The Reason For Easter

If Jesus was such a good man why was he crucified by the Roman authorities 2000 years ago? Death by crucifixion was reserved for the lowest of criminals – murderers, insurrectionists, slaves.

On the surface the motivation appeared political. The Jewish religious leaders were threatened by Jesus’ rising popularity. His popularity threatened to undermine their power base. When Jesus was brought before Pilate, these were the charges laid against him: “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king” (Luke 23:2). Jesus was further accused of undermining Jewish law and of seeking to destroy the temple.

Yet Jesus was the most law-abiding, God-fearing man who lived. He taught his disciples to respect and honour both the Jewish and the Roman authorities (Matthew 22:15-22; 23:2-3). After close scrutiny Pilate himself, declared Jesus to be innocent of all the charges (Luke 23:14).

So why was Jesus put to death? The New Testament witness clearly tells us that Jesus was not the helpless victim of a harsh political agenda. Jesus was handed over to death by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge (Acts 2:23). ‘It was the Lord’s will to crush him’ (Isaiah 53:10). Jesus himself predicted that he would suffer, die and on the third day rise again ( Luke 9:22, 44; 11:29–30; 13:32–34; 17:25; 18:31–33). Jesus said it was his mission to come ‘to give his life as a ransom for many’. Jesus handed himself over to death to bring salvation to many. Why is this necessary?

The Bible says that all of us without exception have rejected God’s rightful rule over us (Romans 3:10). The penalty for rebellion is death and judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The just and holy God never allows guilt to go unpunished. Every crime must face its just penalty. Yet in his love, God sent his Son Jesus to take that justice on himself. In his crucifixion, Jesus willingly took our death penalty in our place. Jesus died, the innocent for the guilty to win our pardon. ‘Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God’ (1Peter 3:18). The result is that all who trust and follow Jesus receive the benefits of his death, a complete and unconditional pardon.

At the trial of Jesus, we should imagine ourselves as part of a great prisoner exchange. Jesus the perfect Son of God was crucified. Barabbas, an insurrectionist and a murderer, was set free (Luke 23:18-19). You and I are ‘Barabbas’. We are the guilty ones, but because of him, we have been set free.

This then is the reason why we celebrate Easter. Because Jesus was crucified, that he might give his life as a ransom for many, to bring you and I to God.

Pastor Owen Seto.