To the Truth About His Death

Q. Why did He suffer under Pontius Pilate as judge? 

A. Though innocent, Christ was condemned by an earthly judge,

For the Bible Tells Me So...

Luke 23:13-24 

John 19:4, 12-16 

• Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” …
• From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” 
• When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 
• Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 
• But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” 
• Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.

and so He freed us from the severe judgment of God that was to fall on us.

For the Bible Tells Me So...

Isaiah 53:4,5 

• Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 
• But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. 

2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”)

Q. Does it have a special meaning that Christ was crucified and did not die in a different way? 

A. Yes. Thereby I am assured that He took upon Himself the curse which lay on me, for a crucified one was cursed by God.

For the Bible Tells Me So...

Deuteronomy 21:23 “…his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God. 

Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.”)

The Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 15