As we come upon Holy Week, many of us wonder why Jesus was put to death. Some of us approach this question from an historical point of view: Why did the Romans put Jesus to death? Why did some of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem work for the death of Jesus?

We may wonder how Jesus himself understood the necessity of his death, since he spoke of it in the Gospels. Why did Jesus think he had to die?

Others of us think more theologically: Why was it necessary for Jesus to die for our sins? Perhaps we may also think more personally: Why did Jesus have to die for me?

Several years ago I wrote a series of blog post that were meant to answer these questions. This series is called: Why Did Jesus Have to Die? Roman, Jewish, and Christian Perspectives. Whether you’re a Christian or not, this series will help you to understand the multi-layered reasons for the death of Jesus. You may also want to recommend it to your friends who are wondering about the death of Jesus and its meaning.