Christian hymn writers not only share their music but also their theology. Stuart Hine, author of the popular "How Great Thou Art" wrote "and when I think that God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in."
From my Biblical perspective I don't believe God sent Jesus to die. Rather, I believe God sent Jesus and called him to be faithful, obedient and forgiving. In the same, way I also believe God calls us to be faithful obedient and forgiving in our lives today.
There are many different interpretations of why Jesus died. The doctrine of a "blood sacrifice" to appease an angry God or to "substitute" for sinners is one ancient doctrine. Anslem of Canterbury (c.1033) developed the theory of "blood atonement" or "substituionary sacrifice" which was popular at the time of Jesus. For him and for many today human sin was and is eternally destructive. Since a mere mortal/human could not give God "satisfaction" (atone) for sin in order to appease a just, angry and sometimes wrathful God, Jesus, the God-Man was therefore offered to be the pure substitute sacrifice.
As I make my way through Lent I believe what killed Jesus was our sin and not God. What killed Jesus was that he was light in a world that preferred to live in darkness (John 3.19-20).
Jarrod McKenna wrote "the lamb of God is not offered to God by humanity but is God offered to us to enable a new humanity."
Jesus had a choice. He could be obedient to God or he could go his own way. Not to give him that choice makes him a puppet. Rather, he chose to follow God. Good Friday, Calvary and the cross take on new meaning for me when I know it was the love of Jesus and his offer of forgiveness (grace) that took him to the cross to confront evil and even death.
From my reading of Holy Scripture Palm Sunday takes on new importance. Jesus made a personal decision to go to Jerusalem (Mark 9.30-32). He knew even before he entered the gates of the city that he would never come out alive. He was not suicidal. Then why did he go?
I believe we have a clue from his words in the Garden of Gethsemane which show it was not an easy decision - "Father, if it's your will, take this cup of suffering (death) away from me. However, not my will but your will must be done." (Luke 22.42).
In place of hatred, violence and the shedding of blood Jesus offered unconditional forgiving love and unmerited grace. It was rejected but it was still offered. And it is still offered today.
Jesus was willing to confront physical suffering and death as a common criminal because he loves us so much. In the same way the suffering and death of Jesus demonstrates to us that a forgiving God still loves us and in spite of our rebellion still offers salvation through his forgiveness. The question I ask myself is do I put emphasis on the justice of God or on the love and forgiveness of God? Does God need a human sacrifice or does God desire the sacrifice of my heart and my life?
Jesus invites us not to be obedient to hatred and violence but to be obedient to the love and forgiveness still offered by God in Christ. In the resurrection God had the last word and God's "last word" is still a good word for us today.
