I believe that if we are to maintain biblical Christianity we must refocus our attention on the cros

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I believe that if we are to maintain biblical
Christianity we must refocus our attention on the
cross. We must live and celebrate it. At a time
when more Christians in the world are dying for
Christ than at any time in the history of the
faith, we must even be ready to die for it.
Michael Card, Artist and Author
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Of all the questions regularly asked about
Jesus, the question Why did Jesus die? must be
among the most frequent. It is certainly the
most fascinating. N. T. Wright, Historian
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It is no surprise, in view of his teachings and
actions, that Jesus was crucified. What is
surprising is that it did not happen sooner.
Ben Witherington III, Historian Theologian
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Jesus was not busy with a religious revival he
was busy with a revolution a revolution in
religion, in politics, and in everything
else. Albert Nolan, Historian
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We should begin our study with two firm facts
before us Jesus was executed by the Romans as
would-be king of the Jews, and his disciples
subsequently formed a messianic movement which
was not based on the hope of military victory.
The difficulty explaining how to hold these two
facts together is the fundamental problem
involved in attempting to understand the death of
Jesus. E. P. Sanders, Historian
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Jesus messianic calling led him not to military
victory over Rome, but to death at the hands of
the Romans. This was an unwelcome and virtually
incomprehensible vision in the eyes of Jesus
contemporaries, including his closest
followers. Mark D. Roberts, New Testament
Scholar
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When Jews of Jesus day celebrated Passover, its
message of freedom naturally resonated into their
own context. What God had done to Egypt, He
would do to Rome. What He had done for Israel
then, He would do for her again. Thats why the
Romans were on special alert over the holiday
period. N.T. Wright, Historian Theologian
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Jesus was following, and advocating, an agenda
which involved setting aside some of the most
central and cherished symbols of the Judaism of
his day, and replacing them with loyalty to
himself. Passover was no exception. N. T.
Wright, Historian Theologian
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As Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, he took
the twelve disciples aside privately and told
them what was going to happen to him. "When we
get to Jerusalem," he said, "the Son of Man will
be betrayed to the leading priests and the
teachers of religious law. They will sentence him
to die. Then they will hand him over to the
Romans to be mocked, whipped, and crucified. But
on the third day he will be raised from the
dead." Matthew 2017-19 (NLT)
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The Motive
The Conspiracy Theory
The Unusual Suspects
The Missing Body
The Death Wish
The Murder
The Set Up
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As Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, he took
the twelve disciples aside privately and told
them what was going to happen to him. "When we
get to Jerusalem," he said, "the Son of Man will
be betrayed to the leading priests and the
teachers of religious law. They will sentence him
to die. Then they will hand him over to the
Romans to be mocked, whipped, and crucified. But
on the third day he will be raised from the
dead." Matthew 2017-19 (NLT)
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What is difficult for our culture to
understand, indeed what it cannot understand on
its own terms, is an orientation to ones life
that is not focused on self at all, either as
self-esteem, or self-abasement, as
self-fulfillment or self-emptying. M. Eugene
Boring, New Testament Scholar
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Jesus called them together and said, "You know
that those who are regarded as rulers of the
Gentiles lord it over them, and their high
officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not
so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become
great among you must be your servant, 44 and
whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be
served, but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many." Mark 1042-45 (TNIV)
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The events of the last supper are enacted
against the backdrop of a cosmic struggle between
the powers of good and evil. Gail R. ODay,
New Testament Scholar
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Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read
it to the people. They all responded again, "We
will do everything the Lord has commanded. We
will obey." 8 Then Moses sprinkled the blood
from the basins over the people and said, "This
blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made
with you in giving you these laws." Exodus
247-8 (NLT)
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"And I will turn against anyone, whether an
Israelite or a foreigner living among you, who
eats or drinks blood in any form. I will cut off
such a person from the community, 11 for the
life of any creature is in its blood. I have
given you the blood so you can make atonement for
your sins. It is the blood, representing life,
that brings you atonement. 12 That is why I
said to the Israelites 'You and the foreigners
who live among you must never eat or drink
blood.' Leviticus 1710-12 (NLT)
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Their stomachs must have been in knots. The
Gospels give no indication that a word was spoken
in response. For a change, these twelve men sat
in absolute, stunned silence. Words failed to
describe their feelings. Chuck Swindol,
Pastor
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"Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn
us, but He will heal us He has wounded us, but
He will bandage us. 2 "He will revive us after
two days He will raise us up on the third
day, That we may live before Him. Hosea
61-2 (NASB)
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