Did Jesus Have to Die?

Numerous Prophecies Fulfilled On the Crucifixion Day On the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, all the prophecies concerning His suffering were fulfilled in every detail—a lasting testimony that Jesus truly is the Messiah.

Did Jesus have to Die? Yes, because the Bible Told Us So...

The serpent would bruise the Seed of the woman.

Prophesied: “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He will bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:15). Fulfilled: “ ‘Now is the judgment of this world. Now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And if I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all to Myself.’ But He said this to signify by what death He was about to die” (John 12:31-33).

Genesis Most likely written between 1450-1410 BC

Genesis 3:15 ESV

15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

John 8:44 ESV

44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

John 12:31–33 ESV

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

The Messiah Cut Off

Prophesied: “And after sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself” (Dan. 9:26). Fulfilled: “ ‘Nor consider that it is better for us that one man die for the people, than that the whole nation should perish.’ Now he did not say this of himself, but being high priest that year, prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but also that He might gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad” (John 11:50- 52).

Daniel was Written between 600-532 BC

Daniel 9:26 ESV

26 And after the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed.

John 11:49–52 ESV

49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Jesus Betrayed [by Judas]

Prophesied: “Even a man, my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psa. 41:9). Fulfilled: “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order that he might deliver Him up to them. And after hearing this, they were delighted and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him” (Mark 14:10-11).

Psalm 41 - Written by David (10th Century BC) Compiled During Ezra’s Return to Jerusalem after Babylonian Captivity 4654-424

Psalm 41:9 ESV

9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.

Mark 14:10–11 ESV

10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

The Price and Outcome of the Betrayal Money

Zechariah written between 520 and 470BC

Zechariah 11:4–14 ESV

4 Thus said the Lord my God: “Become shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. 5 Those who buy them slaughter them and go unpunished, and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the Lord, I have become rich,’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. 6 For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of this land, declares the Lord. Behold, I will cause each of them to fall into the hand of his neighbor, and each into the hand of his king, and they shall crush the land, and I will deliver none from their hand.” 7 So I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to be slaughtered by the sheep traders. And I took two staffs, one I named Favor, the other I named Union. And I tended the sheep. 8 In one month I destroyed the three shepherds. But I became impatient with them, and they also detested me. 9 So I said, “I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die. What is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed. And let those who are left devour the flesh of one another.” 10 And I took my staff Favor, and I broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. 11 So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep traders, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the Lord. 12 Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. 13 Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter. 14 Then I broke my second staff Union, annulling the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.

Matthew 26:14–16 ESV

14 Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Matthew 27:3–7 ESV

3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers.

Jesus Deserted by His Disciples

Prophesied: “ ‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the Man who is My companion,’ says the LORD of hosts. ‘Strike the Shepherd [Jesus], and the sheep shall be scattered’ ” (Zech. 13:7). Fulfilled: “Then they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50).

Zechariah written between 520 and 470BC; Isaiah written 742-700 BC

Zechariah 13:7 ESV

7 “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.

Isaiah 53:3 ESV

3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Psalm 88:8 ESV

8 You have caused my companions to shun me; you have made me a horror to them. I am shut in so that I cannot escape;

Psalm 88:18 ESV

18 You have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me; my companions have become darkness.

Matthew 26:30–31 ESV

30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

John 16:32 ESV

32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.

Mark 14:50 ESV

50 And they all left him and fled.

Jesus Became the Passover Lamb

Prophesied: “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter...” (Isa. 53:7). Fulfilled: “For Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us” (I Cor. 5:7). “Knowing that you were not redeemed by corruptible things ... but by the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot; Who truly was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for your sakes” (I Pet. 1:18-20).

Isaiah 53:7 ESV

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

John 1:29 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

7 Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

1 Peter 1:18–22 ESV

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

Jesus would Suffer

Scourging and Spitting

Isaiah 50:6 ESV

6 I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.

Matthew 27:26–30 ESV

26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.

Shamed, Dishonored, Lied About and Condemned Among Criminals

Psalm 69:9 ESV

9 For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

Psalm 69:19–20 ESV

19 You know my reproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you. 20 Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.

Isaiah 53:12 ESV

12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Psalm 35:11 ESV

11 Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.

Isaiah 53:12 ESV

12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Matthew 26:55 ESV

55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me.

Matthew 27:29 ESV

29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Mark 14:55–57 ESV

55 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. 56 For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. 57 And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying,

Luke 23:32–33 ESV

32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

Complete Disfigurement

Isaiah 52:14 ESV

14 As many were astonished at you— his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—

Psalm 22:17 ESV

17 I can count all my bones— they stare and gloat over me;

Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would not make an effort to defend Himself at the trial. Prophesied: “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted; yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth” (Isa. 53:7). Fulfilled: “Then Pilate said to Him, ‘Don’t You hear how many things they testify against You?’ And He did not answer even one word to him, so that the governor was greatly amazed” (Matt. 27:13-14).

Isaiah also foretold Jesus Christ’s crucifixion as the sin offering for the world. Prophesied: “Surely He has borne our infirmities, and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we ourselves are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned each one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.... Yet the LORD willed to crush Him and He has put Him to grief: You shall make His life an offering for sin. He shall see His seed; He shall prolong His days, and that the purpose of the LORD might prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul. He shall be fully satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; and He shall bear their iniquities” (Isa. 53:4-6, 10-11). Fulfilled: “Therefore, he then delivered Him up to them so that He might be crucified. Now they took Jesus and led Him away; and He went out bearing His own cross to the place called ‘A Skull,’ which is called in Hebrew, ‘Golgotha’; where they crucified Him, and with Him two oth- ers, one on this side and one on the other side, and Jesus in the middle. Now Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross. And it was written, ‘Jesus the Nazarean, the King of the Jews’ ” (John 19:16-19).

David prophesied that His hands and His feet would be pierced. Prophesied: “Dogs have surrounded Me; a band of evildoers have encircled me; they have pierced My hands and My feet...” (Psa. 22:16). Fulfilled: “And they crucified Him” (Mark 15:25). “Then the other disciples said to him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘If I do not see the nail marks in His hands, and put my finger into the nail marks, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe at all!’ Now after eight days, His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. After the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said, ‘Peace to you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Bring forth your finger, and see My hands; and bring forth your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbe- lieving, but believing’ ” (John 20:25-27).

The parting of His garments was also prophesied by David. Prophesied: “They divide My garments among them and cast lots upon My vesture” (Psa. 22:18). Fulfilled: “Then they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it to deter- mine whose it shall be’; that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says, ‘They divided My gar- ments among them, and they cast lots for My vesture.’ Therefore the soldiers did these things” (John 19:24).

In another psalm, David prophesied that they would give Him vinegar to drink. Prophesied: “They also gave Me gall for My food; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink” (Psa. 69:21). Fulfilled: “They gave Him vinegar mingled with gall to drink; but after tasting it, He would not drink” (Matt. 27:34).

David also prophesied that many would be watching Jesus during the crucifixion. Prophesied: “They look and gloat over Me” (Psa. 22:17). Fulfilled: “And the guards sat down there to guard Him” (Matt. 27:36). “And all the people who were gathered together to this sight, after seeing the things that took place, beat their breasts and returned” (Luke 23:48).

Among those watching would be Jesus’ family and friends, who would stand at a distance. Prophesied: “My loved ones and my friends stand apart from my plague; and my neighbors stand far off” (Psa. 38:11). Fulfilled: “Now all those who knew Him stood afar off observing these things, the women also who followed Him from Galilee” (Luke 23:49).

Some of His observers would shake their heads at Him. Prophesied: “And I also became a reproach to them when they looked upon me; they shook their heads” (Psa. 109:25). Fulfilled: “But those who were passing by railed at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” (Matt. 27:39-40)

Even the words of His reproachers were prophesied by David. Prophesied: “He trusted on the LORD; let Him deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He de- lights in Him!” (Psa. 22:8). Fulfilled: “ ‘He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him; for He said, “I am the Son of God.” ’ And the two robbers who were also crucified with Him reproached Him with the same words” (Matt. 27:43-44).

His burial in the tomb of a rich man was foretold by Isaiah. Prophesied: “By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and with His generation who did consider that He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of My people He was stricken? And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isa. 53:8-9). Fulfilled: “And when evening was coming on, a rich man of Arimathea came, named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. After going to Pilate, he begged to have the body of Je- sus. [Jesus would otherwise have been buried among the criminals.] Then Pilate commanded the body to be given over to him. And after taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen cloth, and placed it in his new tomb which he had hewn in the rock; and after rolling a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away” (Matt. 27:57-60).

David prophesied the Words of Jesus at the height of His suffering. Prophesied: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me, and why are You so far from help- ing me, and from the words of my groaning?” (Psa. 22:1.) Fulfilled: “And about the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ That is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ” (Matt. 27:46).

Zechariah prophesied that His body would be pierced with a spear. Prophesied: “And they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced...” (Zech. 12:10). Fulfilled: “But one of the soldiers had pierced His side with a spear, and immediately wa- ter and blood had come out....And again another scripture says, ‘They shall look upon Him Whom they pierced’ ” (John 19:34, 37).

David prophesied that Jesus would commit His spirit to God. Prophesied: “Into ur hand I commit my spirit...” (Psa. 31:5). Fulfilled: “And after crying out with a loud voice, Jesus said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ And when He had said these things, He expired” (Luke 23:46).

David also prophesied Jesus’ last words. Prophesied: “They shall come and shall declare His righteousness unto a people that shall yet be born, that He has done this” (Psa. 22:31). The Hebrew literally reads, “For it is finished.” Fulfilled: “Therefore, when Jesus had received the vinegar, He said, ‘It is finished.’ And after bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit” (John 19:30).

As no bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Ex. 12:46), not a bone of His would be broken. Prophesied: “He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken” (Psa. 34:20). Fulfilled: “Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first one, and the legs of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs....For these things took place so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not a bone of Him shall be broken’ ” (John 19:32-33, 36).

The Sinless Became Sin For Us in order to Reconcile us to God

Isaiah 53:1–6 ESV

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Isaiah 53:9–11 ESV

9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.