The death of Jesus on the cross was the greatest and most important event that the world will ever witness. However, one cannot help but wonder whether or not people truly understand the significance of this event. Let's consider some of the things that happened when Jesus died on the cross.
1. Atonement Was Made For Our Sins. In the beginning, God told Adam that he could freely eat the fruit from every tree in the garden, "but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die" (Gen. 2:17). Adam ate of that tree, and he died. He became subject to physical death that day, but more importantly, he died spiritually. His sin caused a separation between himself and God (Is. 59:1-2). He needed to make atonement for his sin, but he was powerless to do so. Thus began the great theme of the Bible: God's scheme of redemption.
Death was the price that had to be paid for man's sin. The Law of Moses called for the sacrifice of bulls and goats. Their life was given and their blood was shed, but with no effect, "for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins" (Heb. 10:4). Not just any death could make atonement for sin. It was a man's soul that was lost in the garden, thus atonement required a man's death. However, not just any man could make atonement for sin. A sinless soul was lost in the garden, and it could only be reclaimed with the death of a sinless man. Thus, the perfect Son of God had to die for the sins of mankind. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). Only in the death of Jesus is this wrong made right and God's righteous judgment satisfied.
2. Prophecies Were Fulfilled. Our Lord's death on the cross was no accident. It was planned in the mind of God before time began. "Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death" (Acts 2:23). His death was foretold to the world through the prophets. The suffering servant of Isaiah 53, the pierced hands and feet of Psalm 22, no broken bones of Psalm 34, given gall and vinegar in Psalm 69, and beaten and spat upon in Isaiah 50. All of these prophecies pointed to Calvary.
One of the proofs of the inspiration of the Bible is fulfilled prophecy. Jesus' death on the cross is a subject of these prophecies. Throughout the gospel of Matthew the writer points to the fulfillment of these prophecies as evidence that Jesus was the promised Messiah. Jesus Himself foretold His death (Matt. 16:21, 17:22-23, 20:18-19). If He had not died on the cross, He would have proven Himself to be a liar and a false prophet (Deut. 18:15-22).
3. The Law of Moses Was Fulfilled and Put Away. "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross" (Col. 2:13-14). The Law of Moses was nailed to the cross with Jesus. When He died, the veil of the temple was torn in two (Matt. 27:51), signifying the end of the law.
God had said that the Law of Moses would be replaced with a new covenant. "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah - not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people" (Jer. 31:31-33). The writer of Hebrews quotes this prophecy and makes it clear that the Law of Moses was replaced with the Gospel of Jesus Christ - the new and better covenant (Heb. 8:6-13)
4. The Enmity Between Jew and Gentile Was Abolished. "For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity" (Eph. 2:14-16).
The law that separated the Jews from the Gentiles was taken away at the cross. Now all men, regardless of their race, have access to God through the same law - the gospel of Jesus Christ. When one obeys the gospel, he is made a part of the one body of reconciled believers to be presented to God the Father.
5. The Love of God Was Displayed. "But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). What more could God have done to have proven His love for us? Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 15:13). However, Jesus did more than lay down His life for His friends. He gave His life for all - friend and foe alike.
6. Jesus Left A Perfect Example In Suffering. Times of suffering are going to come upon all of us. We will all face various trials at different times in our lives. How can we make it through these times? How should we act and react to these times of suffering? Jesus' death on the cross left us with both encouragement and an example to follow. "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Pet. 2:21-24).
Jesus' death on the cross not only paid the penalty for our sins, it also showed us that we can endure any suffering that we have to face. If Jesus could endure the cross for us, then we can endure anything for Him.
The death of Jesus on the cross was indeed the most significant event that the world will ever know. It was there that atonement was made for our sins, but there was so much more to this event than the ransom of a lost race. Our lives as Christians will be richly blessed if we will continue to look back upon the lessons that we can learn at the cross of Jesus.