This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. — Acts 2:23 (NIV)

Many people around us accept Jesus as a good teacher, as an example of virtue, or even as a great prophet yet reject that he rose from the grave. We begin this month with Easter, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Before he could rise though, he had to die. Why would anyone execute a masterful teacher, a moral model, or a great speaker of divine truth? Why would his own people lobby their oppressors to put him to death?
After all, Jesus was well-liked by the masses (Matthew 15:30; 19:2; John 12:12). Devotion to him was wide spread. However, he failed to meet their expectations. The broadly scattered interest was evidently not matched by much depth (John 6). When Jesus did not fulfill the role of conquering Messiah, they turned away in disappointment. Judas, the mechanism for seizing Jesus quietly (Luke 22:1-6, 47-53), is a prime example of this group of wicked men.
According to Matthew, Mark, and John, this same popularity with the people caused envy among wicked men. The chief priests, scribes, elders, and the Pharisees were afraid that if everyone believed in Jesus, then the Romans would take away their place and nation. (Matthew 26:3-5; Mark 14:1-2; John 11:49-49).
Furthermore, Jesus’ clearing of the temple (Matthew 21:12-17) immediately after his royal welcome into Jerusalem to the cheers of “Hosanna to the Son of David” stirred the whole city (Matthew 21:1-11). Thus Jesus posed a threat to the authority of the leaders of Israel. Each of the key leadership groups approached Jesus to find some reason to accuse him. The Chief Priests and Elders (Matthew 21:23-46), the Pharisees and Herodians (Matthew 22:15-22), the Sadducees (Matthew 22:23-33) and the Pharisees again (Matthew 22:34-45) all challenged him.
Despite their testing, “No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.” (Matthew 22:46). Instead, these wicked men cast their charges in political terms to get the Roman government’s attention and gain approval for execution (Luke 23:2). The pathetic wavering of Pilate before threats to his authority (Luke 23:4; John 18:38; 19:4, 6) was a final factor in Jesus’ death at the hands of wicked men.
In summary, the Gospels and Acts reveal that Jesus died because “wicked men put him to death by nailing him to the cross” (Acts 2:23). Men acting in response to disappointment, envy, and/or political threats all played a part.
The Bible also makes it clear that Jesus died because it was “God’s set purpose” (Acts 2:23). In Luke’s Gospel, this is particularly clear in the repetitive theme of divine necessity or “ought-ness” regarding many things. In particular, it was necessary that Jesus “must suffer many things and be rejected … and he must be killed” (Luke 9:22; cf. Luke 13:33). It was necessary that Jesus “must be delivered into the hands of sinful men [and] be crucified (Luke 24:7). He must suffer and then enter his glory (Luke 24:26). He must suffer and rise from the dead on the third day (Luke 24:44-46).
Why must these things happen? So that “repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations…” (Luke 24:47; cf. Matthew 26:28).
In the end, God’s set purpose was fulfilled by wicked men, so that wicked men and women (like you and me) could receive forgiveness for our sin. Jesus died so that we might live.
But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. – Acts 2:24 (NIV)
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. – 1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. – Romans 4:25 (NIV)
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins… — 1 John 2:2 (NIV)