Why the Cross?

Apr 29, 2025

3 min read

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 ESV

We use words like redemption, propitiation, atonement, and ransom for what happened on the cross. The Spirit really taught me today.

I’ve been troubled with the question of why Jesus’ death? Why did somebody, anybody have to die so God could forgive us or be appeased in some manner. I’ve been troubled by the standard wrathful God emphasis of modern theologians. They tell us, “It should have been me on the cross, but Jesus went and was punished instead of me.” Why Jesus? Why punishment?

We need to be careful in thinking It was our punishment that hung on the cross. Punishment is worthless unless it is used for correction. A good father punishes or disciplines his beloved sons and daughters. But that isn’t what was happening on the cross. Jesus didn’t need any discipline, and it wouldn’t prove through to creation to be any use at all.

Jesus told us why. He said it was a ransom. His death was a ransom. A ransom situation occurs when something is taken from its owner and is offered to be given back for a price. What was taken? Our humanness. Our ability to be image bearers of God. Our freedom to be wholly who we were created to be. How was it taken? Through the disobedience of humans. Sin took freedom and enslaved us.

What then was the price of the ransom? The price is the cost of all creation. Then what could the ransom currency possibly be? It can’t be money. Money is the idol of this world, it can’t pay for the sins of the world. Besides how much money would it take to pay the ransom for our entire species through all time? Right. There isn’t enough money.

So what is the currency God used to redeem us with? His own blood. In God’s economy life is in the blood.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” Leviticus 17:11 ESV.

It took divine life, divine blood to pay the ransom for all creation. The blood of an innocent human isn’t enough. But the blood of the innocent God/man Jesus was the only currency recognized in God’s economy that is valuable enough to purchase back his lost creation.

It’s interesting to note that an angry, wrathful God did not kill Jesus. Humans did. Those who stole the innocence required the payment and performed the justice, with no mercy. We killed Jesus. And God died on the cross, shedding his blood for the guilt of humanity. Payment in full.

By 6pm on Friday, the 14th day of Nisan, AD 33, something has changed in the world, though literally no one knew it at the time. The ransom had been paid and all creation set free from the penalty and bandage of sin. We now walk in freedom from sin and the sting of death. We can truly and joyfully obey our Creator King.

There was no punishment, simply a transaction, a ransom of innocent blood for all creation.