Why Didn’t Jesus Say He Needed to Die for Our Sins? | by Kyle Davison Bair | Hope You’re Curious | Medium


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Key Question: Jesus' Sacrifice

The article centers on the question of whether Jesus explicitly stated that he needed to die to atone for humanity's sins. It challenges the common understanding of this central tenet of Christianity.

Paul's Role

The author points out that while Paul extensively discusses this topic in his letters (e.g., Romans), Jesus himself doesn't explicitly mention it in the canonical Gospels. This raises questions about the origin of the doctrine and the potential divergence of ideas between Jesus and Paul.

Challenging the Narrative

The article suggests that if Jesus didn't explicitly teach this doctrine, it implies that Paul may have developed the concept. This challenges the traditional narrative of a unified and divinely inspired message in the Bible.

Further Investigation

The author promises further exploration into this question, starting with an examination of events leading up to Jesus' crucifixion, specifically focusing on the Last Supper.

  • The core question is whether the concept of Jesus dying to pay for humanity's sins is directly supported by Jesus's own words.
  • The potential influence of Paul in shaping this key Christian belief is heavily scrutinized.
  • The article intends to investigate the historical context and textual evidence surrounding this central theological theme.
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Apologetics

Why Didn’t Jesus Say He Needed to Die for Our Sins?

Exploring the origin of the claim that Jesus’ death paid for our sin

Photo by Jason D on Unsplash

Where did Jesus Himself ever say that He needed to die for our sins?

It’s one of the most basic ideas of modern Christianity: Jesus died on the Cross to pay for our sins. Kindergarteners in Sunday school recite it easily.

Yet critics question: where did this idea come from?

Paul talks about this topic in his letters quite extensively. Ask a Christian to explain where the Bible talks of Jesus’ death paying for our sins, and they’re likely to open up Romans.

And therein lies the problem.

If Jesus never said this, that would suggest Paul invented the idea. If Paul invented the idea, that would suggest Paul and Jesus had wildly different ideas about why Jesus went to the Cross.

And that hardly sounds like it could exist in a Bible supposedly inspired by God.

Let’s dig into this. Is it true that Jesus never spoke of dying on the Cross for our sins? Is it true that these ideas originate in Paul?

We’ll find our first clue on the last night before the Cross.

The Last Supper

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