Considering Jesus’ prophecies for his own life and death

During his ministry, Jesus talked about his future sacrificial death and his resurrection. On some occasions, the references were subtle, such as when he told some religious leaders that “the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:40), and “Destroy this temple (his body), and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). By saying these things, Jesus prophesied that he would be dead for three days, after which he would rise from the dead. In describing himself as the Good Shepherd, he said, “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11), which prophesied his sacrificial death for humanity. 

As time approached his coming death, Jesus started to reveal to his disciples more specific details of what was going to happen to him. On three separate occasions, Jesus told his disciples flat out that he was going to go to Jerusalem and suffer, be killed, and rise from the dead on the third day (Matthew 16:21, 17:22-23, and 20:17-19). And though he couldn’t have been much more specific, the disciples still didn’t realize until after the fact that he meant exactly what he said. 

How’d they miss the hints?

You’d think that Jesus’ disciples or religious teachers who’d spent their lifetime studying the scriptures would’ve picked up on the Old Testament prophecies and predictions that Jesus gave, put 1+1 together, and understood exactly what was going to happen to Jesus. But no one did. This strange truth reminds me of reading an Agatha Christie mystery novel, in which master detective Hercules Poirot solves the mystery. As I read Poirot’s wrap-up, where he tells how he figured everything out, I find myself perplexed about why I didn’t see the clues like he did. Later, when I read the book a second time, I see the hints leap from the pages, making me wonder, How could I have missed those the first time around? I’m sure the disciples scratched their heads after the Resurrection and thought the same thing. 

Questioning Why Jesus Was Crucified

Jesus was a controversial figure during his day and remains one today. To understand why he was crucified, understanding the life and times in which Jesus lived is critical. 

Though he was crucified in first-century Palestine as a result of all the controversy surrounding his claims to be Messiah, I’m convinced that circumstances would’ve been far different for him were he to have chosen the 21^st century to come to earth. Given his miraculous healing power, he’d surely be offered a job at a hospital – that is, until the administration became concerned about the malpractice implications of miracles. With his amazing teaching capabilities, he’d be a regular on Oprah and Larry King. With his claim to be the Son of God, he’d be on the cover of the National Enquirer and receive a multimillion-dollar offer to write a bestseller. Through Christians’ eyes, it’s clear that in order to die a sacrificial death, Jesus had to enter the world at the right time and place. Modern times just wouldn’t have worked – except in the occasional oppressive regime, “different” people with radical ideas just aren’t killed today; more often than not, they usually get famous or rich. 

First-century Palestine, however, was the perfect choice for a sacrificial death. Much like something you’d see in an Oliver Stone film, it was a powder keg ready to explode. Oppressed Hebrew masses waited anxiously for someone to set them free from Roman authority and had high expectations. Added to that, pompous religious guys jealously fought to keep their authority. And to top it off, the colonial political and military power was deeply resented and feared. 

Yet, in spite of the explosive nature of Palestine at the time, why was this non-violent teacher – who preached about loving others, including enemies, even when it hurts – considered such a menace that he had to be put to death? To answer this question, consider three key factors that Christians believe led to his crucifixion, which I discuss in this section. 

Expecting the Messiah to be different

Perhaps the most significant factor that led the Jews to crucify Jesus was that he simply didn’t fit the Jewish image of what the Messiah would be. For centuries, Jews read prophecies like Isaiah 9:6 (“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulders”) and concluded that the Messiah would be a political leader, in the mold of the great King David, who would allow the Jews to overthrow the hated Roman Empire and re-establish the nation of Israel. When Old Testament Messianic prophecies talked about a kingdom, Jews had their minds made up that it was Israel, not the spiritual kingdom that Christians believe God had in mind.

Because of their hope in a true political leader, the Jewish teachers also overlooked the prophecies related to the Messiah being a “suffering servant” (such as Isaiah 53), and most of the Jewish masses weren’t knowledgeable enough of the scriptures to decide for themselves. So when Jesus looked like King David Reloaded when he entered Jerusalem, the crowds hailed him. But after it became clear that Jesus wasn’t about to play that part, the crowds turned on him quicker than you can say “fickle.” In one of the most amazing about-faces in history, people cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:9) on Palm Sunday, but just five short days later, they yelled to the Roman authorities, “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:22).