This period is one of my favourite on the Christian calendar. It redirects my focus to how it all began and why I am where I am today. This is the one thing that unites all believers. It is the one thing that makes us believers in the first place: our belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Before going further into this topic, I would like to establish the fact that Jesus lived on earth. For us to say that Jesus was crucified, it means He actually lived. He was a real-life person. There can be no claim of death if there is no life at first.
Many people have drawn a false conclusion that Jesus is a myth. While the buried remains of Jesus have not been found, –and can never be found since Jesus was resurrected bodily –many scholars, some historians, and a few non-biblical books attest that the Man named Jesus walked this earth.
In the celebration of this season, we are reminded of some very fundamental truths. One, that we were deep in sin, full of shortcomings, and well on our way to perdition (Rom. 6:23). Two, God loved us so much that He decided to send us a Savior (Jn. 3:16). Three, Jesus is the Savior who paid the ultimate price (Matt. 1:21). Four, we have been reconciled to God by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:18).
Christ crucified
There are many debates about whether Jesus was actually crucified on a cross, tree, or pole. But I think this is a distracting discussion. Whether it was a cross or a pole, the fact remains that He died for us…and in the most humbling of ways.
You may wonder, why did Jesus have to die? Why did He have to be crucified? Getting into the intricacies of the matter may be more than what a single article can handle but this is the bottom line:
According to the law, a sacrificial lamb was to be slain to absolve a person of his sin. By dying for our sins, Jesus became that sacrificial lamb. Recall that the criteria for the lamb is that it is one without blemish (Lev. 4:32).
Only Jesus walked this earth without sin (1 Pet. 2:22). He was the perfect Lamb without blemish. By dying, He atoned not just for our sins but that of the whole world (Jn. 1:29). The blood of lambs and bulls which man had depended on initially could not wipe away sin (Heb. 10:4). They only served as a temporary solution.
Formerly, it was multiple lambs fitting for different sacrifices. But Jesus’s one sacrifice covered the multiple sins and errors of the world, once and for all.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds, you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24 ESV
The Bible says in Deuteronomy 21:23 that anyone who hangs on a tree is cursed. Jesus did not die by falling from a high cliff, as the Pharisees wanted (Lk. 4:29). He did not die by being burnt in oil or stoned to death. The death by crucifixion was more befitting because He intended to take up all our curses –and He did.
He was hanged on that pole or tree or stake so that our curses could be removed (Gal. 3:13). If you’re very conversant with the Old Testament, you would have seen how curses were always lined up for any slight deviation from the law. It was –and still is –impossible to fulfill all of the law. So, Jesus hung on that pole (was crucified) so that He could take up all of the curses that should have been ours to bear. He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”
Galatians 3:13 ESV
The significance of it all
One significant thing that happened at the time when Jesus died was that the veil covering the holies of holies was torn from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51; Mk. 15:38). Whatever demarcation or separation that existed between us and God was removed that very day. That day, we received the privilege to approach God’s throne of grace (Heb. 4:16). Sin was dealt with and we were no longer separated from God.
The events that led up to the crucifixion are arguably more heartbreaking than the death itself. But this shouldn’t break your heart, rather, it should warm it. Jesus was willing to go through betrayal and endure such an amount of shame just for you.
He was flogged and wounded for our sins and he had to bear the burden for our peace as well. His stripes brought us healing (Isa. 53:5). Even an animal for slaughter was not treated that way in those times. But Jesus endured it all for us.
Worst of all, He was crucified with real sinners (Lk. 23:33). The One who knew no sin became sin and took our place on that cross, that we might be called the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Jn. 3:5)
When Jesus was nailed to that cross, carrying the burden of the whole world, being jested at and shamed, He still prayed for us (Lk. 23:34). If you, as a Christian, have not had to endure this much for anyone, praying and loving those who hate you should not be hard (don’t worry, grace is made available). Jesus prayed for our forgiveness and then wrapped it up nicely by saying: IT IS FINISHED (Jn. 19:30). That is, no other penalty needs to be paid. No other atoning sacrifice exists or is required to exist.
The gospel is simple. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16). Jesus died to give you everlasting life and He lives to make intercession for you. Today presents you with an opportunity to accept this gift of God. Like in the times of old, all you have to do to receive this cleansing power of the blood of the Lamb is to identify with it. Believe in the sacrifice of Jesus today and say this prayer: Dear Jesus, I thank you for your sacrifice of love for me. Today, I believe in the saving power of your blood. From now on, I live as one whom you have saved. Amen.
P.S: Today is a very good day to have the Communion. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:26 BSB
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV
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