Why Did Jesus Have to Die on the Cross?
One of the most difficult components in the story Christianity is the crucifixion of Jesus on the Cross. Some people don’t like the brutality of it, some people think it shows a weakness in Jesus that is incompatible with an all-powerful God, and some people just don’t get what it has to do with reconciliation with God.
And for me, when I first came to believe in God and was warming up to Christianity, I couldn’t make heads or tails of this idea that Jesus had to die on the cross in order for mankind to be restored to friendship with God.
At that point in my formation I would have found this analogy fitting: imagine if you had wronged somebody or you were indebted to someone and you had to appeal to their mercy because of your inability to pay them back. And their reply was something like, “I forgive you and to demonstrate the sincerity of my forgiveness, I will now murder my beloved dog.”
And you’re like, “thanks for the forgiveness… and all, but we don’t have to kill the dog. You could just forgive me and leave the dog alone.” And they’re like, “No! I cannot forgive you, unless the dog dies!”
This is how the explanations for the formula of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross leading to our forgiveness and salvation appeared to me. Why would an innocent party have to be murdered for us to be restored to God’s favor? That doesn’t seem like “justification” it seems like a further injustice piled on to an already bad situation. If God was prepared to forgive us, why not just forgive us.
But to use this analogy, as a criticism for Christianity, depends on a kind of juvenile formulation of how the Cross leads to salvation and unfortunately, it’s an oft recited formulation. It goes something like, “Jesus paid the price for our sins to satisfy the wrath of God.”
But again, if God was willing to forgive us our debt, he could have just forgiven it. Why does it still need to be paid?
And the longer I’ve followed Christianity, the more that analogy with the dog doesn’t correlate to my experience of being transformed by the sacrifice of Jesus.
The analogy fails in a few ways. First, the two individuals in the exchange are peers. They are both thought of as humans, albeit, one is in a higher position.
The second problem is that forgiveness alone, isn’t what Jesus came to provide for us and while a debt can be forgiven, as in the analogy, it doesn’t necessarily lead to reconciliation and friendship. Imagine if you hurt someone through a flaw in your character, like you were compulsively dishonest. They could forgive you for your transgression, but that doesn’t mean they have to allow you back into a position of confidence from which you could hurt them again. They could forgive you and wish you well as you depart ways.
But that’s not what God wants. He wants us to partake in his divine life and to be fully restored to communion and friendship with him but in order to enjoy that degree of intimacy with him, we must first become morally good.
If we still retain our attachments to compulsive dishonesty, greed, laziness, lust, and pride, then heaven wouldn’t be any different than what we currently have. So mere forgiveness isn’t enough, God has to also see to it that we are transformed into saints.
So how does he transform us? Well, he gives us of himself - Christians call it his Grace. He infuses his goodness, his strength, his will, and his love into us so that we can become more like him.
God’s grace gives us the ability to grow in holiness and to do as we should in life, but there’s one aspect of our experience that God’s grace could not help us with because it was foreign to his nature - that is to suffer and die.
God doesn’t suffer because suffering is a consequence of some deprivation. For example, we suffer when we are hungry because we are deprived of food. But God lacks nothing and is life itself, so suffering and death are unfamiliar to him unless he chooses to experience these things.
And that’s exactly what he did through the incarnation of Jesus. He entered into the fiasco of human existence by becoming one of us and then demonstrating, by his own example and experience, the way back to an existence of harmony with him, ourselves, and each other.
And he didn’t simply enter into one version of life and suffering. He knew full well, that some people would and do suffer in unimaginable ways so he chose a path that would make it so that he experienced the most excruciating suffering available. The etymology of the word excruciating, by the way, is to be crucified. So he literally suffered an excruciating death.
So God forgives us but not only that, he makes a way for our suffering to be redemptive. He tells us to pick up our cross and follow him and that if we embrace that cross the way he did, we will be made new and perfected in his Grace - a grace he can now give us for having suffered as we do.
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Your videos always have a great way of lifting up my spirits and solidifying my faith . Thank you.
@r.m.k.1974
3 жыл бұрын
islam is only true path to salvation. For further debate contact me on facebook
@sauravcyrus1935
2 жыл бұрын
@Terry Cupboards amen
@amyglisson3
2 жыл бұрын
Amen
@user-sp5gz3kk2b
Жыл бұрын
Jesus Christ Didn't die on The Cross bro😂😂😂😂
@isaiah6032
2 ай бұрын
@@user-sp5gz3kk2bwhere’d he die?
May Jesus abundantly bless you Brian! This was like a breath of fresh air, leading to a deeper intimacy with Jesus. Aspiring to create content like you someday.
@r.m.k.1974
3 жыл бұрын
islam is only true path to salvation. For further debate contact me on facebook
@iminyourbasement283
3 жыл бұрын
@@r.m.k.1974 there are many gateways to heaven, all of them are different paths. Not everyone chooses the path that you choose.
@MATTHEWProvesJesusDidNotDieFor
2 жыл бұрын
Christians Claim Jesus is God Despite Jesus Saying why do you call me good ?”No one is good except God alone 🤦🏽♂ ( -Luke 18 :19 ) Christians claim Jesus is God, despite the Bible making it clear God is not a man 🤦🏽♂ ( -Numbers 23 : 19 )
@paulwiliam247
2 жыл бұрын
@@MATTHEWProvesJesusDidNotDieFor yeah
@arunkishore7535
8 ай бұрын
😊
Wow ….. I watched this over 4 times. Thank you!!!!! This was truly a blessing
I have no words to describe how important I think your content is. I have always been catholic and most of my life accepted what I was though without fully understand it and therefore I have this feeling that I'm no true christian, I feel if I die tomorrow I would not have the right to be with God but your explanations bring me a step closer to understanding the "Whys" and therefore be more willing to engage actively in the faith and follow Christ example. Thank you so much! May God bless you and my best wishes to you from a little country called Honduras in the heart of America.
FINALLY! Someone explains this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you
Have a very blessed Easter Brian.
Wow. This was a journey of understanding. Thank you
This is the best explenation video i could find right now. Thank you so much, god bless u ✝️
I'm in awe of how your explanation makes so much sense. This video is a blessing... thank you.
This was very informative. I never thought about the etymology of "excruciating". Thanks for sharing!
This video was very well articulated, God bless you, bro!!
Very good, you answered my question "Perfectly" Thank The Lord Jesus Christ🙏 Bless you Brian. In The Name Of the Father The Son And The Holy Spirit🙏
Wow this video is amazing. I was raised catholic and recently returned back to the faith. This topic is always something i accepted but could never fully understand. A beautiful explanation thanks Brian!
@mattduin7144
2 жыл бұрын
@Greg Jacques "catholicism has murdered children" no, it was people that murdered them, catholicism teaches murder is a mortal sin. It is tragic what happened, and you're right they must meet their maker. Don't laugh at that, mourn for their souls and pray that they repented before they died
@mattduin7144
2 жыл бұрын
@Greg Jacques sorry mate my reference for truth is not a movie, in any case that doesnt change the fact the murder is a mortal sin and sadly those souls are in Hell unless they repented. I noticed you've commented on a few comments on this video. The fact is, the catholic church will never be perfect, but as a great saint once said, the church is not a museum of saints, it is a hospital for sinners. As long as there are people in the church, therr will be sinners
@mattduin7144
2 жыл бұрын
@Greg Jacques that verse relates to a woman being found to not be a virgin but nice try. It is not for us to judge whether a sinner repented before their death or not, indeed some sinners have repented on their deathbed. We do not know the limits of God's mercy
@mattduin7144
2 жыл бұрын
@Greg Jacques it is not right for us to judge the limits of God's mercy or where a soul has found itself at its judgement. God bless you in your journey to the truth
@mattduin7144
2 жыл бұрын
@Greg Jacques murder is a mortal sin, if not repented they are in Hell. But we do not know if they repented before they died or the limits of God's mercy. Sorry for the confusion it is late here in Australia
Nice content and I agree. I can't remember which saint said that Jesus would have only needed to shed one drop of blood as a sacrifice, and so him going through the rest was to set an example and to demonstrate his love as much as possible - also showing us that he is not asking us to do what he is not willing to do himself
@r.m.k.1974
3 жыл бұрын
islam is only true path to salvation. For further debate contact me on facebook
This is one of the best explications of the atonement. Thank you so much for sharing!
@donhue4546
Ай бұрын
no its not, why the music ?? to sound holy, the penalty of sin is death, and we are sinner,so through lord jesus we have eternal life
This is so powerful and helpful. I have been trying to wrap my head around this to ease my doubts and was so frustrated by the courtroom analogy where someone just pays your debt. Like God wouldn't exploit his own legal loophole to pay the debt to Himself. The idea of reconciliation through sharing our experience that He may show us the way rings so much more true. Thank you!
Contents you shared are very important for me but gonna be important for many through my life
Very well said! This really helped me! God bless you!
This was super informative thank you!
Great explanation my friend God Bless you🙏🏻
Happy Easter !!!
@Tkdanso
3 жыл бұрын
Yeah later Happy Easter 🐣 again!!!
Thanks for your profound insights and the articulate expression of them. God bless you. Though it is 20 minutes til midnight, at the time of this post, I will say in advance: *He is risen!*
Best description of the need for the life and death of Christ (Imanuel) that I have ever heard! Thank you very much Brian Holdsworth! I just subscribed to your chanel and wish you and your family all the best. I and my husband are followers of Christ in the Quaker tradition and am learning from you a Catholic which really shows how amazing God is because the Quakers started out of a reaction towards how the Catholics were at a certain time in England. God bless you richly! I cannot wait to tell my Quaker friends about your channel!
Wow this really helps. Thank you, saving this one 🙏
Excellent content as always.
Wow finally ! This explanation was great thx
Excellent video. Really helped.
Thank you Brian, God bless you
Beautiful!!! Thank you!!!
This is the gospel message through and through! Terrific presentation
Thank you! God's inability to suffer in his normal state was a huge missing piece in my understanding of it all!
Pls...make a video about your view on the crusades..
@BrianHoldsworth
5 жыл бұрын
It's coming...
@jimtsikos7712
5 жыл бұрын
(:
@einarabelc5
4 жыл бұрын
@@jimtsikos7712 REAL Crusades channel.
@joshmaxwell7968
3 жыл бұрын
@@BrianHoldsworth Jesus was God in the flesh.Everything he did was righteous , good,and true. Mankind then and now could never begin to comprehend him,much deal with him. So to me God's plan all along was not just to have Jesus sacrificed nesiseraly, but to expose the evil of the world,by sending a perfect sinless man into the world, and let Satan show his hand.
I've pondered on this question for so long.
@kubasniak
3 жыл бұрын
He didn't really answer the question. Jesus death is in vain.
GOD BLESS YOU BROTHER.THANKS
I still dont get it
Thank you. You have a simple way of stating The Truth so that even a cradle Catholic like myself can find peace/solace in it. That is a gift.
Hope you all have a great easter
amazing explanation!
I'm only 1 minute and 20 seconds into this video and already it looks brilliant and I have wondered the same thing myself for a long time. I have asked priests about it as well as other people and I haven't gotten an answer yet that really I can live with, accept and understand, so I am looking forward to watching the rest of the 6 minutes and 40 seconds of this video. I'm looking forward to an epiphany........
Best! Explanation! Ever!
Thank you I learned my lesson god please forgive for my behavior
Wow, this explanation helps so much. Thank you! I also love the track in the background; it's beautiful. If anyone knows the track playing in the background, please post it . Thx ❤🙏🏾
Not the response I was waiting for but it was the most honest in whole youtube
"God create a circumstance in which HE can experience human suffering" this statement really open my mind
Great video Brian. This is the part of the Faith I'm still wrapping my head around. I understood that God 'wrote Himself' into the story to suffer with us, but until you mentioned the 'empathy' piece I hadn't fully grasped why. Thank you. Fr. Thomas Joseph White has a great Thomistic take on Christ's sacrifice by way of book-keeping analogy. There is a debt owed and because Christ's Divine nature possesses an infinite quality, his sacrifice provides enough Grace to cover all debts, now and forever. If we extend this idea to 'empathy' - in suffering with us he gains 'infinite' empathy for our suffering and as such closes the chasm between our fallen nature and His infinite goodness by way of Love and understanding. I'd never considered that Christ's suffering was the conduit for God's understanding of our suffering. The phrase: "Jesus wept." when Lazarus dies makes far more sense in this context. Am I on the right track or have I lost the plot? Apologies if that was at all incoherent. Thanks for the great content.
Outstanding
Brilliance in-depth & poignant very important well put
Does any know the name of the music playing in the background
@juanjoseph2879
4 жыл бұрын
kzread.info/dash/bejne/d2yByI9qcZm_pKg.html
@gill426
4 жыл бұрын
@@juanjoseph2879 Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for the eternal message ~ By the way, what was the uplifting music?
Awesome video
Happy Easter everyone!!!! ☦☧✝️
@ulysses284
5 жыл бұрын
Isaiah Jonas Xristos anesti
Excellent!!!
Thank you, well said
what a blessing, praise God! 🤍
You explain it better tham others do, cool.
This explanation is the best one yet. It took over 50 years to finally know this. Your gift of story telling and oral communication is what I've waited for, all of my life. *** Can YOU PLEASE tell me what the "pick up your cross" means? Thank you in advance.
@BrianHoldsworth
Жыл бұрын
I'm so glad it helped. Here are some relevant videos. I'd also recommend The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis. kzread.info/dash/bejne/aZiM0pKzaNKsf6w.html kzread.info/dash/bejne/X3dq0ZeQhda-o7w.html
@terrycrosslin7866
Жыл бұрын
LA did jesus die for my sins?
Great video
Thank you so much. 🙏
That was an interesting take on that. I personally don't find this explanation satisfactory but I think the WHY of the crucifixion has puzzled people ever since it happened. I think there must be some additional sense in that but it is hard to find. Maybe it can't be found by thinking about it but only by feeling your way towards it because to me it doesn't make sense. Certainly there are many things in the world that just don't make sense. It probably is important to see that life is an eternal thing and death is but a station. That you can overcome this death on earth. Maybe it'll make more sense to us later. It certainly is meaningful so I'm glad that people are reflecting over it. Thank you for your insights! By the way, the music was exquisitely beautiful, could you maybe tell me what it was and where I can listen to this version? Thank you and have a blessed Easter! :)
@johnhoffman8203
4 жыл бұрын
There are two aspects of it. One, His death, two His death on the cross specifically. The first part is we (gentiles) needed a sacrifice for our sins because only Israel had atonement through the temple, so when Christ took the Kingdom of God away from Israel (Mt 21.43) for disbelief that He was Messiah and gave it to gentiles we needed a sacrifice of which He gave us by His death. So His death opened the door for the world to qualify to enter the KOG. Second, His death had to match prophecy exactly or it was fraudulent because of the sanctity of God's word.
They must relinquish my work. And give it to me and give me oversight over every single action they make using those ideas I've given them.
Brian, can I ask you a question? Do we have to forgive - and can we forgive - someone who wronged us and is not sorry: he or she simply does not care at all? Or can we - and must we - only forgive someone if he or she comes to us and offers us his or her apologies? This question has kept me busy since long time...
@BrianHoldsworth
5 жыл бұрын
This video reflection might help: kzread.info/dash/bejne/aYOFqs-gYK65gLQ.html
Thank u sir absolutely awesome
Thank you so much for this insightful video. We tend to forget that Jesus was a man and not just an avatar. I very much enjoyed the stories of Jesus life as a man and especially a child. He was still a child with immaturity but had Devine powers so that is interesting to me.
This was an absolutely brilliant way of explaining why God had to become human and be crucified. Amen brother Amen!
Wow very enriching
What is that beautiful music playing in the background?
@juanjoseph2879
4 жыл бұрын
kzread.info/dash/bejne/d2yByI9qcZm_pKg.html
We cannot receive the One who bled, died, and conquered death IF THAT ONE DIDN’T EXIST. Due to the cross, He does.
Excellent.
Thank you, brian. You helped me revert back to christianity God bless you
This was excellent.... Thank you... I’m not Catholic, but this explains well what I believe to be true about God, Jesus, the cross and the Trinitarian aspect of it.....
Jesus having to die is definitely rough. I see it in the way that Jesus HAD to die for us to be forgiven as an example a "I love you all so much that my son will die for your sins so you wont have to die for them". An example to us to be grateful that we are loved and forgiven. Forgiving and forgiving for no reason is just like saying im sorry when you dont mean it.
What translation is your 1 Cor 1:18? I believe you missed out “but us who are being saved...”. It makes a difference.
No salvation outside the church. Beautiful. Thank you.
God bless you.
I am still struggling with understanding something if anyone wants to help. If God is all knowing, then wouldn't he already be able to understand the human condition without having to experience it through Christ?
Love your helmet!
This is stunning
This was beautiful, I’ve been searching for answers. Not just the same ones I see on KZread that explain that “Jesus died because we are all bad people” but this shows me more of the loving nature of God, one of understanding not judgement
Beautiful video, but I have a lot of questions. I have had some discussions with my priest about the idea that God has no potency, and the idea that God never changes yet God came down in the form of Jesus (seemingly a change at face value) and now seems to have a temporal difference where at one point He had no suffering (according to the video) and now does (Colossians 1:20 which seems to agree with your video). This subject is so confusing, then of course (in contradiction to your video and possibly seemingly Colossians 1:20, Genesis 6:6 where God appears to be sad or suffer), even if God "takes a nature unto himself" it is still confusing, especially if through that nature He now has something He did not before (and he never changes).
Great video! I have so many questions, but my main one is this - do Catholics not believe in atonement theology (ie Jesus needing to die on the cross for our sins in order to pay our debt)? I know you talked about it in the video, just checking!
@BrianHoldsworth
2 жыл бұрын
Yes, Catholics do believe in atonement. Paragraph 1992 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: "Justification has been merited for us by the Passion of Christ who offered himself on the cross as a living victim, holy and pleasing to God, and whose blood has become the instrument of atonement for the sins of all men."
@lightgoldenlight
2 жыл бұрын
@@BrianHoldsworth Ok thank you!
@lightgoldenlight
2 жыл бұрын
@@BrianHoldsworth I was wondering if you could please make a video on Catholic parenting (specifically when and how you share the gospel with your children). I've heard a couple different philosophies from Catholic parents - some utilize evangelical Christian books and resources to share the gospel message with their young children, while others focus only on God's loving and merciful nature (without touching on the topic of humans' sinful nature or Original Sin) with their children until the age of seven, when they're ready for their first communion. My oldest child is almost 3, I just want to make sure that I'm raising her in a way where she is engaged the faith. Thanks!
@BrianHoldsworth
2 жыл бұрын
@@lightgoldenlight I'll give it some thought, but in case I don't, here are some thoughts. We "evangelize" our children from day 1. Obviously, we aren't catechizing them in a formal way, but we immerse them in a Christian culture. Culture is embodied religion. It's the way of life that proceeds from a sincere faith in Jesus. In our case, that means, from the time they are babies, they are with us as a family when we are praying, singing, celebrating feast days, and going to mass. We don't send them away to a youth group or a "children's liturgy". They are with us participating to whatever degree they can. An example I like to share with people who ask us why we go to the Latin mass because the concern is that children won't understand what's going on. I reply by explaining, firstly, that children don't understand what's going on in English either. Most adults don't understand the sophisticated ecclesial vernacular. But what children do understand is kneeling, closing eyes, icons, singing, benediction, incense, candles, bells, oils, water, etc. One day we were at mass, and my 3 year old was restless, so I picked him up and he suddenly went still and noticed a plume of incense floating over us and catching the light of a window and he said, "prayers, prayers!", pointing at the smoke. Which is exactly what that is supposed to signify - our prayers rising to heaven as in Revelation 8:4. They have an intuitive appreciation for a sensory experience of the faith embodied in culture. This is why culture, true culture that expresses the true religion (not multi culture or secular culture) is essential to the acceptance of a creed. A creed of doctrines is not enough to form the personal relationship with those doctrines. For that, you need culture. And as they get older, they will have questions and opportunities for more formal formation in the creed itself, which we, of course, offer to them. I hope that helps.
@lightgoldenlight
2 жыл бұрын
@@BrianHoldsworth Yes, thank you so much! I really appreciate your response. I'm a recent revert to Christianity and my husband is agnostic, so I'm really trying to find ways to incorporate faith into our home. I have to say that one of the things that brought me back to my faith is remembering the beautiful ways that my grandparents incorporated Catholic faith into our home growing up. Thanks again for sharing!
Can you tell me your thoughts on this pls
that was amazing
I loved that statement 🤧
God bless you
God incarnated so he can experience suffering? Can you help me understand this? Since God does not change, and cannot have a before and after he’s experience with suffering..
@johnpeters1441
4 жыл бұрын
yes... god is out of time.. but in the incarnation hes in time.
@LoveLove-jk9kz
4 жыл бұрын
john peters that doesn’t make any sense, God still has no before and after. Just because he entered time doesn’t mean he can defy his nature which is being immutability.
@johnpeters1441
4 жыл бұрын
@@LoveLove-jk9kz when the Word of God took on flesh, the was truly man and truly God.. he had both. hypostatic union. in man he, became what he created. (thats all i have. ) it could take all night and day to go on.. one must be a believer 1st.. there is a God . that created and inter act's with what he created. it would take someone with a greater ability then mine to explain it. stay well .in this odd time we find ourselves in. 👍
So how did Jesus forgive those when he was alive before he went to the cross?
Wow! Wow! Wow! I just love this young man!!!!!! Brian, you need to make videos for the Catholic youth. With all of this crazy wishy washy stuff (corruption ) going on nowadays, our youth are getting so lost! I cry for my children. Their CATHOLIC school IS Suffering! They are being taught that God rejoices in other religions and belief systems. We do not need to worry about going to hell,..... I will not even start, I think you know where I'm coming from. Please try to get on the speaking circuit like Scott Hahn, Brandt Pitre , Edward Sri, and many others. Your explanations are so current and easy to understand. Your love and expression of our Catholic Faith is beyond measurable joy for me and many others, to have you at the touch of a button. Please create some talks for our struggling teens and early twenty somethings and maybe put said talks on the Catholic Lighthouse CDs! I pray for you and your family!
I love the analogy of killing the dog, and your background music
Thank you
Great insight Brian! Wouldn't a more obvious explanation of the WHY of the death of Jesus be taken from the Jewish practice of sin offering? I've been going through this throughout Holy Week, and my opinion of the "mechanics" of our salvation point me back to Judaism, since all of this happened within a Jewish context, before being exported to us gentiles.
That beginning explanation is how many Protestants explains the crucifixion...
@htoodoh5770
4 жыл бұрын
Which Protestant?
@faithfultheology
3 жыл бұрын
@@htoodoh5770 calvin
Excellent
This is such a complicated but fascinating topic! Thanks for tackling it. Question though : you said God couldn't suffer because he didn't lack anything, but doesn't God suffer when we don't choose Him, or choose evil (as a consequence of our free will)? I hope this isn't a childish view of it all, but it seems to me that by giving us free will, God is "missing" the opportunity to have all his children believe and respect him
Please, can you share with us the source of this teaching? Is this something Catholics are required to believe?
The analogy about the dog is hilarious
Am I the only one who still doesn't get it? Plz help.
Sometimes, you blow my mind. Whoa.
WOW. Just wow ❤
Great video! From a Protestant :)
Two things. What learning resources did you use for this video? Any specific books you might recommend. Also, what’s the name of the image you use at 6:19. Great video. Thanks!