I googled the net the other day for a list of Jesus’ interpretive statements about his own death while researching for my current writing project. Since I couldn’t find one, I thought I’d post my list here.

So far, I’ve found 16 statements that seem to be in some way interpretive — either explaining the causes or purposes (which in this case could be called ‘realities’) of Jesus’ death. Here they are in order of occurance in the NT:

1. In Matthew 15:34, Jesus calls from the cross “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”, which means “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” People have stumbled over this statement, mainly because they wonder how the God of Heaven can forsake the God on the cross, especially if they are the same person. But this is actually a literary reference to David’s Twenty-second Psalm. From the cross, Jesus is giving commentary about his own death in a simple statement. Psalm 22 describes Jesus experience in uncanny detail, from his fractured emotions, to his ultimate trust in God to rescue him, to his expectation that his suffering will show God’s unique power and will unite the world.
2. Jesus’ death shows the reversal of conventional ideas about leadership and greatness. His life is an act of service. It is spent to purchase life for others. By implication, his death is an example of the type of service his disciples should imitate [Matthew 20:25-28].
   
3. The Parable of the Vineyard shows that Jesus death was caused by human opposition to the rule of God. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day premeditated his death specifically to resist the Kingdom [Matthew 21: 33-46]. This fits well with Jesus’ statement that he would be “taken from” his followers and that the leaders had guilt for handing Jesus over to Pilate, showing that human rebellion had a hand in the cross [Matthew 9:15; John 19:11].
4. When Jesus was arrested, he prevented his disciples from fighting and intentionally did not use his divine power to rescue him [Matthew 26:52-53]. He says he is doing this to allow the fulfillment of scripture (see .5), but there is also a sense here that he is surrendering willingly to less powerful people and showing the superiority of his power (based on faith in God) in doing so. Jesus’ death demonstrates the redemptive and subversive power of non-resistance to prove one’s beliefs and bring about missional transformation of the enemy.
5. As he is arrested, Jesus mentions twice that his death must take place to fulfill the Scriptures [Matthew 26:54, 56]. This shows at the same time, Jesus’ obedience and also the certainty of God’s plan. The cross is a demonstration that God’s redemptive plan and coming Kingdom are inevitable.
6. Jesus predicted his death in conjunction to Peter’s confession that he was the Christ. He knew that some of the people, especially the Jewish leaders, were going to kill him for claiming to be the Messiah (closely related to .3). Jesus then tells his followers, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” This means the cross was a pattern for daily living for his disciples. His death would show them how to live on a daily basis, so they would not trade their souls to gain the world they desire. Those that practice this kind of imitation will see the Kingdom of God [Luke 9:22-27].
7. Very early in John’s telling of Jesus’ life, a timid Pharisee is told that the Son of Man will be “lifted up” like Moses lifted the snake in the wilderness [Numbers 21:4-9]. This is the first of three “lifted up” statements in John’s Gospel, indicating an important theme (see also .8 and .11). Jesus connects his being lifted up with providing eternal life for those that believe in him. This correlates strongly with Jesus’ mission to give abundant life to humans (see .9) and hints at the healing power of the cross. Jesus is going to die so that we can be healed of our non-life. The cross also proves the verdict that light came into the world, enlightening us to the truth about God and ourselves, but humanity wasn’t interested [John 3:13-21].
8. In his second “lifted up” statement, Jesus says his death will prove his source, identity, and reliability as a Son taught directly from the Father [John 8:28-29]. The cross proves Jesus’ truth claims by proving the integrity of his relationship with the Father (see .9, .11, .13). It also shows that he will not renounce his identity or truth-claims under pressure or suffering.
9. Using the metaphor of a shepherd and his sheep, Jesus explains his connection to his disciples. There are those who come to consume others, but Jesus’ mission was to give us full life. He does this by laying down his own life for us as our Good Shepherd. Jesus’ death proves he is no hired hand — his disciples actually belong to him, and he to them. By his death, he wins us over, both to life with him and to life together as he gathers his sheep from other folds. The fact that Jesus sacrifices his life willingly, without force from God or man, is the reason the Father and Son share a unique love (see 8., .11, .13) that gives Jesus such power [John 10:10-18].
   
10. Jesus’ death initiated the process of multiplication. If Jesus remained, his disciples would not have launched out as empowered incarnations of himself. By dying, he produced, inspired, and entrusted Christians — “little Jesuses” — to carry on his revelation and mission. Though his leaving facilitated this, he is with his disciples who join him in his work [John 12:24].
11. Summing up a life is not easy, but Jesus came for this hour. He lived to die in order to glorify his Father — to show both God’s goodness and his greatness. His death is a judgment on our world: it’s values, strategies, and limits. The cross drives out the prince of this world (Satan) whose desires is to drive men from truth and wholeness. For the third time Jesus mentions being “lifted up,” and that his death will have drawing power over all people [John 12:27-32].
12. The cross allowed Jesus to return to his Father’s where he is preparing a place for his followers [John 14:1-3]. It is the destiny of his disciples to dwell with God in the New Jerusalem. After his death, Jesus has achieved power and honor in the heavens and he remains or mediator and intercessor there, working unseen to complete God’s plan for us.
13. There is an element of spiritual warfare involved in the cross. It was part of the coming of the prince of this world (Satan), who successfully controlled the people [Luke 22:53] and Judas [Luke 22:3] to bring the crucifixion about. But Jesus death was a dramatic reversal — flipping Satan’s resistance. In the end, it proved the greatness of the Father and his superiority even over the Son, and proved Satan had real no hold on Jesus. Instead, it broke Satan’s power by broadcasting to the world the extent of Jesus’ love and obedience to the Father [John. 14:28-31].
14. Never afraid to live by what he said, Jesus died to demonstrate the greatest kind of love, showing his disciples that we are his friends, included in this love [John 15:13-15].
15. We’ve already mentioned one purpose for Jesus’ death was to make heavenly intercession. Jesus continues this theme by saying his death is an exit so he may send the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, who will, as he witnesses to Christ’s death and resurrection, convict the world and fully defeat it’s current prince (Satan) [John 16:7-11].
16. It is tremendously important to understand the message of the disciple’s desertion. They left Jesus alone, showing the human capacity for faithfulness. But the cross and resurrection shows that Jesus was not deserted by God. Here after, faithfulness in humans is proven to be the work of God — and this is the power working in Jesus and his disciples to overcome the [John 16:32-33].

I would like your help in coming up with any other such statements. Please leave them in the comments with scripture references. Thanks –Ben

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Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved.