Two thousand years ago, in what is now known as the Middle East, a Jewish Rabbi by the name of Yeshua ben Yosef created a sensation by calling himself the Son of God. He performed miracles and healed the sick, but the majority of people remained skeptical of his claim. They said, “Is this not Yeshua, the son of Yosef from Nazareth? Do we not know his father and mother? How can he claim to come down from Heaven?” (1). John the Baptist, the greatest of all the prophets, sent two of his followers to question Yeshua. Upon finding him they asked, “Are you the Messiah?” He did not directly answer their question, rather told them to watch as he proceeded to perform several miracles. After this he said to them, “Now go tell John what you have seen and he will be blessed if he is not offended” (2). John’s followers returned and told him they had not received a direct reply to their question, but were instead told to watch as Yeshua healed the blind, deaf, and the lame.
John, who was prophesied in Isaiah as the forerunner to the Messiah (the one who was to prepare the way), must have been comforted more by the actions of Yeshua then His words. The same book of Isaiah that mentions the “voice in the wilderness” (John the Baptist) also mentions the healing ministry of the coming Messiah: “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.” (3) Yeshua had fulfilled all of these prophecies and within an hour. Shortly after this, John told his two followers to follow Yeshua, as “He must increase as I must decrease.” (4) This became the starting point of the Messiah’s apostles.
The Jewish religious authorities became increasing hostile towards Yeshua. They resented the fact that he was becoming more popular then John the Baptist. They were disturbed that he was openly breaking their man made laws, and in particular, they were upset because he was calling himself the “Son of God.” However, their opposition turned to rage after Yeshua made the statement, “I solemnly declare it: before Abraham came to be, I AM.” (5) This was a direct reference to Exodus 3:14 when God told Moses, “I AM that I AM…this is my name forever.” It was one thing for Yeshua to call himself the Messiah, as Israel had seen many false prophets and messiahs, but he was also claiming to be God—the Supreme Creator of the universe.
As far as the authorities were concerned, he had gone too far and had committed blasphemy, which was punishable under the Jewish law by death. Jews themselves were stripped of all authority by the Romans to pass sentences of death. They still continued the practice of stoning to death (which Roman soldiers turned their back) however, the case involving Yeshua had become to high profile for this sentence. The Jewish leaders figured they could still kill Yeshua by having him prosecuted and executed under Roman law. What they did not realize was that the Messiah to fulfill prophecy, had to be beaten and crucified, as was written in Isaiah 53:5: He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed.”
The Jewish religious leaders approached Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of the province of Judea, and expressed their concern about Yeshua of Nazareth. They told Pilate he was calling himself God, which was blasphemy. Pilate replied that he did not consider such a statement a crime. The Jewish leaders told Pilate that he was also calling himself a king, and he was causing unrest amongst the people. The Jewish leaders reminded Pilate there was but one king— Caesar. This tactic worked as Pilate became concerned the man might insight further trouble or cause a rebellion that would be reported back to Caesar.
Yeshua was brought before Pilate and was asked if he considered himself a king. He replied that his Kingdom was not of this world, but that he rules over the Kingdom of truth, and over the hearts of men who acknowledge the truth. Pilate turned to him and asked, "What is truth?” Finding no evidence to support a penalty of death, Pilate decided to let the Jewish people themselves decide his fate. Each year during the Passover festival the Roman Governor would release to the Jews a prisoner of their choosing. Pilate brought before the crowd Yeshua and a notorious prisoner, Barabbas. Pilate asked them, “Whom shall I release” and the crowd shouted “Barabbas.” Reluctantly, Pilate released Barabbas and said, “What shall I do with Yeshua, the one you call the Christ” and the crowd chanted in unison, “crucify him.” Pilate washed his hands in a bowl of water and told the crowd, “I am innocent of this man’s blood.” He then gave the order forYeshua to be put to death outside the city wall of Jerusalem at Golgotha, the “Place of the Skull.”
Yeshua was beaten, scourged, and nailed to a wooden cross. Consistent with the Roman tradition of total humiliation for condemned criminals, he was stripped of all of his clothes and hung naked before his adversaries, family, and friends. Two criminals crucified next to him that day also joined with the crowd mocking him. In Matthew 27:44, it is recorded that “the robbers crucified with him reviled in him in the same way.” As Yeshua lay impaled upon the cross, bleeding profusely, and naked before all eyes, he prayed out loud, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” (6) A Roman soldier placed a sign above Yeshua’s head inscribed with the words “King of the Jews.” Jewish authorities protested, but to no avail, as Pilate told them, “I have written what I have written.”
One of the criminals turned towards Yeshua and mocked him by saying: “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” However, the other rebuked him, by saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” He then turned towards Yeshua and said, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Yeshua replied to him, “Truly I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise.” (7) What caused the change of heart in the one criminal who had originally mocked Yeshua? We may never know for sure, but it does show that the entrance into the kingdom of God is not based upon any amount of good works, but upon a confession of one’s belief in God’s Son, as we are saved by grace through faith.
The death of Yeshua, who is known as Christ to the Greeks, or Jesus to the English speaking world, is the most significant event in our world’s history. At the age of thirty-three he made his final trip to Jerusalem to fulfill his purpose in life. Along the winding road to the city he was warned several times of imminent danger ahead; however, he never swayed but continued on with the secret desire to die— that we may live. If Jesus had not served his purpose with obedience, we would still find ourselves bound to the law and unworthy in God’s eyes. Jesus fulfilled the law, and brought us into the new covenant of grace, whereas, belief in Jesus, not deeds of the law, bring us salvation. Christians are not required to meet the obligations of the Mosaic ceremonial laws and traditions; however, we are required to abide by God’s laws of morality (which are eternal).
Make no mistake about it; the God of the Bible is not the same god that the Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists serve. The God of the Bible is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of Israel. God gave the law to Moses not only for guidance and purpose, but to also foreshadow the coming of the “Final Adam” or Messiah. The law required the blood sacrifice of animals as atonement for sins, just as Jesus was the blood sacrifice for our sins. Jesus was arrested during the Passover festival, which celebrated the passing over of the angel of death prior to the Jews escape from Egyptian bondage. By spreading the blood of a lamb over their doors, the angel of death passed them over during the plagues God brought upon Egypt. Jesus himself would later be the blood sacrifice during the Passover festival. God’s perfect Son, while in Jerusalem was arrested, unjustly convicted and shamelessly put to death. While this was going on the Jewish people were searching for an unblemished lamb to offer up as a sacrifice. As the lambs were being sacrificed up to God, the Messiah was being sacrificed for us. Guilty of no crime, he took the place of Barabbas, a condemned man, and his blood was shed so that our sins would be forgiven.
It was only through the sinless life that Jesus lead, which fulfilled God’s original plan, that man became right in God’s eyes again. The “Anointed One” took the burden of our disobedience on the cross, so that the debt of original sin and all sins after would be wiped clean. Man had brought God's fury upon himself through disobedience, but through obedience, Jesus satisfied God’s wrath and brought us back into his favor.
REFERENCES:
1. John 6:41
2. Luke 7:23
3. Isaiah 35:5-6
4. John 3:30
5. John 8:58
6. Luke 23:34
7. Luke 23:39-43
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