a living sacrifice for us to follow:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
(Rom 12:1-2)

God was in control of the physical death of Jesus. He could have stopped it, but he didn’t, as we needed his example to show us how to live in this world, and suffer persecution, even unto death if necessary.

Yet what other purpose did the death of Christ serve?

We will examine, in the next article in this series, some of the commonly held beliefs as to the purpose and meaning of the death of Christ.