An Attempt To Listen To God

 

Biblical Aspects on The Death of Christ

Study to shew thyself approved unto God . . . 2 Timothy 2:15

 

There have been many explanations as to why the Lord died.  Some emphasize the fact of His death and others the swiftness of it.  Some of those teach that He died from:
 

1)

A broken heart
  2) A ruptured heart
  3) Cardiovascular collapse
  4) Sheer exhaustion
  5) Asphyxia
  6) Shock due to loss of blood and fluid
  7) Shock due to the traumatic injuries from the scourging, etc.
  8) Shock due to heart failure
   

a)

Let me make it clear, NONE of these are the reason.
       
Furthermore, there are those who teach that His death was that of:
 

1)

A suicide
  2) An accidental tragedy
  3) The result of His foolishness and bravado
  4) A martyr
  5)  An example
   

a)

Once again, let me make it clear that none of these were the reason for His death.  It was much more than an example.

The Lord taught: “I lay down my life, . . . that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself” (Jn. 10:17-18).  This was a deliberate committing Himself into His Fathers hands (Lk. 23:46) consequently, no medical reason can be produced for the death of our Lord.  The spear wound was the only mortal wound He received and it was given after He died.  His legs were never broken to hasten His death, for they brake not His legs because He was dead already. (Jn. 19:33-34)
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This is not the only reason

The death of our wonderful Lord was the deliberate result of the gracious planning of the Holy Trinity before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. 1:20).  Just as when Adam and Eve sinned, God did not make a suitable animal, He had foreseen the sin of them and the sacrificial animal was already there.  So also Christ was the Lamb foreordained before the foundation of the world, to be the final and eternally efficacious sacrifice for sins (2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 1:2).

There are times when, due to our lack of vocabulary, find it hard or impossible to convey the thoughts of our minds, etc.  For instance, on the lower level, how could one convey to a person who is deaf the melodious strains of a Beethoven Concerto, the brilliance of harmony, or the rich sounding of a Welsh men's choir?  This being so, how much more it is beyond our ability in mere words to reveal the fulness of the work of the Lord.  Graciously God gives us words, stoops to our level by them seeking to cause us to appreciate the glory of His work.  As one dwells on it, then it can be understood why the vaults of heaven shall resound with the praise of His worthiness.

His is:

1)

 A Redemptive Work
  a)  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace (Eph. 1:7)
  b)  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins (Col. 1:14)
     

2)

A Cleansing Work

  a) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1 Jn. 1:7)
  b) Unto Him that loved us, and washed  us from our sins in His own blood (Rev. 1:5)
 ⃰ 
I am aware that some translations say “loosed: however taking the Youngs Literal, Darby, and the NKJV I am happy to stay with that. The word is “ louo” and is also used in Heb. 10:21 and 2 Pet. 2:22 neither of which can be translated as “loosed”.
  c) Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin (Heb. 10:18)
     

3)

A Reconciling Work

  a) For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life (Rom. 5:10)
  b) And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight (Col. 1:21)
     

4)

A Propitiatory Work

  a) Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God (Rom. 3:25)
  b) And He is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our’s only, but also for the sins of the whole world     (1 Jn. 2:2)
     

5)

A Payment For a Debt

  a)  The parable of the Lord in the house of Simon.  The creditor, one owed him 500 pence and the other 50. He frankly forgave them both.  (Lk. 7:42)
     

6)

A Substituting Work

  a) The son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me (Gal. 1:4)
  b) Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us (Titus 2:14)
     

7)

A Justifying Work

  a)  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him (Rom. 5:9)
  b) By Him all that believe are justified (Acts 13:39)
     

8)

A Spiritual Healing Work

  a) With His stripes we are healed (Isa. 53:5)
  b)  By whose stripes ye were healed (1 Pet. 2:24)
     

9)

A Wounding

  a)  But He was wounded for our transgressions (Isa. 53:5)
     

10) 

A Bruising

  a)  He was bruised for our iniquities (Isa. 53:5)
     

11) 

A Smiting

  a)  We did esteem Him smitten of God (Isa. 53:5)
     

12) 

A Chastisement

  a) The chastisement of our peace was laid upon Him (Isa. 53:5)
     
13)

An Affliction

  a) We did esteem him. . . smitten of God, and afflicted (Isa. 53:4)
     
14)

A Baptism

  a)  I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished (Lk. 12:50)
     
15)

A Blotting Out

  a) We were buried with Him in Baptism, and risen through faith, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances which was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross (Col. 2:14)
     
16)

A Death For Us

  a) But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8)
  b)  Christ died for our sins according top the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3)
     

17)

A Covenant Ratifying Work

  a) Now the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work  (Heb. 13:20)
     
18)

A Death Sealing a Will

  a) He is he mediator of the New Testament by means of death, for where a testament is, there must of necessity be the death of the testator, for a testament is of course after men are dead (Heb. 9:16)
     
19)

 A Necessity

  a) And He began to teach them, that the son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and by the chief priests, and by the scribes (Mk. 8:31)
  b) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (Jn. 3:14)
     
20)

A Killing

  a) But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance (Matt. 21:38)
  b) And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses (Acts 3:15)
     
21)

A  Deliverance

  a) Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father (Gal. 1:4)
  b) And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:10)
     
22)

A Cup To Be Drunk

  a) And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt (Matt. 26:39)
  b) Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (Jn. 18:11)
     
23)

A Taking Away

  a) Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world  (Jn. 1:29)
     

24)

A Lifting Up

  a)

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life (Jn. 3:14)

     

25)

A Passover

  a)

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us (1 Cor. 5:7)

     

26)

A Curse

  a)

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree (Gal. 3:13)

     

27)

A Sowing a Seed

  a)

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit  (Jn. 12:24)

     
28)

A Ransom Price Paid

  a) For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many (Mk. 10:45)
  b) Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time (1 Tim. 2:6)
     

29)

A Burnt Offering

  a)

If his offering be a burnt offering . . . a male without blemish for his acceptance (Lev. 1:3-4)

     

30)

A Meal Offering

  a)

Any will offer a meal offering, flour, salt, oil frankincense, all the frankincense (Lev. 2:1, 16)
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It was put on the altar (Lev. 2:2)

     
31)

A Peace Offering

  a) If his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, a male or female, without blemish, all the fat (Lev. 3:1-5)
  b) The chastisement of our peace was upon Him (Isa. 53:5)
     

32)

A Sin Offering

  a)

Any will offer a sin offering, depending on the person (Lev. 4:3, 13, 22, 27)

     

33)

A Trespass Offering

  a)

He will bring his trespass offering unto the Lord (Lev. 5:1; 6:7)

     

34)

A Drink Offering

  a)

A basket of unleavened bread. . . and their meat offering, and their drink offering (Num. 6:15)

  b) Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out his soul unto death (Isa. 53:12)
     

35)

A Sacrifice

  a)

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (Eph. 5:1-2)

  b) Once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself (Heb. 9:26)
     

36)

An Offering

  a)

 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Heb. 10:14)

  b) Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me (Heb. 10:5)
     

37)

An Accomplishment and An Exodus

  a)

They spake of His exodus which he should accomplish at Jerusalem (Lk. 9:31)

     

38)

 For Our Translation

  a)

Who has translated us out of the Kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Col. 1:13)

     

39)

For Our Spiritual Judicial Separation From The Body Of Sin

  a)

Even when we were dead in sins, hath made us live together with Christ (by grace are ye saved) (Eph. 2:5)

     

40)

For Forgiveness

  a)

In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7)

     

41)

For Destroying Satan’s Power

  a)

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14)

     

42)

As a Removal

  a)

 A far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us (Psa. 103:12)

  b) Their sins and their iniquities I will remember no more (Heb. 8:12)
     

43)

As a Wood Offering

  a)

 And we cast the lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood-offering, to bring it into the house of our God, after the houses of our fathers, at times appointed year by year, to burn upon the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law (Neh. 10:34)

  b) And for the wood-offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits.  Remember me, O my God, for good (Neh. 13:31)
     

44)

A Forsaking

  a)

My God , My God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Psa. 22:1)

     

45)

A Sinking

  a)

I sink in the deep mire, where there is no standing (Psa. 69:2)

     

46)

An Overflowing

  a)

I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me (Psa. 69:2)

     

47)

A Shelter

  a)

 Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah. (Psa. 32:7)

  b) And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land (Isa. 32:2)
     

48)

A Destroying of His Temple

  a)

Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up (Jn. 2:19)

     

49)

A Sanctifying Work

  a)

By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all         (Heb. 10:10)

     


 


May God grant us good understanding as He, by His Holy Spirit, deigns to guide us into all truth.
John 16:13

Copyright © 2011 by Rowan Jennings, Abbotsford, British Columbia