Victim or Victor

 

To the person who has never seriously studied the life and death of Christ, it might appear that he was a VICTIM. Nothing could be further from the truth.  At first glance one might think his death was caused by the Jewish authorities- the scribes and the Pharisees. 

After they questioned him, the High Priest said, "He deserves death!" (Matthew 26:65-66)

Or was it the everyday person?  When Pilate was questioning him, he seemed reluctant to issue a verdict.  Pilate said, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him.” (Jn 19:4) To that, the crowds said, "Crucify him!" (Matthew 27:23)

Finally, Pilate handed him over to be scourged and crucified. (Matthew27:29)

 So, who was responsible for the death of Jesus?  Was it the Jewish leaders, the everyday person, or Pilate?  Or was it all three?

Upon a closer look, we discover that the suffering and death of the Messiah was a plan conceived in the heart and mind of God from eternity past.  Because of His great love for us, the Father gave the Son.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. (John 3:16-17)

And Jesus was not trying to avoid suffering and death.  When arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane He could have resisted…

And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? (Matthew 26:51-53)

 And when Jesus was before Pilate, he was silent.  This provoked Pilate to challenge Jesus…

So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” (John 19:10-11)

 It is easy for us to assume that Jesus suffered at the hands of men, which he certainly did.  But his death, burial, and resurrection were part of a grander plan.  As we shall see, Jesus was no victim.  He was a victor.

 Throughout his earthly ministry there were frequent references to his impending death.  At the inauguration of his ministry, John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (Jn 1:29) John was correctly identifying the Lord as a sacrificial lamb.  In the Levitical sacrificial system, a pure, undefiled lamb was used as a sin sacrifice.  At the Passover, when the plague was threatening the first-born males in Egypt, God commanded a lamb to be killed, and their shed blood sprinkled on the doorposts of the Israelite's dwelling. 

Jesus also clearly identified himself as the "Good Shepherd". 

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. (Jn 10:11)

“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. “No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.” (John 10:17-18)

 When the disciples were arguing over who was the greatest, Jesus exhorted them to follow his example as a humble servant…

 “It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28)

When we study the life of Christ in detail, we see numerous predictions of his suffering and death, and also his resurrection.

 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as JONAH WAS THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF THE SEA MONSTER, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:39-40)

 And of course, the three “passion predictions” found in the synoptic gospels each refer to the resurrection.  In the book of Matthew, we see: 

·         Matthew 16:21 (Go to Jerusalem, suffer many things by elders and chief priests, be killed, be raised on the third day.)

·         Matthew 17:22-23 (Adds betrayal by Jews and Gentiles, reiterates death and resurrection)

·         Matthew 20:17-19 (Highly detailed, reaffirms Jerusalem, clarifies chief priests and scribes as behind it, specifies Roman mocking, scourging, and crucifixion, reaffirms the resurrection) 

So, it is easy to see the suffering and death of Jesus was no accident or the tragic result of human conniving.  It was central to the earthly life of the Messiah.  From eternity past he was always intended to be a "Suffering Servant":

 The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not disobedient Nor did I turn back. I gave My back to those who strike Me, And My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting. For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. (Isaiah 50:5-7) 

Isaiah gave this Messianic prophecy roughly 700 years before Christ.  Taken together with Isaiah chapter 52-53 they give a vivid and incredibly accurate picture of the suffering that Christ would endure.  This is also true of David's Psalm 22:

For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. (Psalm 22:16-18)

 Christ quoted Psalm 22 on the cross, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” And they pierced his hands and feet with large nails and cast lots for his clothing- incredible.

So, the cross was not some strange turn of events and Jesus was no victim.  As a matter of fact, he showed incredible courage as he marched towards Jerusalem.  Starting with Luke chapter 9 we see a deliberate, purposeful plan to make it to Jerusalem in time for the Passover, to suffer and die.

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51)

 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ (Luke 13:33)

This was no victim.  He deliberately went to the cross.  But why?

• To obey the Father

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8) 

• Because of His great love

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us… (1 John 3:16a) 

• For the joy set before Him

…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Jesus was looking forward to eternity at the right hand of his dear Father.  He also was looking ahead to our joining him in his kingdom. 

So, what is our conclusion?  Christ was no victim. He was a victor, a conquering hero!  Christ’s death and resurrection represent a victory over the powers of sin, death, and Satan, liberating humanity from their bondage.

 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him. (Colossians 2:13-15) 

All passages in this post were taken from The New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995).