Why Did He Die?

A. Unabashed Pacifist:

If Jesus justified war, he would have ridden a chariot into Jerusalem.

B. Unabashed Christian:

Holy One,
I lift my eyes to the hills, because it is a natural impulse, instinctive – like looking to you.
Amen

C. Unquoting Jesus:

“Sure, I’ll return to rescue you – because you are much more special to me than all those other sinners.”

[Some people act as if He said it. Sorry, He didn't.]

D. Blog: Sin and Sacrifice

“He Died for Our Sins” or “He Died because of Our Sins”

The Greek scripture, including the Gospels, has texts that say Jesus died for our sins. But according to many Bible scholars, none of those texts came from Jesus. Instead they represent one of the several ways early Christians tried to make sense of his death. After all, they seem to have reasoned, if he was Messiah, then Jesus’ death had to mean more than the brutal and paranoid act of Roman security forces in Jerusalem. So, they came up with a theory based on the common practice of atonement sacrifices, and the theory made Jesus the pure human sacrifice to make up for all human sin and free us from the ultimate consequences of sin.

As a theory, it’s neat, easy to understand and remember. But when we test this theory, it does not hold up to closer examination.

It says that God requires sacrifice, that God cannot forgive without sacrifice. It portrays God as sacrificing God’s own son. It contrasts with other scripture, particularly the story of Abraham and Isaac, where God does not require the child’s sacrifice. It ignores Jesus’ portrayal of God as loving father who forgave his prodigal son without any sacrifice. It overlooks the fact that during his ministry Jesus forgave sins, thereby angering his Jewish critics who required sacrifice for forgiveness to occur.

This theoretical explanation of Jesus’ death might be contrasted with another explanation in scripture, that human authorities meant to do away with Jesus, but God raised him up (i.e., God did not accept this sacrifice, either, as atonement for sin).

Do believing sinners really escape the consequences of their sin? Really? Not usually in this life. Beyond this life, I would much rather put my fate in the hands of a loving God such as Jesus described than in the hands of a God who would require sacrifice before granting forgiveness. That is not grace.

How can believing the theory of sacrificial atonement lead us to love God? What kind of God could be bought off by a sacrifice?