But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. (Romans 5:15)

The God of all grace, for his great love, sent his Son "so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:7), who was full of grace. John writes:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (...) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:14. 16-17)

Jesus came as light (John 12:46) to bear witness to the truth (John 18:37) and to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). For he came for judgment (John 9:39), and to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15; 1 John 3:5), that we may have life (John 10:10), and to save us (Matthew 18:11), to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28)... Jesus accepted the cross (Hebrews 12:2) to die for all. In the Epistle to the Hebrews it says:

But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. (Hebrews 2:9-10)

It was already prophesied about the Christ in the Old Testament (Luke 24:25-27), and therefore Jesus also knew from the Scriptures that he would be glorified through suffering and death, namely death on the cross, and God prepared him for this (Luke 9:28-31; Mark 9:9-13). Jesus also knew very well that he came precisely to give his life for everyone, even by suffering the death penalty, and, if necessary, that God's goodness and infinite grace would flow out so to us.

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” (John 12:23-34)

At that time, even Peter did not understand why the Son of God had to die, and how and in what sense the death of Jesus could be God's will:

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:21-23)

So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (John 18:11)

Peter was afraid of Jesus and wanted to protect him with his own strength, but he ignored God's wisdom and power.

Seen only as an external observer, Jesus was betrayed, denied, despised, tortured, crucified, killed... but just as the essence of his coming and his entire life, Jesus did not interpret the essence of his death in this way. Jesus spoke of himself as an absolute authority to his listeners, asserting no less than that apart from him we can do nothing (John 15:4-5), and without him we would die, because Jesus said:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:47-58)

Eating Jesus' body and drinking his blood (verse 54) means that we believe in him (verse 47), that is, we have communion with him. His body and blood are in this sense true food by faith unto eternal life, as it is the Spirit of God that gives life by the speech of Christ, who said:

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (John 6:63)

The Son came among us and became a man in order to give himself through his life. At the beginning of his work he chose the twelve, but one of them has been lost (John 6:70-71, 17:12). When the Jewish Passover was approaching, and Jesus knew that his hour had come, and that he would be delivered into the hands of sinners, because Judas would betray him, he said to him: "What you are going to do, do quickly." (Matthew 26:45-46; John 13:1-2. 18-19. 21-33) Because after Judas' departure, Jesus wanted to tell his disciples many more things that they would only understand later, and so he wanted to prepare them to they can endure what will happen. On the other hand, for the disciples, on this Jewish holiday, which is a celebration of salvation, protection and liberation, the Passover lamb was Jesus himself: the Lamb of God, our Saviour, our Protector and our Redeemer, as prophesied by Isaiah and John the Baptist (Isaiah 53:4-7; John 1:29-36), therefore from now on this dinner will be remembered in this way. Paul writes:

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

For even through his death, Jesus gave himself, literally his body and blood, for us, so that we can be reconciled and justified, and thus be saved from the destruction that awaits this world (1 Corinthians 11:31-32). Because Jesus offered himself without blemish to God (Hebrews 9:14) to free us from the bondage of sin.

Although they wanted to capture Jesus several times, they could not (John 7:30, 8:20). He could have avoided his capture in the Garden of Gethsemane. He could have simply not gone there, since he knew about Judas' intention, and even long before he went up to Jerusalem, he knew everything that awaited him (John 6:64, 18:4; Luke 18:31-34). He could have saved himself, but he did not seek his own will (John 6:38), but was determined to continue to fulfill God's will, and prayed thus:

saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke‬ ‭22:42‬)

Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)

Jesus was fully aware that God had all the power to deliver him from the plan of evil people (Jeremiah 32:17. 26-27; Luke 1:37). Even as a child, they tried to kill him, but God supernaturally intervened (in a dream - Matthew 2:12-20). That is why he was able to turn to his Father right before his capture so that, if possible, he would not suffer a torture death:

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36)

And did God intervene even then (Matthew 27:19)? It is certainly not the case that, by taking his Son out of this evil world, he would certainly spare him from suffering and a violent death. Paul writes:

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

Jesus could have called on armies of angels for help (Matthew 26:52-54), but he didn't do that either, instead, as always, he chose humility before God and a servant spirit, because he loved his Father and incessantly obeyed him. Jesus said:

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. (John 14:30-31)

Jesus didn't look for what would be easier, simpler, more comfortable for him... but he didn't look for death or suffering either, which involves great torment and pain. It's a sin if he would have done that! However, nearing the end of his task, it became more and more clear to him that as a servant of God he would have to face a violent death. Although he did not initiate this (nor the Father!), when his hour had come (John 13:1, 17:1-5) he was prepared to face the hatred. They denied, despised and killed the Holy and Righteous One, who has sovereign right over our lives: "the Author of life" (Acts 3:13-15). Nevertheless, God remained the master of events throughout, so that even though Jesus was put to death (Matthew 26:59, 27:1; 1 Peter 3:18), that is, God allowed him to be killed (Acts 2:23), but his Father was especially close with him throughout his sufferings and raised him from the dead. Paul writes:

Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25)

Jesus' death was not a passive suicide, but it was not just a martyr's death either. He has power that none of us have. Because we received our life from God, and only God has the right and power to dispose of it (Matthew 10:28). However, Jesus has life in himself (John 5:26), therefore he has authority to lay his life down and take it up again in order to fulfill his savior mission, because he said:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)

With Jesus' suffering and death, he truly assumed a common destiny, that is, he identified with all people. But he experienced the consequences of sin completely innocently and without blemish (Hebrews 9:14), and thus abolished death (2 Timothy 1:10). Jesus gave his sinless life until his death on the cross, thus constantly obeying God's commandment (John 14:30-31) made the ruler of this world ineffective. In the Epistle to the Hebrews it says:

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews‬ ‭2:14-15‬)

Although Jesus' death was essentially caused by humans, he did not die just because he was killed wickedly (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). The cross not only testifies that he was killed unjustly and that this world is constantly opposed to God. The redemptive death and resurrection of Jesus is proof that he is the true God, the Lord of all, who can truly and completely free us from our sins. Because it was impossible for the Author of life to be held captive by death, therefore his body could not see corruption either (Acts 2:24-27, 13:32-37). Paul writes:

For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. (Romans 14:9)

Jesus endured being tortured and allowed himself to be unjustly executed as a criminal. He voluntarily accepted the life-destroying consequences of sin in order to give us eternal life. He died for us (1 Thessalonians 5:10), he laid down his life for sinners (John 10:11. 15) to save life, which is the greatest (John 15:13) and deepest manifestation of God's grace and love. Paul writes:

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person — though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die — but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. (Romans 5:6-10)

Almighty God is love, so he always does the best for us, despite the fact that he knows in advance the sad fate of humanity, the fate that the majority will not live with him forever (Matthew 7:13-14, 22:14; Luke 12:32, 13:22-24, 18:8). God knew also in advance that his Son would be killed, and he announced this to his prophets. Peter writes:

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (1 Peter 1:10-11)

Jesus' death was God's plan in the sense that he turned evil into good, as he did in the case of Joseph in the Old Testament (Genesis 50:15-20). Because God, and only he, can turn everything for good. Paul writes:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

God has exposed and publicly shamed evil with his perfect love (Colossians 2:15), showing that his devoted, selfless love revealed in Jesus Christ has no limits (Romans 8:35-39), and that there is only one barrier to his infinite grace: not confessing our sins (Isaiah 59:1-2). Because God also calls us to repentance through the death of Jesus, so that he can change us into new person with the power of his grace. Paul writes:

Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6:3-11)

By his grace, God can give us strength through the death of Jesus, so that we die with him to ourselves (John 12:24-26) and no longer serve sin. However, "only his death" does not redeem us, because without Jesus' obedient holy life and resurrection, his death would lose its true meaning for us, God's liberating and life-giving power. Although Jesus' sacrificial love reached its peak in his death on the cross during his sufferings, it still includes his whole life and ministry. In the Epistle to the Hebrews it says:

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. (Hebrews 7:26)

We have salvation through the obedient and devoted life of Jesus until death on the cross, that is, through him, by his grace, through faith, through his word, through the cross, through his flesh, through the offering of his body, through his redemption, through his blood, by his wounds, by his death... (the Bible expresses this in several ways, taking into account different aspects) Paul writes:

For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him. (Colossians 1:19-22)

Jesus was ready to experience the consequences of sin also by his death, thus carrying the wickedness of sinners entirely upon himself. He was heard because of his reverence: God saved him from death! (Hebrews 5:7) He is now ready to judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). In the Epistle to the Hebrews it says:

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27-28)

The only basis of our salvation can only be the free grace of God shown in the Son (Ephesians 2:4-9; Romans 3:24; Acts 15:11). Therefore, just as it was during the whole life and death of Jesus, God's will for us today is that God's self-giving love and inexhaustible grace sustain us unceasingly at all times, no matter what trying situation we find ourselves in.

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. (Psalms 63:3)

Through Christ crucified, we die to our sins and worldly ambitions, so that the risen Christ may live in us (Galatians 6:14, 2:20), who gives forgiveness of sins, grace, and deep peace in God's love, which nothing and no one, not even death, can take away from us (Romans 8:35-39). Through the grace of God, we can grow in our faith and be purified, so that we can love God and our brothers and sisters more and more deeply from a pure heart and strive for good towards all people. Paul writes:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11-14)

WE INVITE YOU TO THIS LIFE TOO: LET'S FOLLOW JESUS!