“that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead,he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”Act 26:23

The Death of Jesus Christ, which happened on a day like today, popularly known as Good Friday, is indeed an enigma and mysterious. The Bible sets it as a Paradox. Jesus showed that no one could kill him but he would deliberately lay down his life. He boldly stated in John 10:18  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

Yet, the bible also shows that the Christ needed to suffer for the salvation of the world. The wording is so forceful. Necessity was laid upon him to suffer for the sins of the whole world.

Did Jesus willfully die for the sins of the World? Was he murdered without his willingness to die for others? The Bible clearly states that the Christ must suffer, or needed to suffer if Salvation was to be proffered to the whole world. The scriptures states this as an unavoidable fact that the perfect lamb of God needed to suffer for mankind to be saved (Acts 26:23). Above this, did Jesus needed to die this awful death?

This is indeed a paradox; for it has two truths that are parallel and truthful in themselves while at the same time they look contradictory.

Two Parallel Truths on the Suffering of Jesus

1. Jesus was in full possession of himself and willing allowed to be crucified (John 10|:18)
2. Jesus responded with suffering as a means of satisfying the demands of redeeming human beings

The interesting thing is that Jesus was fully aware of the two paradoxical truths. He knew he was willingly giving himself to die; yet he also knew it was expedient for him to suffer 

Scriptures to Show this Awareness

Mat 16:21  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. 

Mat 17:12  But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hand

Mat 17:22  As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, 

Mat 17:23  and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” And they were greatly distressed. 

Mar 8:31  And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again

Mar 9:31  for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise

Mar 10:33  saying, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. 

Mar 10:34  And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” 

Luk 9:22  saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised

Luk 24:25  And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 

Luk 24:26  Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?

Why was it necessary for Christ to suffer and die a horrible death? Would it not have been enough for him to serve us through painless death.

Three Reasons Why He Needed to Suffer

1.  Suffering and Dying was Fitting (Hebrews 2:10)
   Heb 2:10  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.
   • In God's wisdom it was the right way for Salvation to be bought. It was fitting.
   • But he declares it was fitting. It fits the wisdom of God.
   • Because he is sinless and perfect, what he does is always right. Thus, what he decided was fitting
2.  He was an Intentional Sacrificial Lamb (John 1:29)
   • He became a substitute for People who could not save themselves
   • A sacrificial lamb suffers and dies for another; it is substitutionary
   • he Sacrificial lamb dies in place of another who initially deserved to die
     1Co 5:7  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.
3. The Necessity of Shed blood (Heb. 9:22)
   • In dying the Christ needed to shed blood which is essential for the cleansing of Sins
   • The New Will of Christ is only made into effect with the Shed blood. There must be a confirmation of the Death of the Messiah.

Heb 9:22  Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin

Heb. 13:12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood

The Suffering Servant of God (Congregation to Read)

Isa 53:1  Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 

Isa 53:2  For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 

Isa 53:3  He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 

Isa 53:4  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 

Isa 53:5  But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

Isa 53:7  He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 

Isa 53:8  By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 

Isa 53:9  And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 

Isa 53:10  Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 

Isa 53:11  Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 

Isa 53:12  Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.