Bible Discussion Thread

Did God kill Jesus?

Hello Dorothy. No, God did not kill Jesus. Rather, the Romans put Jesus to the Cross to die & Pilate was urged to do so by the demands from the Jews (see Matthew chapter 27 & particularly verse 23). Both the Romans & Jews remain culpable for Jesus' Death.

But God, in His Wisdom & Plan to bring forth a Son to the end that He should lay down His Life for all sinners, had planned for this, for He knew that only He could exact the correct penalty for redeeming sinful man. The Apostle Peter in his messge declared in Acts 2:22,23, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain."

Jesus' Death was planned for in eternity past because of God's foreknowledge & Will of God - God planned it for our sakes, but men took it into their own hands to take Jesus' Life. Then, did God force men to kill His Son? No. God knew His Son would be killed, but those men fulfilled their own anger & raging passion & were wholly responsible for Jesus' Death. The Old Testament Scriptures also spoke of Jesus' future Death: Psalm 22:15-18; Isaiah chapter 53; Daniel 9:26. Man is always responsible for his own actions & acts of sin, for by them he will be judged & condemned.

Good Morning Chris,

Agreed. I also recall that Jesus said that He lays down His life and He will take it up again and at the last it is said He gave up His Spirit. so, it seems that men did put Jesus to death, but He had to allow it to occur because he is the Resurrection and the Life. he had control of whether He would die or not and relinquished His life on the cross for us to, as you said, be the only means of a perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world.

In very Truth GiGi; Jesus had the power & authority over both His time of death & of those who would take His Life. Yet, there would be some who would argue, 'if that were the case, then God would have no warrant against those who were involved in His Son's death as this was God's Plan & these men merely fulfilled it.'

I feel that if God compelled men towards an act (good or bad), or they were merely puppets in His Hands, then that could be true. But men, out of their own wicked hearts & schemes, remain fully guilty for their actions in spite of God's Plans & Foreknowledge of their actions. Thank you.

During our discussion I thought of how sometimes someone will in a way "set someone up" many times law enforcement will use this technique, by allowing the "bait" to be placed before the suspected criminal, the person has the choices to turn, walk away, not respond. Even in less serious situations people will start arguing, gossip or other bad activity, even to "bait or trap". The other person depending on self control, wisdom, willpower & integrity, sometimes will have the ability in themselves to walk away not taking part. Sometimes however fall into traps set by the enemy. 1Corinthians 10:13, James 1:12-15, 1Peter 5:8,

Hope this is helpful in discussion

T. Levi's

I guess I must be naive or just actually believe that people are being honest on this site, but I have not felt "set-up" by anyone on here, and if I truly was, then I see that being led to respond to any post is an opportunity to bring Spirt-led responses to this forum. I think that is true for anyone reading-they can prayerfully respond and trust that their responses will bless others if one's words are truly Spirit-led.

I know that there are what are called "trolls" on sites like this-those who want to debate or incite another's ire or get someone's goat and elicit responses. But I think most people on here give measured, thoughtful, compassionate, gracious responses even to those who seem to be speaking rudely.

Thank you for sharing those further thoughts, T. Levis. We all have choices to make and options in our minds as how to deal with them. Our decisions are often wrongly made from our sensory promptings & not from wisdom (i.e. from a careful scrutiny of available information (not heresay or from powerful influential persons), making correct deductions, which results in a lock-tight response). Unfortunately, those who called for Jesus' death, developed wrong perceptions of Jesus, seeing Him as a threat rather than an answer to their sin & disturbed minds. But God used their unjustified accusations & anger, as with Judas Iscariot as well, to accomplish His great Plan to bring salvation to the very ones who "hated me without a cause." Incomprehensible love indeed.

Correct, Chris. Jesus had control of what He chose and could do in this situation. But those who put Him to death were allowed by the Godhead to exercise their own free will to do this evil to Jesus.

John 10:17,18, Titus 2:13-15, Mark 14:8,18,21,41, Matthew 16:21,

Isaiah 53, John 3:15-17,

Matthew 26:46- keep reading through, Matthew 27, full chapter , Mark 14:42-72 through- Mark 15, whole chapter,

Hopefully these are helpful