Who killed Jesus? And, Why did he have to die?

We are getting ready to remember the passion of our Lord and I cannot help but ask the question, “Who killed Jesus?” and “Why did he have to die?”. Factually; it was a judicial sentence, so the Romans killed Jesus. Theologically; Jesus died to take away our sin. Historically, the gospel writers led us to an understanding of the cross as transformative. The theologian Anselm taught of Jesus’ death as a sacrifice of atonement, that meant ‘payment’ for sin, or making restitution for sin. I’m sure you’ve heard his words such as “Christ suffered as a substitute for all humanity”. I’ve always struggled with that, as it is hard for me to relate to a God that needs to be ‘paid off’. There is a sacrifice and it does become substitutionary, but it is not easily worked nor accepted. It seems that our modern understanding of sacrifice can lead us away from Jesus and the cross and into our own sort of self pity and wallowing. “Oh, it’s my fault Jesus had to die. I am guilty. If I just weren’t so sinful.” This ends up being a theology of glory, not a theology of the cross: It’s all about me – not Jesus.

Jesus followed the natural course of a rebel. He died at the hands of the Roman Empire and the Temple authorities who wanted to thwart his movement. He died on the cross as thousands of others did when they challenged the rulers. The difference is found in the resurrection.

I believe that Jesus died to end suffering. He died to show us that such injustice was against God. In this way I accept Jesus’ ‘atonement’ of our sin because for me it is a symbol of Redemptive Justice. We are redeemed by the symbol of the cross as a statement that such suffering and judicial acts are wrong and go against the loving God that sent us Jesus to show us a different way. As a follower of the cross, I work to end suffering and to bring about compassionate justice. So who killed Jesus? We all did. Why did he have to die? To show us how utterly wrong it is. To rise in order to change the way of the world.

As the Christian world sits in Lent, the Jewish world sits in fear. Fear because for centuries the death of Jesus has been thrown up in their faces as the ultimate act of evil. This year, let us set the record straight. The Jews did not kill Jesus. The Romans killed Jesus and the crowds were manipulated by the Temple authorities to support their rejection of his mission.

Theologically, we all killed Jesus because we accept violence and injustice. No one is left free of sin. So who killed Jesus? We all did. Why did he have to die? To show us how utterly wrong it is and to rise in order to change the way of the world.

This year, let us remember our role in the Divine Drama. Not so we will wallow in self pity or guilt, but clearly so that we can remove blame; and instead focus on Jesus the Christ who took the shame of the cross and used it for redemptive justice and transformation. For this, Jesus bought us eternal life.