Jesus was the only sinless man who ever lived. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth” (1 Peter 2:22). In spite of this, HE WAS THE VICTIM OF THE GREATEST HUMAN INJUSTICE IN HISTORY. He was betrayed by one of His 12 disciples. He was falsely accused. He was wrongly tried. Jesus was cruelly sentenced to die by crucifixion by Pontius Pilate, who knew He was innocent. He was sentenced to die while Barabbas, a murdering insurrectionist, was set free. One can look at Jesus’ death on the cross and conclude that this was the worst case of human justice of all times. It was an evil act at the hands of evil men.
On the other hand, the crucifixion of Jesus was THE GREATEST ACT OF DIVINE JUSTICE EVER! Jesus was not just a victim of unjust men when He hung on the cross. He died willingly. Jesus’ death was a part of God’s plan. Man had sinned and therefore, was separated from God. The wages of that sin was death (Romans 6:23). For God’s justice to be satisfied, someone had to die. It had to be someone who was not a sinner who could pay the satisfactory price.
The death of Jesus was not an unnecessary tragedy. It was a glorious victory! It was the greatest sacrifice ever made. It was an immeasurable act of love. Ultimately, the act of divine justice overshadows the heinous act of human injustice. It does not lessen the evil done to Jesus. It emphasizes the sacrificial, amazing love of God in providing a way of reconciliation between the Creator and His created!
What is our appropriate response? Receive His love for you! Give His love to others in your world!