From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
In light of what the Bible tells us concerning Jesus' death, the debate over who killed Jesus seems trivial and somewhat ridiculous. Yes, Pilate has guilt. Yes the temple leaders have guilt. Yes the Roman culture that enslaved the Jews and others has guilt. Yes the weak-minded crowd has guilt. Clearly, however, Jesus gave His life as the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin. This was God's plan. This is God's love.
This is love -not that we love God, but that He loved us and gave His Son.... Father sent His Son. The Son gave His own life. Neither the Jews nor the Romans violated Jesus' will to redeem mankind. Max Lucado said it something like this: nails can't hold God to a tree -love held Jesus to the cross.
There is a sense, of course, in which your sin and my sin held Jesus to the tree. You and I are responsible for His death. He died for us. But He did it willingly. This is love. He loves us. He did not have to die. He chose to die in order to redeem and restore and bring us from spiritual death into life. His love compelled Him to give His own life.
The question is not who killed Jesus. The question is not even why did Jesus die. In fact, the question is not even whether God loves us. The only legitimate question is why would God love us this much? And for that I have no answer.
I do not know why God loves me so much, but I am convinced that He does. And I am grateful. I choose to love Him in return, and to learn to walk in light of His love.
Lord, I love You; help me love You more.
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