We are continuing in this study of N.T. Wright’s book, Simply Jesus, asking the questions we hear sung in the rock opera theme song, Jesus Christ Superstar.[1] “Jesus Christ! Jesus Christ! Who are you? What have you sacrificed?” We addressed the “Who are you?” in our previous study, but presently we’ll consider the words, “What have you sacrificed?” The implication is, “Okay, we give you the fact that you did die on the cross, and while that was indeed a painful experience, what have you really sacrificed, if in three days you rose from the dead? Real heroes, who die on the battlefield to save others, stay dead. We know what they sacrificed, but what have YOU sacrificed, Jesus? Moreover, even if you are able to show that you made **a** sacrifice, what is that to us? What possible meaning could there be in your death, that could be applied to our salvation, in the context of our receiving eternal life?”
Not only was this question asked in the rock opera, but when I used to peruse the debate boards on the web cir. 20 years ago, I was asked this very question by a skeptic, “If Jesus rose from the dead, three days after his crucifixion, what did he sacrifice?” At first the question troubled me, and I wondered, if it could be answered adequately. Nevertheless, the answer came to me, as I thought about it, and remembered an event that occurred to Moses.
Immediately prior to the Lord’s intention to take Israel into the Promised Land, Moses sent 12 spies into the land, one from each tribe. Ten of the spies brought back an evil report. They claimed that, while the land was, indeed, a rich land to be desired, the people there were mighty, and the land was unconquerable (Numbers 13:27-33), and, if they went in to take it away from the Canaanites, they would be killed and their children would be prey to the men they fought, and the little ones would end up as slaves (Numbers 14:1-3) Only Joshua and Caleb believed the land could be taken, indeed, the Lord had already given them the land (Numbers 14:6-9).
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying he intended to slay every one of the rebels, and he would begin again with Moses and make a mightier nation with him than the children of Israel could ever be (Numbers 14:11-12). Nevertheless, Moses interceded for them, saying, the nations had heard of the Lord’s great works in delivering Israel out from bondage in Egypt, and that he had intended to take them into the Land of Canaan. Therefore, should the Lord slay Israel as he intended, the nations would conclude that the Lord was, indeed, mighty to save his people, but unable to keep them (Numbers 14:13-16). Therefore, the Lord answered Moses’ prayer, saying he forgave them just as Moses asked, but the rebels would be punished. God forgave the nation, but the rebels would die in the wilderness. Only their children, whom they believed would be a prey to the enemy would be able to enter the land (Numbers 14:20-24, 28-35).
This event is a kind of picture of what Jesus sacrificed, when he allowed himself to be crucified. Had the Lord been so angry with Adam’s rebellious race, he could have begun a new physical race through Jesus, a much better and more powerful race than he had created through Adam (cp. Numbers 14:11-12). If the Lord decided not to forgive Adam’s race, he could have had Jesus marry and produce a new and better mankind through him, BUT he didn’t do that. Did he? The fact is clear that Jesus interceded for mankind, while he was on the cross, asking God to forgive us (Luke 23:34; cp. Moses in Numbers 14:13-16), and God **always** answered Jesus’ prayers (John 11:41-42). Therefore, God forgave mankind for their sin of rebellion, and we became reconciled to him through the sacrifice of Jesus upon the cross (2Corinthians 5:18-21). Thus, by not producing a better race of mankind, we are able to rest in the fact that God chose to forgive us and to retain us (salvation) to fulfill the prime directive from the beginning, which is to rule creation as the images of God on earth (Genesis 1:27-28).
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[1] Dr. N.T. Wright had mentioned the rock opera: Jesus Christ Superstar (by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice) in the first chapter of his book, Simply Jesus, saying he thought the questions the opera asked were “right and proper” and questions we should ask of Jesus.
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