Based on John 19:1-16 (New King James Version)
“So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate then went out again, and said to them, ‘Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.’ Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, ‘Behold the Man!’ Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, ‘Crucify Him, crucify Him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.’ The Jews answered him, ‘We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.’ Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, ‘Where are You from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer. Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?’ Jesus answered, ‘You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.’ From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, ‘If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.’ When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, ‘Behold your King!’ But they cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!’ Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’ Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. Then they took Jesus and led Him away.’
After reading this passage, we should ask ourselves: “Was the Lord crucified because God wanted it that way, or because of man's injustice?” And if we see it through the fullness of the Word, we should understand that it happened for both reasons. The Lord's sacrifice was prepared and designed by God long before it happened. That is why He sent through His messengers to write such prophecies, which were fulfilled in the life of the Lord with great accuracy. Since man fell into sin, we see the announcement of a sacrifice that involved an innocent being dying for the evil of man. This is what the Word says: “Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21. For God to make skin tunics for man, God Himself had to kill an innocent being (because animals did not sin) in order to make them. So, from the beginning, we see the announcement of what was going to be fulfilled in the life of the Lord.
Now, it would be very easy for all of us to say and accept that it was something that had to happen, no matter what, so that we would all be blameless, right? But, that's not the case. You have to see the whole equation, so to speak, to be able to understand everything that happened, and especially if we want to learn what is necessary so that we can benefit from this. Yes, it is true that it was God's design, but the death and crucifixion of the Lord was also entirely man's fault. The matter was fulfilled both because God wanted it that way, but also because the evil of man made it possible that way as well. This is what the Word says: “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. And there is no one who calls on Your name, who stirs himself up to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us, and have consumed us because of our iniquities.” Isaiah 64:6-7. And it also says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. There was evil, in some way or another, in absolutely every human being who surrounded the Lord at that moment. Between Pilate who cared more about his relationship with Caesar than about doing justice, between the soldiers doing evil because they could, between the people who cried out for the Lord be crucified for simply allowing themselves to be carried away by the evil of others, and even the religious themselves who said they were trying to comply with the law, they all sinned. The last thing the religious had in mind was fulfilling God's law, because even Pilate knew their real intentions, as it was left written: “Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.” Matthew 27:17-18. And what could we even say about his disciples, who cared more about their own well-being before suffering together with the Lord? Peter had declared to the Lord that he would even die for Him if necessary. And what did he do? He denied him, but why, because the Lord prophesied that he would deny Him, or because the Lord knew he was going to deny him? This itself should make us think: “Do things happen because God wanted them that way, or because they fall due to their own evil and God simply knows what is going to happen?” And let’s not judge harshly those from before, because we are the same.
Nothing has changed in mankind since then. So, what should we do? And here comes the practicality of the gospel. The first thing that God teaches us is, that for man to be saved, they must repent and convert from all sins before God. We must start completely, 100% anew. Why? Because we are all sinners and totally corrupt before God, and if we do not change that condition, we will continue to practice injustice despite our best intentions. I myself converted to the Lord at age 7, and I was already corrupted, and had to start over. Second, and as necessary as the first, we must make the Lord Jesus Christ our literal and effective Lord by faith so that the Holy Spirit can enter our lives. And third, we must allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, seeking to do His will. Why? Because we are still subject to the free will with which God Himself made us. That was the great change that happened in the apostles after the Lord died and was resurrected, which made them capable of even giving their lives for the Lord. Peter was finally able to fulfill his promise to give his life for God. But this doesn't happen by itself. This only happens between the complement of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and us submitting our will to Him. This is what the Word says: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2. “Then one said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from.’” Luke 13:23-25. This helps us understand that we must overcome our sin, step by step, with God's help (of course), because the work is necessary so that we can obtain eternal life through Christ. This must be fulfilled in us: “Jesus answered him, ‘The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:29-30. So, are you looking to do God’s justice heartfully? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!