What Did Jesus Mean

Entry

Died for Sins / Died for our sins

What did Jesus mean

I am going to be murdered and then I will come back.

Where did Jesus say this

Jesus mentions his death a lot, but let’s clear one thing up:

Jesus never said, “I am going to die for your sins.” Not once. Every time he mentioned his death, he never added on the phrase “for your sins.”

And before you read this entry, it’s important that you understand the full meaning behind the word “sin.” You can read the original entry here or simply understand the following: Sin translates to missing the mark. Literally. That’s it. Nothing scary.

Now let’s break down what Jesus said and why.

The first time Jesus ever refers to his own death is months before he is murdered, and he does so with a metaphor:

Mark 2:20 — “But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast in those days.”

We’ve discussed this metaphor in our fasting entry. Religious authority figures are questioning why Jesus and his disciples don’t fast. Jesus explains, “Why would we fast if we have no reason to fast? I am here (the bridegroom). When I am gone, however, then my people (the children of the wedding) will have a reason to fast.”

He’s basically saying the following: You fast when you have a reason to fast. If I am gone, people will mourn. A natural response to mourning is fasting. He’s calling out the performative nature of religious fasting.

This conversation also comes in between a series of opposition-style events:

  1. He heals a paralytic and forgives sins.
  2. He eats with sinners and tax collectors.
  3. He calls out fasting.
  4. He tells the Pharisees the Sabbath is for man, and they can pluck grains if they want to.
  5. He heals a man with a withered hand.

Jesus never spoke about his death until these five events started to unfold because there was no need to. In other words, Jesus didn’t start broadcasting his death until after the opposition found a reason to get angry. All five events above were considered unlawful or going against God, and Jesus knew exactly what he had set in motion: his murder.

And remember, Jesus has the capacity to see what’s inside people’s hearts. In other words, he could read the room.

John 2:24-25 — “Jesus put not himself in their hands, because he knew all men… and needed not that any man should testify of man. For he knew what was in man.”

So every time Jesus is predicting his death, this is what he’s saying: “These people hate me and want me dead. I will let the system take its course.”

After the story of the bridegroom, he says it over and over again. The only thing worth noting outside of this is the mention of “three days.”

Jesus is very specific about the timeline being three days, and there are a few theories regarding why. However, one thing we can lean on is what we know Jesus said about Lazarus:

John 11:39 — “Jesus said: Take ye away the stone. Martha (the sister of him that was dead) said unto him: Lord, by this time he stinketh. For he hath been dead four days.”

He raised him anyways, despite already stinking and being dead four days. You could say Lazarus was on the edge of no return.

This particular event was also the final straw. The system freaked out.

John 11:48 — “If we let him scape thus all men will believe on him. And the Romans shall come and take away our country and people.”

John 11:53 — “From that day kept they a counsel together for to put him to death.”

Aside from casual mentions of his death and resurrection, Jesus had three very specific predictions:

1. First prediction (weeks to months before Jesus is murdered):

Mark 8:31 — “And he began to declare unto them, how that the son of man must suffer many things, and should be reproved of the seniors and of the high priests and scribes, and should be killed, and after three days arise again.”

2. Second prediction (weeks before Jesus is murdered):

Mark 9:31 — “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them: The son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him, and after that he is killed he shall arise again the third day.”

3. Third prediction (about 1 week before Jesus is murdered):

Mark 10:33-34 — “Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the son of man shall be delivered unto the high priests and unto the scribes: and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the gentiles, and they shall mock him, and scourge him and spit upon him, and kill him, and the third day he shall rise again.”

In each instance, Jesus recounts the same basic series of events:

  1. He will be handed over to men.
  2. They will kill him.
  3. He will rise in three days.

Jesus also states in at least five places that he will be crucified or “lifted up.” This does not mean it was planned in advance by Jesus or God. Crucifixion was how criminals died, and Jesus knew he would be cast out and hung up to die as a criminal.

As one more example of what Jesus said (so you can understand what Jesus did not say), let’s also break down the Parable of the Vineyard & the Wicked Tenants (which Jesus said three days before he was murdered).

Mark 12:1-12 — “And he began to speak unto them in similitudes. A certain man planted a vineyard, and compassed it with an hedge, and ordained a winepress, and built a tower in it, and let it out to hire unto husbandmen, and went into a strange country. And when the time was come he sent to the tenants a servant that he might receive of the tenants of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him and beat him and sent him again empty. And moreover he sent unto them another servant, and at him they cast stones and brake his head, and sent him again all too reviled. And again he sent another, and him they killed: and many other, beating some, and killing some. Yet had he one son whom he loved tenderly, him also sent he at the last unto them, saying: they will fear my son. But the tenants said within themselves: This is the heir, come let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall then the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and let out the vineyard to other. Have ye not read this scripture? the stone which the builders did refuse, is made the chief stone in the corner: This was done of the Lord, and is marvellous in our eyes. And they went about to take him, but they feared the people. For they perceived that he spake that similitude against them. And they left him and went their way.”

Translation: God created Israel and the people inside it. He set them up in a nice place and even provided them with resources to keep them safe and happy. Then God took a step back. After some time, he sent prophets. The religious leaders living there beat and killed his prophets. Every time God sent another prophet, they were beaten and killed, too. Then he sent his son (Jesus). God thought, “Surely they won’t kill my son.” But the religious leaders living there wanted to kill Jesus, too, and by doing so, take the whole place for themselves. And so they crucified him.

Then Jesus says, “What should God do with this place now?” And he answers his own question, “God will bring down judgment on the religious leaders and open up the kingdom of God to anyone who bears good fruit.”

And then Jesus draws a parallel to Psalm 118, “Do you not remember? The builders pick up a stone, examine it, say it’s not good enough, and throw it out. That same stone becomes the cornerstone.”

Throughout this conversation, Jesus is once again saying he will die, but also states that he is the cornerstone that first gets tossed to the side.

And last but not least, we can’t talk about Jesus dying for our sins without referencing the famous Last Supper toast from Jesus. This happens the night before his death, and depending on which book you’re reading, the verse will slightly change.

Mark 14:22-25 — “And as they ate, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, brake it and gave it to them and said: Take, eat, This is my body. And he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they drank all of it. And he said unto them: This is my blood of the new Testament, which shall be shed for many. Verily I say unto you: I will drink no more of this fruit of the vine, until that day, that I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Luke 22:14-20 — “And when the hour came, he sat down and the twelve Apostles with him. And he said unto them: I have inwardly desired to eat this ester lamb with you before that I suffer. For I say unto you: henceforth, I will not eat of it any more, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said: Receive this, and divide it among you. For I say unto you: I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God be come. And he took bread, gave thanks, and brake it, and gave it unto them, saying: This is my body which is given for you. This do in the remembrance of me. Likewise also, when they had supped, he took the cup saying: This is the cup, the new testament, in my blood, which shall for you be shed.”

Matthew 26:26-29 — “As they did ate, Jesus took bread and gave thanks, brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said: Take, eat, this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it them, saying: drink of it every one. This is my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many, for the forgiveness of sins. I say unto you: I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine tree, until that day, when I shall drink it new with you in my father’s kingdom.”

Historians believe the book of Mark was written first. Two out of three books leave out the word “sin.” But even if you were to include the word “sin,” this is how it would translate:

“Tomorrow I will be murdered by the tenants. By killing me, the tenants (the gatekeepers) will seal a new bond with God and everyone else. With this bond, the previous tenants give away their exclusive hold on God, and the vineyard opens up to everyone. This new bond can help all people stop repeating mistakes. This is goodbye, for now.”

What Jesus did not mean

Jesus did not mean that he died for your sins.

He never said it.

He was murdered, and he saw it coming.

And then he walked into it willingly.