In our last post, we left with Jesus hanging on the cross accused of all the sin of mankind… of all human history. Two main questions come to mind right away. One, how can God die and two, what is the standard of justice that this execution was based upon?
When talking about His crucifixion to the disciples, Jesus was very careful of the words He used. Matthew 20:18 “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death”. And again in Luke 9:22 “… The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day”. Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us as one of us, yet without sin (John 1:14, Heb. 2:17). Philippians 2:7-8 also tells us that He “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”.
Jesus Christ is the “Son of God” which speaks of his deity—and the “Son of Man” speaking of his humanity. He is a son of man, that is, a human being. And he is the Son of God, in that he has always existed as the Eternally Begotten One who comes forth from the Father forever. He always has, and he always will. He is the Second Person of the Godhead with all of the divine nature and attributes fully in him. Jesus is the manifested one, the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15). The member of the Godhead that we see. This is important because it was the Son of Man who hung on that cross… in His humanity… as a human. Jesus was one of us. This had to be. Otherwise, Jesus could never represent all of mankind. Hebrews 10:5 says, “Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, Sacrifice and offering you desired not, but a body have you prepared me”.
We have to realize that everything was done according to the law. The law spelled out the sacrifice and offering for sin in Lev. 16. It describes the process for making atonement for the sins of the people. We will discuss some details of this in future posts, but for now, there must be a substitute. The pattern of the law requires an offering and a sacrifice. The sacrifice of bulls and goats was not good enough to offer redemption for all mankind. It was a temporary fix. Jesus, the Son of Man was that substitute and the payment was with His own blood. The Justice of God demands that someone pay the penalty. Jesus was that someone. Jesus qualified because He was born into this world of a virgin which meant that His blood was pure. He lived a perfect sinless life and fulfilled the law. John the Baptist called Him, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Literally, God the Father sacrificed His own Son.
What outrageous LOVE that is beyond all reason!
The Father forsook His Son and declared Him guilty. The holiness of God demanded this. The Son of Man cannot be in the presence of God in this state. Satan successfully prosecuted Jesus Christ of sin and rested his case. He is guilty as charged. Since the Father forsook His Son, there is only one other alternative. Separation from God. The wages that sin pays out is death (Rom. 6:23). With all the sins of mankind upon Him Jesus cries out from the cross, “It is finished”.
1 Peter 2:24 “Who is own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sin should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed.” Also see Psalm 40:12, Isaiah 53:7.
Mark 15:34 “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? Which is being interpreted, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
It is interesting to note that Jesus should ask this question. He would know the result of becoming sin. This question makes me wonder if Jesus was experiencing the effects of sin and the accompanying confusion, bewilderment, and ignorance.
Jesus gives up the ghost – He dies.
And now the Father will begin to pour out His wrath upon His Son…
Grace and peace. Amen!