Exploring the Reasons Behind Jesus’ Crucifixion: Why He Had to Die

In Christian belief, Jesus died to atone for humanity’s sins and reconcile people with God. Theologians describe this in different ways.

Christian teaching

Christians believe Jesus’s death atones for human sin and reconciles people with God. The New Testament says he died “for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3) and rose on the third day.

Views (theories of atonement)

• Substitution: Jesus took the punishment for sin.
• Ransom (Christus Victor): victory over sin and death.
• Moral influence: a demonstration of God’s love.

Other faiths

Islam teaches that Jesus was a prophet and was not crucified. Judaism does not see him as the Messiah.

Note

Theologians differ on the details.

Christian teaching

In traditional Christian belief, Jesus’s death on the cross is central. The New Testament presents it as a sacrifice for sin, fulfilling prophecy and reconciling humanity with God. Verses commonly cited include John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 Corinthians 15:3 and Mark 10:45 (“to give his life as a ransom for many”).

Theories of atonement

Christians have developed several ways to understand how the death of Jesus saves:

• Ransom or Christus Victor: Jesus defeated sin, death and the devil. Associated with early church writers like Irenaeus and Origen, and in modern times with Gustaf Aulen.
• Satisfaction: Anselm of Canterbury (11th century) taught that Jesus paid the debt owed to God’s honor.
• Penal substitution: associated with the Reformers, such as John Calvin, in which Jesus bore the punishment humanity deserved.
• Moral influence: Peter Abelard argued that Christ’s death shows God’s love and inspires repentance.
• Eastern Orthodox emphasis on theosis (union with God) and healing human nature.

The Church has not declared one theory as the only official doctrine.

Resurrection

Christians hold that Jesus rose on the third day, which Easter celebrates, and that this shows victory over death. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15 that without the resurrection, faith is futile.

Other faiths

Judaism does not see Jesus as the messiah, and does not hold that a sacrifice for sins is needed, with repentance, prayer and good deeds having replaced temple sacrifices. Islam teaches that Jesus (Isa) was a prophet and, according to most traditions, was not crucified but raised up by God (Quran 4:157 to 158). Views differ widely.

Historical question

Most historians accept that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified under Pontius Pilate (around 30 to 33 AD), based on sources including Tacitus and Josephus, though interpretations of its meaning are matters of faith.

Numbers

Christianity has about 2.4 billion followers worldwide, according to the Pew Research Center.

Note

This article describes beliefs of different traditions, not a judgment about which is correct.

Faith traditions and scholarship

In Christian teaching, Jesus’s death on the cross is understood as atonement for human sin and reconciliation with God. Different traditions emphasize different models: the ransom view in the early church, satisfaction theory by Anselm of Canterbury in the 11th century and penal substitution in Protestant theology. Christianity has about 2.3 billion followers worldwide, according to the Pew Research Center.

Other perspectives

Judaism and Islam do not teach that Jesus died for sin. Islam holds that Jesus is a prophet and the Quran in Surah 4:157 is commonly read as saying he was not crucified. Historians widely accept that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate around 30 to 33 CE, based on Tacitus and Josephus, while the theological meaning is a matter of faith.

Based on data from the Pew Research Center and the Encyclopaedia Britannica