Thursday, June 9, 2005
John 10:15, 17-18 "I lay down My life for the sheep . . . Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again."
HOW AND WHY JESUS DIED
JERUSALEM -- Jesus may have died from a blood clot that reached his lungs, an Israeli physician said Wednesday, challenging the popular conception that he died of asphyxiation and blood loss during his crucifixion (AP World News, June 8, 2005).
When the above story hit the newswires, the co-author of an earlier in-depth medical report into the cause of Jesus' death dismissed the theory and Bible scholars said that while establishing the physical cause of Jesus' death was interesting, it ignored the spiritual dimension. " The major trauma for the son of God is the spiritual trauma . . ."
The common cause of death by crucifixion is suffocation. Blood loss may be a contributing factor, in that the victim becomes so weak that he cannot hold himself up. Hanging by ones arms makes breathing very difficult. Eventually the victim cannot breath anymore and suffocates.
One would think that we would be happy to see the death of Christ discussed in the public press. But, the fact is, the Gospel is not advanced or proclaimed anytime an investigation into the death of Christ does not report its primary cause -- Jesus willingly gave up ("laid down") His life in atonement for the sin-guilt of the whole world.
"And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit" (Matthew 27:50).
The cause of Jesus' death was not the inability to live (e.g., due to suffocation or blood loss or blood clot). The cause of Jesus' death was Jesus. He gave up His spirit of His own will and power.
The fact that He cried out with a loud voice is an indication that He was able to overcome the effects of crucifixion. Normally, no one who had been on the cross as long as He would have been able to shout in a loud voice.
And what did He cry out? According to the Gospel accounts He shouted: "It is finished." His work of salvation was done. When He was done paying the price for our sins He gave up His spirit at the time of His choosing and by His own will and power.
On the third day after this, He brought His body back to life, thereby assuring our forgiveness, our justification, and our resurrection to glory. Though we die of a cause (sin being the root cause), He will raise us again.
Thanks be to Jesus for rescuing us from our sins and death.
