Who was responsible for the death of Jesus? Was it the Jews who condemned Him for blasphemy and had Him arrested, or the Romans who physically tortured and crucified Him? Could it be God the Father or all of sinful humanity? The answer is complex and involves multiple parties.
The Jews, particularly the scribes, Sadducees, and Pharisees, were vehemently opposed to Jesus (Matthew 21:15; Luke 11:53; John 5:18; 7:45–52; 12:37). They accused Him of blasphemy repeatedly and attempted to stone Him (Matthew 9:3; Mark 2:6–7; John 8:52–58; 10:31–33). The chief priests and elders accused Jesus (Matthew 27:12), mocked Him (Matthew 27:41), and conspired to have Him arrested and sentenced to death (Mark 15:1). Judas, one of His disciples, betrayed Him (John 18:2). The crowd of Jews shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” during His trial before Pilate and chose Barabbas, a thief, to be released instead of Jesus (Luke 23:21; Matthew 27:21). They were intent on killing Him (Matthew 12:14).
Paul acknowledges the role of the Jews in Jesus' death: “For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone” (1 Thessalonians 2:14–15). Thus, part of the responsibility lies with the Jews who plotted against Him.
However, the blame is not solely on the Jews. Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, makes it clear that the Jews did not act alone: “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross” (Acts 2:22–23). The “wicked men” referred to are the Romans, who also share the blame.
The Romans perfected crucifixion and the accompanying torture. Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, sentenced Jesus to be flogged and crucified (Matthew 27:26; John 19:1). Roman soldiers mocked Him, placed a crown of thorns on His head, and crucified Him by driving nails into His hands and feet (Matthew 27:28–29; John 19:23). They also pierced His side to ensure His death (John 19:34). The Romans played a crucial role in Jesus' execution.
What about God the Father's role in Jesus' death? Romans 3:25 states that “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood,” and Romans 8:32 says that God “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.” Isaiah 53:10 reveals that it was God’s will for Christ to die: “It was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and . . . the Lord makes his life an offering for sin.” Although God did not physically put Jesus on the cross, the crucifixion was part of His plan to redeem humanity. Peter preached that Jesus’ betrayal and death occurred according to “God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge” (Acts 2:23). Jesus’ death was God’s will (see Luke 22:42).
God willed to save His people, and this required a payment for sin. Jesus had to die, as God could not spare Him. In Genesis 22, Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac was halted by an angel who provided a ram instead. Similarly, God did not spare His own Son but provided Jesus as a substitute to save us (Romans 3:25–26). Jesus’ death satisfied God’s wrath against sin and allowed God to bring sinners to heaven without violating His justice.
Jesus willingly laid down His life to save us from our sins (John 10:17–19), took the punishment we deserved, and reconciled us to God (2 Corinthians 5:21). Isaiah 53:5 prophesied this atonement: “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” God’s great love provided the only way to redeem those who believe in Him. However, death did not have the final say, as God raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:24; Psalm 16:10).
Ultimately, all of humanity is guilty of Jesus’ death. Our sin put Him on the cross. God used Jesus' death as the means of our salvation. God’s response to evil is redemptive, demonstrating His great love for us: “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6–8).