He is Worthy of Death

Matthew 26:65-68 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?" "He is worthy of death," they answered.  Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"

         They seem to be some of the cruelest words I have ever found in the bible.  “He is worthy of death. “ Just how mean spirited can some one be to say that of another human being?  The sinister nature of the high priest is laid bare.  His desire to see his own prophesy fulfilled is exposed in five words.  We learned of the true desire of the high priest in John 11: 49-53 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all!  You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."  He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.   So from that day on they plotted to take his life.  The true intent of the whole arrest Jesus thing is exposed for all to see.  And you know what is disturbing, in spite of knowing the truth, they chose to act to protect the own interests.  The death of one man to protect their interests was almost as trivial as the death of a fly.

How incredibly ironic it is to see the words of the chief priest used as the basis for how the death and resurrection of Jesus was for not just the salvation of the Jewish nation, but for the salvation of all mankind.  The Apostle Paul hits it out of the park (so to speak) as he explains this so wonderfully in Romans 5.  In verse 12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.  And in verse 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.   And Romans 6:4-10 wraps up the explanation so very well.  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.  The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 

Jesus was truly worthy of death.  He died a death neither you not I would want to die.  He could have called out to His Father in Heaven and 12 Legions of Angels would have been sent to His aid.  But that would not accomplish the will of His Father.  The sacrifice of a perfect sinless one had to be if all mankind was to be made righteous.  Jesus took the cross, when you and I could not.  He was worthy of that death.  For that we should be grateful beyond words.

Prayer: My Lord we have been made righteous by the sacrifice of Your precious Son. For His death on the cross closed the books on sin in our lives. The prisoner was set free. For that sacrifice and freedom we give thanks in the name of Jesus, Amen