Why a Physical Death?

As my pastor taught a Sunday evening lesson on Christ as mediator I was confronted once again with the amazing truth that Christ's physical suffering and death was not nearly as significant as the fact that the wrath of God was being poured out on him. That is not to take away from what is presented in the gospel accounts. It is, however, to say that Christ did not ask His Father to keep him from suffering in the hands of the Romans. He asked that if it was the will of the Father that He would not empty out the cup of His wrath on him.

So why do we read of such horrendous physical suffering? The list of reasons is much bigger than my library can explain. But as I thought through some of the things that happened at the cross and why they happened the way they happened I thought it would be helpful to post it for you folks and allow you the opportunity to marvel at just a small list of things you were meant to see at the cross.


He was mocked and despised to display the shame of my sin. (Isaiah 53:3-4)

He carried his cross to Golgotha (outside the city of Jerusalem) because my sin defiles the camp of God. (Leviticus 16:21-22)

Nails were driven through his hands to give me a picture of the record of my sins being put away by God, through Christ. (Colossians 2:14)

He was killed show me the severe penalty for sin. (Romans 6:23)

He willingly died to demonstrate the love of God for His people. (Romans 5:8)

He died for me that I might know how to love my brothers and my wife. (1 John 3:16, Ephesians 5:25)

So that's my list. What did I miss?

Grace and Peace,
Stephen