At the Passover meal, we believe Jesus knew that one of his disciples would betray him. “ I tell you one of you will betray me- one who is eating with me.” So we know Jesus knew he was going to die, so why didn’t Jesus get out as soon as he could before he could be captured?
Surely he didn’t want to die, but Jesus died to save us, but to save us from what? I Believe Jesus died to absolve us from our sins.
Jesus also knew all of his disciples would not admit to knowing him when he told Peter he would betray him three times.
The Romans wanted to kill anybody associated with Jesus, so if Peter had admitted knowing Jesus, he would surely have been killed too. Was Peter sinful for doing this? There was nothing he could have done anyway to stop the death of Jesus, so from my point of view I don’t think Peter was wrong in denying knowing Jesus. At least he remained alive and was free to carry on talking about God’s work long after his death.
We believe Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane when he was arrested. Judas gave the crowd a signal: “The man I kiss is the one you want.” Judas kissed Jesus and then Jesus was arrested. All his disciples ran away, just as Jesus had predicted. Did they not love Jesus enough to stay and die with him? Or was it the terror of being crucified that made them run away. Lets face it, they could not prevent him dying. I think the disciples did love Jesus very very much.
But I don’t think Jesus would have wanted them to die too.
Jesus had two trials, one before Pilate and one before the council (chief priests, the elders, teachers of the law). When Jesus was before the council, they could not land any charge on him. Witnesses told lies about Jesus but in the end the stories did not match. Jesus kept very quiet, didn’t even speak. “Are you the messiah, the son of the blessed God?” Jesus replied “ I am”
This was enough for the High priest to charge Jesus of blasphemy. Everybody voted against Jesus, not leaving him a chance. We also believe Jesus was mocked and spat on at the trail.
Christians also believe Jesus had another trial, before Pilate. Again he was questioned, but Jesus refused to speak and was then sentenced to death. Pilate washed his hands because he wanted to be clean and didn’t want to be held responsible for the death of Jesus.
Jesus was mocked by the Roman soldiers, they spat on him, whipped him, beat him and called him names.
I think Jesus believed it was important to die on the cross, rather than taken away from the crowds. Jesus probably could have removed himself from the cross, but he wanted to show people that he was born a man and he was going to die a man even if it meant going through the suffering and pain. He wanted people to see him as a normal person.
Christians believe Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, meaning place of the skull. When Jesus was up on the cross, he had two criminals either side of him both of whom insulted Jesus. Jesus was given a wine mixed with a drug, however he would not drink it.
We understand Jesus was insulted by the people who watched his crucifixion. People thought, “ If this man is the messiah, then why doesn’t he get down from the cross and save himself.”
When Jesus was on the cross, the whole sky was dark at midday. Jesus said,” Eloi Eloi, lema sabachthani?” Which translates as “my God, my God why have you abandoned me?” We then understand Jesus died with a loud cry.
This is what Christians like myself believe about the death of Jesus- He was born a man and he died for mankind.
