Who Crucified Jesus Christ?

Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 27:1-44

Who crucified Jesus Christ?

The Jews? Indeed, some Jewish people were complicit. The Romans? Roman soldiers drove those nails in His hands. Can we blame Rome for the death of Jesus? No.

He died for our sins.

Isaiah 53:6

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.

Religious Hypocrisy Crucified Jesus

Matthew 27:1

When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death.

These were religious leaders. Many of them were Pharisees, the strictest of the strict.

The worst form of badness is human goodness when it becomes a substitute for being born again. That is what self-righteousness is. It deals with the externals, but never the heart.

If self-righteous religion could save, why did Jesus die?

Jesus died to do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. If you have never repented of your sin and trusted Christ, you do not know how holy God is, and you do not know how sinful you are.

Judas was a hypocrite. He loved silver more than the Savior. Jesus said it would have been better for Judas if he had never been born. (See Matthew 26:24.) If you are not born again, the day will come when you will wish you had never been born at all.

Compromise Crucified Jesus 

Matthew 27:24

When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”

Pilate was a fence-straddler—but he was not a fool. “For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy” (Matthew 27:18). Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent. (See Matthew 27:19-23.)

But the Jews had put Pilate in a corner. (See John 19:12.) Out of fear, Pilate compromised. But his decision not to decide was a decision. (See Matthew 12:30.) 

Matthew 27:20

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.

They would rather have a murderer than Jesus! (See Mark 15:7.)

But why?

“Our leaders say we ought to. Everybody is doing it.”

The crowd is almost always wrong. (See Matthew 7:13.) Think for yourself. These people could have known and they should have.

Religious Skepticism Crucified Jesus

Matthew 27:41-42

The chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel, let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him.”

The religious skeptics were there in that day, just as they are in ours.

Unbelief does not come out of the head. It comes out of the heart. (See Hebrews 3:12.) What Christians believe is not contrary to reason—it is beyond reason. If you want to know, you can. (See John 7:17.)

All atheists in Hell are now believers.

Why Was Jesus Crucified?

The crucifixion of Jesus was not an accident. He was neither a martyr, nor a victim. (See John 10:17-18.)

God the Father “did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all” (see Romans 8:32). What does that mean?

It speaks of Almighty God’s justice. If there were ever a time when God would have been lenient about sin, it would have been when Christ was bearing that sin. Do you think God is going to spare you?

Your sin will be pardoned in Christ or punished in Hell, but it will never be overlooked.