Why Did Jesus Have to Suffer and Die?

Why did Jesus have to suffer and die? Believe it or not, nowadays, it depends on who you ask. Some believe He died merely to set an example of being willing to die for those you love, to die for what you believe in—a martyr for the cause—or as an example of obedience to God, even if it means your own death. Others theorize that He demonstrated God’s love by suffering as we suffer at times. One scholar claims that Jesus died merely to establish His right to rule when He returns to usher in Israel’s Messianic kingdom.
But what does Christianity say, and what does the Bible say? As PJ told us, the quick and easy answer given by most Christians is that Jesus died to save us from our sins. And that’s true. It is so very true. However, as PJ also pointed out, that quick, simple answer doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what was happening as Jesus hung, dying on the cross.
To demonstrate this reality, consider the fact that, back in 2005, Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle preached a 12-part sermon series entitled, “Christ on the Cross,” in which he focuses on 12 specific reasons Jesus had to die, all of which lie under the surface of the statement, “Jesus died to save us from our sins.” In addition, we could point to the fact that innumerable pages, articles, and books have been written about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, all seeking to unpack the meaning of this simple statement.
The aspect of Jesus’ death that PJ looked at this week was that of sacrifice. He began with the Old Testament, most notably, the book of Leviticus, in which we find the rules and regulations for all the sacrifices, or offerings, that were to be part of worship for the Israelites. As we read through this book, we find four kinds of sacrifices. There was the burnt offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, and the guilt offering. In addition, on the Day of Atonement, Israel’s high priest offered a sacrifice for the sins of the entire nation. And let’s not forget the annual Passover sacrifice, commemorating when God led them out of Egypt.
The point of all this is that, day after day, hundreds, even thousands of animals were slaughtered. Their throats were slit, and blood would gush out as they bled to death. And with each sacrifice, some of the blood would be splattered on the altar. The temple grounds were continually a gross and bloody mess.
But why was all this necessary? To make atonement. That is, to reconcile the people back to God. For as God had told Adam and Eve, “In the day that you eat of [the forbidden tree], you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). Likewise, Ezekiel 18:4 says, “The soul who sins shall die.”
Now, physical death did eventually come to Adam and Eve after they disobeyed God. But the more significant death they suffered—which we all suffer—is spiritual death. Spiritual death is separation from God; the breaking of a relationship with Him. And because God is holy, that separation is permanent.
That is, unless atonement is made through the death of one who does not deserve to die. In the Old Testament, it was the death of an animal. And what would happen is this: The person offering the sacrifice would, in the presence of the priest, lay his hands on the head of the animal and confess all his sins, thereby transferring his guilt to the animal. Now, it was as if the animal had committed those sins. Then the animal would pay the price for those sins by being killed. As a result, the person offering the sacrifice would be brought back into relationship to God.
But there was a problem with this. It was only a temporary fix. As Hebrews 10:3-4 explains, “In these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.”
Even after becoming Christians, we still sin, just as the Israelites continued to sin after offering a sacrifice. The difference, to quote from John the Baptist, is that Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). And as Hebrews 10 explains, Jesus “offered for all time a single sacrifice for all sins,” and by that single offering, “has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (vv. 12 & 14).
The reason for this is twofold. First, as a human, Jesus was capable of truly being our substitute. A human, not an animal, is the only one who could truly die in the place of other humans. Secondly, as the infinite God, Jesus was the only one who could bear the full penalty for all our sins. As Wayne Grudem says, “Any finite creature would have been incapable of bearing that penalty.”
Saying that Jesus died to save us from our sins, while true, does not even begin to scratch the surface of the meaning behind the cross. Neither does this brief study tying His death to the Old Testament’s sacrificial system. In fact, I think we could spend our entire lives studying the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and never fully grasp what was happening in the spiritual realm. However, we should not let that fact discourage us from seeking to understand it to the extent that we can.


QUESTIONS FOR STUDY AND APPLICATION

1. As PJ told us in his sermon, only someone who is infinite could adequately deal with our sin problem. What does this say about the nature of our sin and the punishment it deserves?


2. Some religions teach that a combination of faith and works is the prerequisite for salvation. As Protestant Christians, we believe that faith alone is necessary for salvation. How does the death of Christ counteract the notion that good works are also required for salvation? (Hint: Use John 19:30 as a starting reference point)


3. In the Old Testament, priests sacrificed animals. The book of Hebrews presents Jesus as both the priest and the sacrifice. Why, do you think, is this significant?


4. In the Old Testament, worship was closely associated with the idea of sacrifice. Since Jesus died on the cross, we no longer offer animal sacrifices to God. Has this removed the idea of sacrifice entirely from what it means to worship? In what sense ought we to “sacrifice” when we worship today?