The Punishment was laid upon Jesus

In Jesus' time, the people could not really oppress, prosecute and punish the Son of God. And even today, in the 21st Century according to the calendar, we have no warrant of execution against the “Son of Man”. No power on earth could make Him to that which He became for us. What do I mean by that? Jesus fundamentally never appeared before a secular judge. It was never in the discretion of an earthly and state empowered force to accuse and sentence the Saviour. Not only because He was indeed innocent of all charges, but in general. Jesus Himself said to Pontius Pilate: “Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above...” (John 19:11a). This means nothing other than, that Jesus was crucified because He appeared before the Court of God! God Himself accused, sentenced and had His Son crucified – for us! Jesus was made to personify sin and given into the vicious hands of genuine sinners who served Satan. The statement in the Garden of Gethsemane during the arrest, makes that which happened clear: “Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to Him, ''Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against Me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.'' (Luke 22:52-53). It was a people dominated by Satan's sphere of influence, which was confirmed by the Roman governor when Jesus said: “...he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.'' (John 19:11b). Jesus, Who was eternally in heaven with God, was forsaken by God and bruised for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5).

What this meant for Jesus in this horrific moment, we cannot truly grasp and comprehend. Jesus could and had to (Mark 15:34 “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, ''Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?'' which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?”) Jesus did not die because people wanted it, but because God decided this in all eternity. The death of Jesus was a formidable judgement – the judgement of the Most High! We should be fearful when we think about the Throne of God and His just judgement over us. Can you bear this burden and face God in your weakness, sinfulness and superficiality? When the time of your death comes, are you prepared for that which is yet to come? And be certain, it will come (John 5:28)! We are hopelessly lost without God's grace. Do we understand this in its full dimension and truth? Probably not, but through the Spirit of God we instinctively realize that we must take up the cross – through faith. Sin is a slap in God's face – if God punished His own Son for the sin of others, how can He overlook the sin and guilt of those who refuse or invalidate forgiveness, or even make God to be a figment of one's imagination? Also for those who have already decided (“accepted the Lord Jesus”) , the fact of the Gospel through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, must be the foundation upon which we stand, grow, serve and respect each other. It has all indeed been paid for. We read in 2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” We are pure through the blood of the Lamb. We have overcome all things and have been made righteous (Revelation 12:11). God is reconciled with Himself (2 Corinthians 5:18) and it now applies to us: “the just shall live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4). Amen.

Jörg Bauer