I am reading about the crucifixion and what stood to me is what is said in Matthew chapter 27 verse 50. It says there that Jesus “yielded up His spirit”.

Jesus died voluntarily. He chose to yield (or surrender) His spirit. It was His choice to die. Jesus is God and He could have chosen to stay alive but because He loves us, He chose to lay down His life for us.

“Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:17-18

The chief priests and elders influenced the people to crucify Jesus but it’s not them who took His life. Jesus is God and He is sovereign. No one took His life. He chose to die on the cross on our behalf to save us from our sins and eternal damnation. Jesus is sinless. He didn’t deserve that suffering.

“And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, ‘You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross. Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, now come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing.” VV. 39-44

“The rest said, ‘Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” V. 49

Jesus could have saved Himself from the cross but He did not. Instead, He chose to subject Himself to it to fulfill the prophecy. It wasn’t like Jesus had no choice. He is always in control, being the Son of God. He couldn’t die unless He chose to. He didn’t save Himself so He could save us.

“Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: ‘They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” V. 35

We cannot save ourselves. It says in Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death”. However, the only one that God the Father will accept as an offering to cleanse us from our sins is the one that is sinless and that is no one else but Jesus.

In the Old Testament, people offered sacrifices that were the best, that were without blemish. Us human beings can never be sinless and therefore cannot be offered as a sacrifice as atonement for our sins. We have the original sin which is imputed to us by our foreparents, Adam and Eve.

“Love kept Jesus on the cross, not nails! Jesus did greater than come down from the cross; He rose from the dead, yet they did not believe even then.” enduringword.com