By TONY HOSS
Question: Why did Jesus stay on the cross?
Answer: In Matthew 4, Satan in an effort to tempt Jesus said, “If thou be the son of God, command these stones to be made into bread.” Later he insisted that if Jesus was the Son of God that He should cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple. Then he tempted Jesus with all the riches and authority of the world if He would but worship Satan. Each time Jesus responded with the Word of God. When Jesus stated that it was written as He did in Matt. 4:4 He was saying that it is appointed. In other words it was appointed that man live only by God’s Word, it was appointed that all men including Jesus should not tempt God. Each time Jesus remembered God’s Word and gave an appropriate response.
While he was hanging in torment upon the Cross of Calvary Jesus was once again tempted to break an appointment that God had given Him to fulfill. While hanging on the cross the mob said, “If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matt. 27:40).
Why did Jesus stay on the cross, what held Him there? There are many reasons that Jesus went to the Cross and the same reasons kept Him there.
He stayed on the cross for the “joy that was set before Him” (Heb. 12:2). This would include: fulfilling the Father’s will. In Luke 22:42 Jesus prayed, “if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” He also remained upon the cross to become the sacrifice for all men while bearing the burden for their sins (1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 3:18, Titus 2:14, Gal. 4:4). Jesus also remained on the cross that He might receive the glory He had known in heaven prior to His coming to this world (John 17:5; Rev. 13:8) His love for lost souls demanded that He go to the cross and remain there even amid the taunting crowd which stood before Him and thus He became the author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2).
It was not the nails that held Jesus on the cross; He had power over death and diseases, He had power over nature, and He had power to come down from the Cross. Jesus remained on the cross because He loved His creation and laid His life down for it (John 10:17-18). Finally Jesus remained on the Cross to fulfill God’s eternal purpose. Jesus died to purchase the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 1:18-19). We should remember that without Christ’s death, God’s eternal purpose would have never been realized. The nails did not hold Jesus on the Cross; it was His love for His Father and His creation.
(Tony Hoss is minister at Centerview Church of Christ. He can be contacted at 423-737-2287 or by e-mail at CenterviewCOC@comcast.net)