Christianity - A Journey from Facts to Fiction — Page 47
Sin and Atonement 47 exceptional sacrifices to his credit. I understand Jesus as to be a holy man, going through a period of great trial. But as the narration of the act of Crucifixion begins to unfold and comes to a close we are left with no choice but to believe that Jesus as did not volunteer himself for death upon the cross. The night before the day his enemies attempted to murder him by crucifixion we hear him praying all night, along with his disciples, because the truth of his claim was at stake. It is said in the Old Testament that an impos- tor, who attributes things to God which He had never said, would hang on a tree and die upon it an accursed death. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. (Deuteronomy 18:20) And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God;… (Deuteronomy 21:22–23) Jesus as knew that if this happened, the Jews would celebrate with ecstasy and proclaim him to be an impostor whose falsehood had finally been proved beyond a shadow of doubt on the author- ity of the Divine Scriptures. This was the reason why he was so anxious to escape the bitter cup of death; not out of cowardice, but out of fear that his people would be misled and would fail to recognise his truth if he died upon the cross. All night he prayed so piteously and helplessly that to read the account of his agony and misery is heart rending. But as this real life drama proceeds to