[223]The meek and defenseless Lamb of God was led into a den of ravenous wolves, who were thirsting for his blood. They did not dignify his case by even filing a formal charge against him. They sought, contrary to the law, to make him testify against himself. They knew nothing themselves against him; and notwithstanding they sat as the high and dignified court of the nation of Israel, they resorted to subornation of perjury. "Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council [the entire court], sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses." (Matthew 26:59,60) This exalted tribunal, in violation of every law and every precedent known to Jewish jurisprudence, demanded of Jesus that he testify against himself. "The high priest arose and said unto him, ... I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God." (Matthew 26:62,63) And when he told the truth, saying, "Ye say that I am," they said, "What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth". (Luke 22:66-71) They immediately voted that he should die—also contrary to their law, which required that each member of the court should consider the case and then vote individually. Holding the session of court at night to convict him, they knew they were proceeding contrary to law; so they convened the court the following morning to ratify the sentence, which was likewise contrary to law.
[224]They condemned Jesus to death, but knew they had no legal power to put him to death. Then they led him before the Roman governor, Pilate, and placed against him the charge of sedition, saying, "We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King". (Luke 23:1,2) They knew the Roman governor had power to put Jesus to death, and for this reason they sought his judgment.
[225]Pilate was not convinced of Jesus' guilt and was not willing that he should die, but sought to release him. "Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people." (Luke 23:4,5) When Pilate sought to release him, his accusers "cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar"—against the civil power, and such is therefore guilty of sedition. (John 19:12) "And he [Pilate] said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required." (Luke 23:22-24) Thus the civil power yielded to the importunities of ecclesiasticism, and Jesus was led away and crucified on Calvary's hill. And Pilate, more righteous than the clerics, posted over his cross the sign: "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews".
[226]Thus died the Son of God, the great antitypical "Lamb ... which taketh away the sin of the world". (John 1:29) In the eyes of those that stood by he died as a sinner, crucified between two thieves, under the charge of disloyalty to the constituted powers, yet wholly innocent, harmless, and without sin.
[227]Here he fulfilled that which the Prophet of God had foretold of him long in advance, in that he "poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many". —Isaiah 53:12.
WHY MUST HE DIE?
[228]But why should the great, the good, the pure, the sinless Man die in such an ignominious manner as this? Was there no other means whereby man could live? The Scriptures answer that there is no other way whereby man could get life. Divine justice demanded the life of the perfect man Adam and took that life. Divine justice could receive nothing as a substitute for Adam except the life of a perfect human being. Adam was put to death because he was a sinner. The one who would redeem Adam must die as a sinner, yet without sin. And all this Jesus did.
[229]It is important here for us to see why Jesus came to earth, grew to manhood's estate and died. The Prophet speaking the words of Jesus beforehand said: "Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart". (Psalm 40:7,8; Hebrews 10:7-10) Thus we see that he had come to do God's will. The apostle Paul expressed the will of God concerning mankind when he said: "God ... will have all men to be saved [from death], and brought to an accurate knowledge of the truth". (1 Timothy 2:3,4) This is in harmony with God's promise that he would redeem mankind from death (Hosea 13:14); and since Jesus came to carry out the Father's will to ransom the human race, he must do this. This is the only means whereby man could live. Therefore Jesus said: "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly".—John 10:10.
[230]Jesus likened his humanity to bread. He said: "I am the bread of life.... This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.... For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.... As the living Father sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me." (John 6:48,50,55,57) By this we understand that Jesus gave up his human life in order that the value thereof might be presented to divine justice in heaven as the great ransom-price. To eat means to appropriate to oneself. Then it follows that any one who accepts or appropriates to himself the value of Jesus' sacrifice by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and doing the Father's will, that one will have life everlasting through Christ Jesus. The apostle Paul makes it clear that the death of Jesus was for the benefit of the entire human race when he says: 'Jesus, ... by the grace of God, tasted death for every man'. "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."—Hebrews 2;9; 1 Timothy 2:5,6.
[231]"Sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23) Adam transgressed the divine law and for this reason suffered the penalty of death, and this penalty came upon all mankind by inheritance. Jesus the perfect man permitted his life to be taken that it might be used for the purpose of releasing Adam and his offspring from the great enemy death, and that they might have a full opportunity for life. Hence his life was made an offering for sin, or a sin-offering.