The Death of Christ
When the Son of God died it was the greatest event that had occurred in this world’s history. It is the centre around which history revolves. It is beyond anyone to speak of all its greatness, but we wish to point out a few things concerning this great event.
To the human race death is natural, but though Christ’s death was real, and He did actually die, the spear thrust into His side proved this, yet His death was
Unnatural
In the first place, He was the Creator of the Universe, and for Him to die is wholly unique; moreover, He was the Jehovah of Isaiah chapter 6, the Adonahy of Psalm 110:1, and the God of Isaiah chapter 45:22. Secondly, under the old covenant God had said, “Ye shall therefore keep My statutes, and My judgments; which if a man do, he shall live in them,” (Lev. 18:5). He kept them perfectly, but yet He died. Thirdly, He died for the ungodly, therefore in His death it was shown what was righteously due to them. The law laid down the principle of an eye for an eye; therefore because sin is a revolt, Christ as the sinner’s substitute was scourged by wicked men. Because law breakers come under the curse, Christ was nailed to the tree. Sin had reigned in death (Rom. 5:21), therefore they crowned Him with a crown of thorns that we might wear a crown of glory. Notice the superior accuracy of the Revised Version (as in places innumerable). Sin did not reign unto death, with the view to men dying, but it reigneth in the fact that death follows it in every sinner. In fourth regard, men killed Christ and became His murderers, though no man took His life from Him (John 10:17-18); which very fact made it unnatural. His death was also
Preternatural
It was this because God had so ordained it from before the foundation of the world, and because it was foretold by the prophets in great detail, from Genesis 3, where it was said that He was to be the seed of the woman and be bruised by the serpent, on too many well known passages, far too many to mention in this short script. Moreover, He told His disciples of His coming death, and, when He had fulfilled the last scripture concerning this great event, He cried, “It is finished.” In conclusion, the death of Christ was
Supernatural
It was not the nails nor the spear that caused His death. Men and demons could not slay Him. He laid down His life and yielded up His spirit. He offered Himself to God; and when men had done their worst, He cried with a loud voice, proving that His strength had not ebbed away as many would have us believe; then He deliberately bowed His head and commended His spirit to God. Perhaps the last statement is the most remarkable of all, that He, the great Sin-Bearer, could commend Himself to God. The immediate rending of the veil, making open the way into God’s presence, proved that He was accepted by God, to whom He committed Himself.
How marvelous are all His ways, and His wonders past tracing out.