Jesus spoke of the cross many times before it actually happened, for He knew He was headed for death by crucifixion (Matt. 10:38; Mark 10:21; Luke 14:27). In these verses, He employed His own death as a symbol of the commitment that would be demanded of those who chose to follow Him. There also came a time when He began to make the application to what was actually going to happen to Him. “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” (Matt. 16:21). Notice some of the reasons Jesus died:
1. The Ransom of His People. Jesus stated that His life was given as a ransom for His people. “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28) Paul wrote to Timothy that Jesus “gave” Himself as “a ransom for all to be testified in due time.” (1 Tim. 2:6). The apostles testified of the death of Christ and the nature of the redemption which He accomplished. We were in bondage and slavery to sin, but Christ paid the ransom with His blood.
2. The Revelation of His Person. Jesus spoke of the cross to Nicodemus: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15). Those who looked to the serpent of brass were healed, and Jesus said that those who look to Him and His death will be saved. The cross declared that Christ was the Son of God, for Jesus said, “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” (John 8:28).
3. The Results of His Preaching. Jesus said that by being “lifted up” on the cross, He would “draw” people to Himself. “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.” (John 12:32-33). The message of the gospel of Christ is the fact that He died on the cross, was buried and was raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:1-4), and this gospel message is the power of God unto the salvation of everyone who believes it (Rom. 1:16). Christ died to redeem His people, and this message is the drawing power of God (John 6:44-45). We see this illustrated in Acts 2 when Peter preached the message of the cross to unbelievers and 3,000 of them responded to the message of redemption, being drawn by God. When Jesus is preached, God draws sinners to Himself through the power of the good news. Jesus is our model, mission and message. Preach Him!