The Audio is very low (sorry).
The Romans?
The Jews?
Was it Satan?
Jesus was arrested at night and charged with blasphemy, the charge was “you a mere man are claiming to be equal with God.”
Blasphemy, under Jewish Law was punishable by death.
Was it the Romans?
Under Roman control the Jews had to bring Jesus Christ before Pontus Pilate to have him crucified. They didn’t have the authority due to the Roman occupation to carry out the death penalty.
Jesus Before Pontus Pilate
John 19:9-11
"Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?" 11Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."
This proves that Pilate as a Roman procurator believed he had authority over the life of Jesus but that Jesus declared that the authority over his life was much higher.
Though he was convinced of Christ’s innocence, and though he tried to dissuade the priests and the crowd from their aim to have Christ killed, he finally relented to the blood-thirsty religious leaders: "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it" (Matthew 27:24).
Clearly Pilate’s decision was motivated by the fear of a potential revolt. Therefore, to keep the leaders happy, and to prevent a dangerous rebellion, he relented to their request. Thus, though Pilate had the power to prevent Christ’s death, he chose to sacrifice an innocent man to keep the peace. Pilate, therefore, was a willing participant and contributed to Christ’s death.
Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged and then released but the crowd called out, inspired by the religious leaders of the day, to crucify Jesus.
Pilate did not want Jesus crucified because he judged him innocent of breaking any laws that were important to him as a Roman.
However to appease the crowd he succumbed to the pressure and ordered Jesus crucified.
Was it the Jews?
The Jewish religious leaders brought Jesus to Pilate, set him up on multiple occasions and seduced one of his own disciples to turn against him for 20 pieces of silver.
Matthew 26:3-5
3Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. 5"But not during the Feast," they said, "or there may be a riot among the people."
It is interesting to note that they were conscious of the fact that the majority of the people liked Jesus and, therefore, decided not to kill Him. They knew that the masses of people had to be handled carefully, to keep them from turning against them. Thus, their plan had to be skillfully conceived so as to convince the people that Christ was a blasphemer and that He deserved death.
Furthermore, the Gospel of Matthew tells us that when Christ was brought to the Sanhedrin, “The Chief Priest, the elders, and the council sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death” (Matthew 26:59-61), and found several.
Finally, Christ’s own words were found sufficient to condemn Him to death. Thus, in the morning, “...all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death” (Matt. 27:1). Later, when Pilate tried to release Christ, they vehemently insisted that He had to be killed, and the angry crowd that was present, as well as the priests, finally prevailed (Luke 23:23).
Were the religious leaders guilty? According to the Gospel story, many were. They planned to capture Christ, they found false witnesses to testify against Him, and they refused to believe His word, though His miracles supported His claims. The religious leaders wanted Him dead and did not cease until their agenda to have him killed was fulfilled.
Was it Satan?
Did Satan try and kill Jesus on the cross? I think Satan feared the cross because he tried to get Jesus to avoid it.
Matthew 16:21-23
21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" 23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
I believe Satan wanted Jesus to die but he did not want him to be lifted up. He knew the prophecy and I believe tried to get Jesus to die another way or tried to get him to sin through various temptations.
Matthew 4:6
"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: " 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.' "
Colossians 2:15
15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
It was God’s Love for Sinful Mankind that Put Jesus on the Cross.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
God the Father loves us so much that He was willing to go through unfathomable pain and anguish for us, by offering His only Son to be flogged and then to be nailed to the cross.
It was His love that put Jesus on the Cross. It was His love for sinful humanity that brought us unmerited forgiveness and opened the possibility of eternal life for all who believe.
Jesus Christ agreed to do God's will, fully conscious of the horrific ramifications that His decision would have had for Him. Yet, He was greatly encouraged by the fact that his future suffering would have brought about salvation for all who receive him by faith.
John 6:51
51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."
Who, therefore, killed Jesus Christ? The answer should be clear by now: The Jewish leaders wished it; Pilate could have prevented it, Satan orchestrated it; our sins demanded it.
It was God the Father who willed it, and it was Christ who willingly offered himself to be sacrificed.
John 10:18
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
The Cross screams, YOU ARE VALUABLE!
Jubilee Family Church