|So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others – one on each side and Jesus in the middle…Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. – John 19:16-18, 28-30
Divine justice sentences Jesus to die for your sin. When considering this concept, several questions come to mind. What is Divine justice? Is Divine justice always fair? Is this justice, indeed (i.e., truly), Divine? These questions, and more, will be discussed in the following.
What is Divine justice? Divine justice is the justice of the Divine (with a capital ‘D’). In other words, Divine justice is the justice of God. It is His concept of justice, not yours. Just because you don’t understand His concept of justice, doesn’t mean that He’s wrong. This just means that you don’t understand His ways. In the often quoted words of Isaiah, ‘His ways are not your ways’ [“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord (Isaiah 55:8)]. There must be a method to His madness, or He wouldn’t be doing what He does. Ask yourself this: what is God trying to accomplish with His justice? The answer explains everything.
Is Divine justice always fair? The answer probably depends upon whom you ask. Ask the people in the Old Testament who are swallowed up by an earthquake if Divine justice is always fair, and they may say ‘no’ [Numbers 16, et al]. Ask the people in the Old Testament who are bitten by fiery serpents if Divine justice is always fair, and they may say ‘no’ [Numbers 21, et al]. Ask Moses who isn’t allowed to enter the Promised Land because he strikes a rock with a stick, and he may say ‘no’ [Deuteronomy 32, et al]. Ask the descendants of the Amalekites who are almost wiped out as a people, because their ancestors attack the Israelites as they are leaving Egyptian slavery, if Divine justice is always fair, and they may say ‘no’ [1 Samuel 15, et al]. Ask Jesus who is crucified for your sin if Divine justice is always fair, and He may say ‘no,’ too [“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)]. Is it fair to be forsaken by God (which is the overarching idea behind all of the above examples)? The simplistic answer is: ‘yes’ if you deserve it, and ‘no’ if you don’t. Jesus doesn’t deserve it. You do.
Yet, Divine justice sentences Jesus to die by one of the most disgusting, gruesome and horrible means possible: crucifixion. Justice is indeed Divine when this doesn’t happen to you. Justice is indeed Divine when this doesn’t happen to you, even though you deserve it. Justice is indeed Divine when this happens to Jesus, instead. What is God trying to accomplish with His justice? – Your salvation. This explains everything.
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. – Hebrews 5:7-9
