Why did Jesus have to die by crucifixion?

[Aaron the Tall]

My question isn't as simple as it might appear (although maybe someone has a simple answer).

I know that Jesus had to die to pay the penalty for our sins, but why did he have to die on the cross? Why did he have to be beaten, stripped, slapped, whipped, and stabbed? Couldn't he have accomplished the same level of redemption with a quick beheading or a sword through the heart?

Why did he have to be killed at all? Couldn't he have lived a regular long life, taking on our sins just moments before dying of natural causes?

What was it about the brutal torture that was necessary to accomplish redemption? Why wasn't a simple death sufficient?

I read that Jesus prayed "if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will."
Apparently it wasn't possible for Jesus to accomplish redemption in any other way because he proceeded with plan A. My question is why?

Anyone study up on this?

 

[Free]

I know that Jesus had to die to pay the penalty for our sins, but why did he have to die on the cross? Why did he have to be beaten, stripped, slapped, whipped, and stabbed? Couldn't he have accomplished the same level of redemption with a quick beheading or a sword through the heart?

That was the preferred Roman method of execution.

Why did he have to be killed at all? Couldn't he have lived a regular long life, taking on our sins just moments before dying of natural causes?

Heb 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.(ESV)

My question is why?

That is ultimately unanswerable. Maybe the method was chosen given the time or maybe the time was chosen given the method.

 

[bigllama]

Let's say someone breaks a window of your home. Someone has to pay for it to be fixed, either you or the person who broke the window. If you harbor anger against that person, you will make them pay for the window, and then spazz at them to make them feel guilty. However, if you forgive them and hold nothing against them, you will pay for the window.

Likewise, when we sin, and this happens constantly, someone has to pay the price, which is death. (Romans 6:23 says that the wages for sin is death). God is a God of love and forgiveness, and that is why Jesus came down to die for our sins.

As for why he had to die on the cross, I'm not completely sure, but it may have been prophesied in the Old Testament. I'll look this up later, too tired right now (Its 12:35 am)

 

[turnorburn]

Crucifixion was reserved for the worst of the worst, despised and rejected the most humiliating way to die they could think of in that time..

 

[Aaron the Tall]

I understand Jesus having to die. I'm just not sure why it had to be as brutal as it was. It's not like the bulls of the Old Testament sacrifices were tortured and beaten before being killed. I was usually a quick knife to the throat

As far as it being prophesied that Jesus would die on the cross - I think that's a little backward. Jesus didn't die on the cross because it was prophesied he would (God having to arrange things to fit according to what he spoke). Jesus death on the cross was pre-planned by God, and therefore He prophesied in advance what the plan was.

I've been reading over Isaiah 53. It seems to indicate that it was Christ's suffering that brought redemption, at least at much as his actual death.

BTW, didn't Jesus say "It is finished" before he died? Does that mean that redemption was accomplished before Jesus was actually dead? (goes along with the thought that it was the torture that satisfied God's justice).

 

[Cornelius]

There is a Biblical reason:

Gal 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.

Jesus had to become cursed of God, so that we can go free

Deu 21:23 his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is accursed of God; that thou defile not thy land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.


Here is what He achieved for us through all His suffering:

Isa 53:5 But 1) he was wounded for our transgressions, 2) he was bruised for our iniquities; 3) the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and 4) with his stripes we are healed.

That is what He meant when He said "It is finished" He fulfilled Isa 53: 5. He bought a full redemption, body , soul and spirit. Now you and I need not be conquered by the curse anymore. We now have the legal right to overcome the curse, because the Law regarding the curse has been fully satisfied.

Now we must learn how to walk in this freedom

blessings
C

 

[einstein]

Here is what He achieved for us through all His suffering:

Isa 53:5 But 1) he was wounded for our transgressions, 2) he was bruised for our iniquities; 3) the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and 4) with his stripes we are healed.



C. This may be off topic from the thread but I just could not ignore the problems of of your KJB translation from the original Hebrew bible which should be: "But he was pained because of our transgressions,crushed because of our iniquities;the chastisement of our welfare was upon him, and with his wounds we were healed." Just as an aside, the KJB correctly translates the word "havurah" and its various conjugations correctly as a bruise or wound in 5 other locations in the Hebrew Bible. So why is it "wound" at all other times, but "stripes" in Isa 53?

 

[Cornelius]

Yes, we better stick to the topic rather, because this question is important to understand.

blessings
C

 

[Aaron the Tall]

We now have the legal right to overcome the curse, because the Law regarding the curse has been fully satisfied.

Now we must learn how to walk in this freedom

Very good Cornelius. Thanks for that answer. I've been thinking about those same verses.

Any idea why someone who was hung from a tree was considered cursed?

Don't we believe that everyone under the Law was under a type of curse? What made the hanged man under more of a curse?

Maybe I just thought of an answer... Jesus had to bear the curse in order to set us free from it. Having been born of Father God, he wasn't "naturally" under the curse - so that is why he had to be put on the cross - to be put under the curse, in order to break it. Still not sure why putting him on a "tree" did that though....

 

[doubting thomas]

Crucifixion was reserved for the worst of the worst, despised and rejected the most humiliating way to die they could think of in that time..

it was reserved for political insurgents who challenged rome - hence "king of the jews" being placed atop his crucifix. his kingdom of god was a challenge to the kingdom of rome.

but the point remains that jesus could have just as easily been stoned to death, as the sadduccees would have preferred, or beheaded like john the baptist.

 

[Rick W]

Crucifixion was reserved for the worst of the worst, despised and rejected the most humiliating way to die they could think of in that time..

it was reserved for political insurgents who challenged rome - hence "king of the jews" being placed atop his crucifix. his kingdom of god was a challenge to the kingdom of rome.

but the point remains that jesus could have just as easily been stoned to death, as the sadduccees would have preferred, or beheaded like john the baptist.

There is prophecy of how He was to die. No broken bones, a spear to pierce his side, soldiers to gamble for his robe etc.
So the question is who decided His punishment?
The High Priests convinced the Romans to hold Christ accountable for transgression/s against the state. Was it Roman law that dictated the punishment for the crimes?
It would seem so.

 

[francisdesales]

There is prophecy of how He was to die. No broken bones, a spear to pierce his side, soldiers to gamble for his robe etc.
So the question is who decided His punishment?
The High Priests convinced the Romans to hold Christ accountable for transgression/s against the state. Was it Roman law that dictated the punishment for the crimes?
It would seem so.

I believe that crucifixion best shows the depths of God's love for us, subjecting His Son to such a humiliating death. Humility. Being stoned is not quite as bad as having your clothes removed and hung on a cross for HOURS to die.

 

[samuel]

Gla:10, For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
Gla:11, But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
Gla:12, And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
Gla:13, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

 

[doubting thomas]

Being stoned is not quite as bad as having your clothes removed and hung on a cross for HOURS to die.

but isaiah states he was "bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole...his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance". this, to me, speaks more to a stoning than a crucifixion.

as an aside, isaiah also tells us "he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth". the 'affliction' here seems a reference to uzziah and leprosy (thus his "marred appearance"), not jesus, who did open his mouth to question why god had forsaken him. how we get from the final words in mark and matthew to those in john (mentioned above) i do not know, but his worries at gethsemane speak more to mark and matthew's take than john's

 

[francisdesales]

Being stoned is not quite as bad as having your clothes removed and hung on a cross for HOURS to die.

but isaiah states he was "bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole...his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance". this, to me, speaks more to a stoning than a crucifixion.

as an aside, isaiah also tells us "he was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth". the 'affliction' here seems a reference to uzziah and leprosy (thus his "marred appearance"), not jesus, who did open his mouth to question why god had forsaken him. how we get from the final words in mark and matthew to those in john (mentioned above) i do not know, but his worries at gethsemane speak more to mark and matthew's take than john's

My friend, don't you think God decided to have His Christ crucified LONG before Isaiah wrote a single word? God was not bound to the prophesies!

Regards

 

[Cornelius]

We now have the legal right to overcome the curse, because the Law regarding the curse has been fully satisfied.

Now we must learn how to walk in this freedom

Very good Cornelius. Thanks for that answer. I've been thinking about those same verses.

Any idea why someone who was hung from a tree was considered cursed?

Don't we believe that everyone under the Law was under a type of curse? What made the hanged man under more of a curse?

Maybe I just thought of an answer... Jesus had to bear the curse in order to set us free from it. Having been born of Father God, he wasn't "naturally" under the curse - so that is why he had to be put on the cross - to be put under the curse, in order to break it. Still not sure why putting him on a "tree" did that though....

You are right. He to become cursed and I don't think another reason is given but that verse that says cursed is everyone that hangeth from a tree. He was beaten and whipped before they crucified Him. That is why we can get the full salvation today IF we believe. That salvation is salvation from the curse (sickness,lack, need, fear, etc) Our new Covenant now includes : Healing, protection, supply, deliverance etc. All the benefits that Jesus demonstrated during His ministry is now ours who live IN Him. The only condition is to be found in Him and seeing that He is the Word, that is easy to understand that we must just walk out the knowledge that we have of the Word (walking in the light) If we do: we are in Christ. We also have to believe that we are in Him (without faith we cannot be pleasing to God)

C