Two Questions

[JonC]

So.... I probably didn't answer the questions as throughly as the person asking them at the group study desired.

I simply said that Jesus was sent to us with a purpose and a plan. The questions fall outside of the plan.
Then there was a brief discussion about when Jesus gained awareness of the plan - all conjecture but many thought it may have been early in his ministry, during the 40 days in the wilderness.

My response (now):

Yes, Jesus would have lived forever, likened to Methuselah or Enoch.

No, a natural death would not meet the criteria for a sacrifice.


Rob

You know....when we go down this trail (philosophy...the "what if's) a lot of other things creap up.

Jesus was murdered for speaking the will of the Father. For this not to have happened one of two things would have had to happen - either man would be spiritual, understsnding the things of the Spirit OR Jesus would have had to remained silent and never proclaimed the words He was sent to proclaim.

If Jesus was not murdered then would that constitute a sin (disobedience to the will of God, His predetermined plan)?

If so then Jesus would have been subject to the death sin produces (He would have died for His own sin).


OR the Father would have never sent His Son to die on the Cross and He would never have become flesh.


I kinda like these questions, but I kinda do not like these questions. There is no "yes or no" answer.

 

[Van]

" if the manner of Christ's death would have been different (in any respect) would God have rejected His sacrifice for the sin of the world? Of course God would have accepted Christ's willing sacrifice of His life for the sin of the world, the just for the unjust. However, the manner of His death was specified in prophecy, so certainly aspects of His death were predetermined and predestined."

To study at least some of these, predestined by prophecy, aspects of Christ's death, we could start by studying Isaiah 53.
We could supplement our study with Psalm 22 and Psalm 34.

I like the last verse of Psalm 34, no one who takes refuge in Him will suffer for their guilt. I take great comfort in that, for it sets me free from fear.