Did you know why Jesus was crucified?

DID YOU KNOW WHY JESUS WAS CRUCIFIED?

A Critical Reflection on the Crucifixion Narrative

According to the Bible, the immediate reason given is this:

THE JEWISH HIGH PRIESTS WANTED HIM DEAD!

Open the Gospel of Matthew chapter 26:

“Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him.”  (Matthew 26:3–4)

From the very beginning, the narrative presents a conspiracy among religious authorities to eliminate Jesus.

JUDAS AGREES TO BETRAY JESUS

“What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you? And they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver." (Matthew 26:15)

From that moment, Judas Iscariot began searching for an opportunity to hand Jesus over. The question naturally arises: 

If crucifixion was already God’s predetermined plan for humanity’s salvation, why was deception, bribery, and betrayal necessary?

JESUS DID NOT APPEAR TO WANT THE CRUCIFIXION

The Gospel continues: 

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.” (Matthew 26:38)

Why was Jesus sorrowful? If he had willingly come into the world specifically to die on the cross, why does the text portray anguish, distress, and fear?

Then Jesus prayed:

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39)

And again:

“If this cup cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42)

These passages raise profound theological questions:

• Why did Jesus pray for the “cup” to pass from him?
• To whom was he praying?
• Why does his personal will appear distinct from the will of the Father?

JESUS WAS ARRESTED BY FORCE

Later in the chapter:

“A large crowd armed with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and elders of the people.” (Matthew 26:47)

Jesus was identified through Judas’ kiss and then seized by force. This leads to another difficult question:

Why was force necessary if the crucifixion was supposedly a voluntary and divinely ordained sacrifice?

THE CRY FROM THE CROSS

In Gospel of Matthew chapter 27, we read:

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46)

For many readers, this statement appears emotionally incompatible with the idea of a triumphant, willingly embraced sacrifice. Instead, the narrative can be interpreted as expressing abandonment, suffering, and desperation.

THE CENTRAL ARGUMENT

From beginning to end, the Gospel narrative never explicitly states that Jesus himself declared:

“I am being crucified to pay for humanity’s inherited sins.”

Rather, the text repeatedly depicts:

• conspiracy,
• betrayal,
• fear,
• prayer for escape,
• forced arrest,
• and anguish on the cross.

Because of this, some critics argue that the crucifixion appears more like a political-religious execution than a voluntary sacrificial act for mankind’s redemption. This interpretation leads to several challenging questions:

• Who truly wanted Jesus crucified?
• Why did Jesus pray to avoid it?
• Why was he arrested forcibly?
• Why did he cry out in apparent abandonment?
• Why is the doctrine of inherited sin absent from many earlier prophetic teachings?

SO WHERE DID THE IDEA OF “ATONEMENT FOR HUMAN SIN” COME FROM?

Critics often point toward the writings of Paul the Apostle, particularly Galatians 3:13:

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.”

The argument presented by critics is that this interpretation originated primarily from Pauline theology rather than from explicit statements attributed directly to Jesus himself. They further argue that this idea appears inconsistent with several Biblical passages emphasizing individual responsibility for sin, such as:

• Book of Ezekiel 18:20
• Book of Deuteronomy 24:16
• Gospel of Matthew 16:27
• Book of Jeremiah 31:29–30
• Second Book of Chronicles 25:4

These verses emphasize that each individual bears responsibility for their own deeds rather than inheriting guilt from others.

A HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL INTERPRETATION

From a historical perspective, some researchers argue that the crucifixion can also be understood as the result of political and religious conflict.

According to this view:

• Jesus threatened the authority and influence of established religious leaders.
• His actions in the Temple and his Messianic claims intensified tensions.
• Religious authorities accused him of blasphemy.
• Political leaders feared unrest against the Roman Empire.
• Public pressure ultimately led to crucifixion under Pontius Pilate.

Under this interpretation, Jesus was executed primarily for political and social reasons, not necessarily as part of a divine plan of substitutionary atonement.

FINAL REFLECTION

Whether one agrees or disagrees with these conclusions, the questions raised above continue to spark debate among theologians, historians, and believers alike.

The crucifixion of Jesus Christ remains one of the most discussed events in human history, not only because of its religious significance, but because of the profound theological and philosophical questions surrounding it.