“‘Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.'” (John 10:17-18; KJV)
PASSION OF THE CHRIST
The Passion of the Christ by producer/actor Mel Gibson was released over a decade ago. It was probably the most anticipated of religious films ever, both for its dramatic portrayal of our Lord’s last hours leading up to His death on the cross and resurrection and for the controversy that arose over it.
Newsweek Magazine highlighted the controversy like this. On the cover of their February 2004 issue, they had a photo of the actor-played Jesus in Gibson’s film with the title, “Who Really Killed Jesus?” over it. You see, there was an uproar at the time over who exactly was culpable (deserving blame) for the crucifixion of Christ.
HOW COULD ANYONE KILL GOD?
I don’t have enough room to explain all the ins and outs of the people who were up in arms about this, but I do want to make the point – if God (if Jesus really was God and, of course, I believe He was) – if God wasn’t a player in His own Son’s death, then how could anyone kill God?
I mean, God is all-powerful which means that no one is His equal in strength. And so if God doesn’t allow for someone to scourge His Son with a cat-o-nine tails, if God doesn’t allow for a crown of thorns to be put on His Son’s head, if God doesn’t allow for metal spikes to be hammered through His Son’s hands and feet, etc., then, somebody tell me, who’s gonna overpower God to get Him to go along with it?
Sure there are people who are culpable (responsible) for Christ’s death. (The whole of the human race’s sins were carried by Him!)
But ultimately, it was Jesus Himself who chose to give His life out of love for us just as He had said He would: “No man taketh it (my life) from me, but I lay it down of myself.”
“Amazing love! how can it be that Christ my God shouldst die for me!”
(Crucifixion by Albrecht Altdorfer picture file above is in the public domain: click here.)
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