The Passion of Christ - Who
Really Killed Jesus?
The movie “The Passion
of The Christ” has
made quite a stir among those who are Christians as
well as those who are not. It is very  interesting that
everyone is concerned that every group come out looking
good. No one wants to say yes we are responsible for
killing Jesus. It almost sounds like everything else
in our society, that no one wants to take responsibility
for problems in their life. But that is another story!
The Bible is very clear on who really killed Jesus
if we want to see the facts. In fact there are at least
seven different people or groups that are responsible
for the death of Jesus.
1. JUDAS
We know that one of Christ’s own disciples
betrayed Jesus. Judas bargained with the religious
leaders to have Jesus arrested. Matthew 26:28 tells
us that Judas said “whoever I kiss, the same
is he…”
When Judas betrayed Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane,
Jesus said, “do you betray the son of man with
a kiss.” So it is obvious one of Jesus own was
partially responsible for His death.
2. The JEWS
The Jews who cried out for Jesus’ death were
also responsible. We are told that the Sanhedrin consulted
to kill Christ. (Matt.27:22). Also in the crying out
for the death of Christ, those Jews said His blood
be upon us and our children. In 1 Thessalonians 2:14-15,
the Apostle Paul, who also was a Jew, said. “For
ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God
which in Judea are in Christ Jesus; for ye also have
suffered like things of our own countrymen, even as
they have of the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus
and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and
they please not God, and are contrary to all men,” This
passage does not mean every single Jew but rather those
who were contrary to what Jesus had said and willingly
rejected Him. “He came unto His own, and His
own received Him not.” (John 1:11)
So we can say that some of the Jews were responsible
for the death of the Lord Jesus. Please remember that
no one is saying that Jews who are living today are
responsible, only those who lived right then who rejected
Christ.
3. The Romans
The Romans
were responsible as well for the death of Jesus. While
Pilate admitted, “I find no fault
in this man” (Luke 23:4), Pilate chose to protect
himself instead of freeing the innocent Christ who
stood before him. Although Pilate washed his hands
and said, “I am innocent of this man’s
blood”, he was the one who ordered the execution
of the Lord Jesus (Matthew 27:24.)
 The gentile soldiers are recorded as mocking and
spitting on Jesus. They also hit and beat Him beyond
recognition. It states in Isaiah 53 that Christ’s
visage was so marred that he was not recognizable.
These soldiers also made a crown of thorns for His
head and then ultimately nailed Jesus to the Cross.
4. God The Father
Both the
Old and New Testaments declare that the Father sent
Jesus to the Cross. In Isaiah 53:10 it tells us, “it
pleased the Lord to bruise Him; he hath put him to
grief. …” It is so
clear from this verse that the Father had Jesus go
to the Cross. The next part of the verse says why, “when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin”.
In the New Testament in Acts 2:23 it says, “Him,
being delivered by the determinate counsel of God, …”.
Jesus was not just arrested by man and crucified,
but rather we see that the Father determined that Jesus
would pay for sins on the Cross.
5. JESUS
The Bible makes it also quite evident that Jesus
was responsible for His own death. Jesus said to His
disciples on several occasions that He must suffer
and die. Matthew 16:21 says, “From that time
forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how He
must go to  Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the
elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed,
and be raised again the third day.” Again in
Matthew 17:22-23 and 20:17-19 Jesus predicts His own
death. The most revealing passage is John 10:17-18
where Jesus says no one take His life, but rather He
lays His life down. Then He says if He lays His life
down He will take it back again.
There can be no doubt that Jesus predicted His own
death and made it clear that if He didn’t want
to lay it down no man would be able to take it. I thank
The Lord Jesus for being a
WILLING SAVIOR to die for my sins!
6. Satan
Satan was also responsible for the death of Jesus.
In the very first book of God’s Word after Satan
had deceived Eve in the Garden we see the prophecy
of the battle of the ages. Genesis 3:15 says, “And
I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between
thy seed and her seed; he shall bruise thy head, and
thou shalt bruise His heel.” This predicts that
Satan would wound Christ(heel) but it would not be
fatal for Jesus would rise again.
The verse goes on to say that the head of the serpent
(Satan) would be bruised. This refers to a mortal wound.
When Jesus died and rose again he conquered sin, death
, and the Devil.
Hebrews 2:14-15 says, “Forasmuch then, as the
children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also
himself likewise took part of the same, that through
death he might destroy him that had the power of death,
that is, the devil, and deliver them who, through fear
of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”
7. ME
The last person responsible for the death of Jesus
is me.
 It was I who was guilty and should have suffered
for my own sins, but God loved me and you so much that
Jesus paid for our sins in his body on the cross. “Who
His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree,
that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness;
by Whose strips we are healed” 1 Peter 2:24.
That is the Gospel, to understand that Jesus took
our place on the cross and suffered and bled, and then
died to pay for our sins as a sacrifice to the Father.
2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He hath made Him,
who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in Him.”
I recently heard someone comment on the movie that
they were not responsible for the death of Jesus. That
in a nut shell is what all of the debate is about.
Was Jesus actually the sinless Son of God who was sent
to be the payment for the sins of the world? Either
Jesus was a LIAR about what He was
doing and who He was or He was a LUNATIC, or
lastly, HE IS LORD! The Bible makes
it clear He is Lord for He has risen from the dead.
The whole matter comes down to that, we are all responsible
for the death of Christ. The ones who want to argue
against it are those who are offended by the PREACHING
OF THE CROSS. But to those who know Christ and the
forgiveness of sins it is the power of God.
Rejoice that there is so much talk on television
and radio as well in print about the death of Jesus
and what it really means. We have not seen this type
of talk in the media for years. May we use every opportunity
to get the message of The Cross out to a generation
that is so needy of the TRUTH.
“ I have often wondered what it must have been
like to be a bystander during those last hours before
Jesus' death. After watching ‘The Passion of
the Christ,’ I feel as if I have actually been
there. I was moved to tears. I dou bt if there has
ever been a more graphic and moving presentation of
Jesus' death and resurrection - which Christians believe
are the most important events in human history.”
“The film is faithful to
the Bible's teaching that we are all responsible for
Jesus' death, because we have all sinned. It is our
sins that caused His death, not any particular group.
No one who views this film's compelling imagery will
ever be the same.”
- Billy Graham
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