I was speaking at a Christian college, where in the course of my talk I asked, "Why was Jesus killed?" A long pause followed, indicating that the question was one that had not been thought about much before. Finally an answer came, "To save us from our sins."
True enough as to the result of Jesus' death, but I was asking about the cause. Why was Jesus killed?
It is, of course, quite doubtful that the chief priests who collaborated with Pontius Pilate to accomplish the execution were conscious of their part in salvation history. What they were conscious of was that Jesus was a threat to their power and authority.
Jesus frequently had confrontations with these rulers of the people, treating them with disdain and scorn (Luke 13:31-33, and 20:9-19). He spared no words in his criticism of the rich and powerful (Luke 6:24-25, 16:14,15,19-31, 18:24-25, 20:46-47), and on one occasion he specifically condemned the kings of the Gentiles, who sought power and dominated their subjects while calling themselves "benefactors."
He contrasted his own approach to power with that of the secular rulers and called upon his disciples to imitate, not them, but his own servant style of leadership (Luke 22:24-27, Mark 10:35-45). Jesus, in fact, told his disciples to expect persecution from political authorities on his account, and he instructed them in how to bear witness when they are "brought before kings and governors for my name's sake" (Luke 21:12-25).
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