"He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds
we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has
turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of
us all" (Isaiah 53:5-6, NIV).
The death of Jesus Christ is the most famous in history. The state-sanctioned
murder that took place almost 2,000 years ago is still in today's news.
No other crime against the innocent has remained so widespread in the
consciousness of humanity for so long. This one lives on as a story
that is told again and again.
The injustice of the arrest, trial and death of Jesus Christ is profound
in that no person was ever so innocent, so sinless, so blameless, so
undeserving of such punishment. Peter testifies that He "committed no
sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22). He was the most
virtuous man who ever lived.
Jesus challenged His enemies, "Which of you convicts Me of sin?" (John 8:46). The centurion, the officer in charge of His execution, was convinced
that He had executed a righteous man (Luke 23:47). One of the thieves
crucified with Him understood that Jesus had done nothing wrong and
didn't deserve to die (Luke 23:41).
