JESUS MARKED AS FELON

All Scripture translations are from the KJV unless noted otherwise

WE READ in Deut. 21: 22, 23 that a criminal guilty of murder, in old Israel, was to be hung on a tree; his dead body was not to remain overnight. This represents Christ on the cross, His body being taken down before the day of preparation for the Passover. He had been accused of blasphemy against God – the penalty for which was death in the eyes of the Jews, who called for His execution (Matt. 26: 65, 66).

Here we see how Christ died as a Jew for the Jews, redeeming them from the Law Covenant, but also for the future salvation of the Gentiles who would come to believe in Him, thus removing the partition between both classes.

The relevant passage is Eph. 2: 14-16 (New KJV):

‘For He Himself is our peace, who has made both [Jews and believing Gentiles] 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.’

Addressing His disciples earlier, the Lord had said, with reference to His eventual crucifixion, ‘And I, if I be lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw all men unto me’ (John 12: 32), thereby prophesying what would and must happen to satisfy the means of His death. All this was the fulfillment of Isa. 53.

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