Understanding Jesus’s Death
John 18:1–11
Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place. John 18:2

Jesus was in control of the events leading to his death. They did not come upon him by accident, but rather he willed them in conformity to his knowledge of the will of his Father. On the final night, it was he who dispatched Judas on his errand of betrayal.

Historically, there has been a heated discussion as to who killed Jesus. Gentiles who have not known their Bible too well (or the evil of their own hearts) have tried to blame the Jews. Jews (and others) have blamed the Gentiles; for it was Gentiles in the person of Pilate, the Roman governor, who actually pronounced the death sentence. Sometimes these views have led to fierce anti-Semitism or an opposite anti-Christian feeling. But these are not the most important details. In fact, they are relatively insignificant. By contrast, the most important thing that can be said about the death of Christ is that God the Father willed it. It was God who ordained that he should be killed for our sin. The second important fact is that Jesus also willed his death out of love for us and in obedience to the revealed will of his Father.

Moreover, he ordered the events of this last Passover week to indicate the meaning of what he was doing. For just as he ordered his entry into Jerusalem to correspond to the exact time at which the Passover lambs were being led up to the city, so also did he time his death to coincide with the killing of those same lambs. He was the great Passover Lamb of which they were but shadows. It was his blood, rather than theirs, which was to take away the sins of the world.

It is comforting to know of the Father’s and the Son’s sovereign work, but there is also a sobering lesson. It concerns Judas, who was so close to Christ and yet was unsaved. Think how close he was. He had been with Jesus for at least three years. He had heard his teaching. He had even understood his teaching; for although he had not understood the meaning of Christ’s death, he had at least understood Christ’s warning that he was to die. Judas was that close to Jesus. Yet he was unsaved. I put it to you: it is possible to be quite close to Christ, to sit in a Christian church listening to good sermons, to hear good Bible teaching by radio, even to understand what you hear, and yet fail to make that personal commitment to Christ that is the necessary human response to God’s work of salvation.

How foolish it is to come that close and yet be lost. How much wiser, by contrast, to put your faith in that One who is altogether lovely and who willingly died for your salvation.

Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865

Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.