The Purpose of Jesus' Death

The Purpose of Jesus’ Death

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28).

Here is a question I was asked several years ago, that I believe may be on the minds of many people today:

Why did Jesus, who had an immensely impactful ministry of healing and teaching, allow His work to abruptly end with His death?

The answer lies in a deeper purpose—Jesus did not come solely to teach or heal but specifically to lay down His life for us. His death was not an accident or the result of what those seeking His death thought it was. His death was central to God’s plan for salvation, and through it, He accomplished more than His earthly ministry could.

Jesus knew from the beginning that His mission involved the cross. Despite His ability to escape arrest or extend His ministry to more people, He chose the path of suffering and sacrifice. His purpose wasn’t just to offer wise teachings or perform miracles, but to take on humanity’s sins, offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice. As Isaiah 53 foretold, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.(Isaiah 53:5).

Through His death, Jesus bore the punishment for our sins, a sacrifice that no one else could make. His death may have looked like defeat, but it was, in reality, a victory over sin and death. When Jesus hung on the cross, He became a curse for us, so we could receive the gift of righteousness and eternal life.

Jesus’ death demonstrates both God’s justice and His love. Sin has real consequences, and Jesus willingly took those upon Himself so that we might be reconciled to God. As the Apostle Paul reminds us, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The cross stands as a reminder of the immense price Jesus paid and the love, He has for each of us. God’s justice demands no less than a perfect sacrifice and Jesus was that perfect lamb spoken of by John who said, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29)

Lord Jesus, thank You for choosing to lay down Your life for me. Help me to remember the depth of Your love and the magnitude of Your sacrifice. Teach me to live in the light of Your grace, knowing that You have paid the ultimate price for my salvation. May I never forget the power of the cross and the victory You won through Your death. Amen.


Credit: Ron Kelley

No Comments


Recent

Archive

Categories

Tags

no tags