Morte de Jesus: o significado e os fatos da cruz
A morte de Jesus é o evento central dos Evangelhos: a crucificação de Cristo nos arredores de Jerusalém, onde Ele entregou a própria vida para reconciliar a humanidade com Deus. Na teologia bíblica, a cruz não foi um acidente político ou uma fatalidade, mas um sacrifício voluntário que pagou a dívida do pecado e abriu o caminho para a salvação.
O que aconteceu no Calvário
Os quatro Evangelhos relatam os detalhes das últimas horas de Jesus no Gólgota (palavra que significa "Lugar da Caveira"). Condenado pela autoridade romana sob pressão dos líderes religiosos locais, Cristo foi pregado na cruz entre dois criminosos. Durante as horas de agonia, Ele expressou perdão aos seus executores, assegurou salvação ao malfeitor arrependido e entregou o próprio espírito ao Pai.
When they reached the place called the Skull they crucified him together with the criminals, one on his right, and the other on his left.
Jesus said, "Father, please forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing." They divided up his clothes by throwing dice for them.
The people stood and watched and the leaders sneered at Jesus. "He saved others, let him save himself, if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One," they said.
The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to him and offering him wine vinegar, saying, "If you’re the King of the Jews, then save yourself."
Above Jesus was a sign on which it was written, "This is the King of the Jews."
One of the criminals hanging there joined in the insults against Jesus. "Aren’t you the Messiah?" he asked. "Then save yourself—and us too!"
But the other criminal disagreed and argued with him, "Don’t you fear God even when you’re suffering the same punishment?" he asked. "For us the sentence is right since we’re being punished for what we did, but this man didn’t do anything wrong."
Then he said, "Jesus, please remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus replied, "I promise you today you will be with me in paradise."(Luke 23:33-43)
As trevas ao meio-dia e o clamor final de Jesus em aramaico revelam o peso do julgamento que Ele suportou. Ao exclamar "Está consumado", Jesus usou o termo que encerrava uma dívida quitada: a missão redentora estava completa.
At noon darkness fell over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani," which means, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"(Mark 15:33,34)
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his clothes and divided them in four so that each soldier had his share. There was also his robe, made without seams, woven in one piece. So they said to each other, "Let’s not tear it, but let’s decide who will have it by rolling dice." This fulfilled the Scripture that says, "They divided my garments among them and rolled dice for my clothing." So that is what the soldiers did.
Standing near the cross were Jesus' mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Mother, this is your son." Then he said to the disciple, "This is your mother." From then on the disciple took her into his home.(John 19:23-27)
Jesus now realized that he had finished all that he had come to do. In fulfillment of Scripture, he said, "I’m thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was standing there, so they soaked a sponge in the vinegar, put it on a hyssop stick, and held it to his lips. After he’d had the vinegar, Jesus said, "It’s finished!" Then he bowed his head and breathed his last.(John 19:28-30)
No momento exato de sua morte, o véu do templo de Jerusalém — que separava o Santo dos Santos do restante das pessoas — rasgou-se de alto a baixo. O texto bíblico indica com isso que o acesso direto à presença de Deus fora inaugurado.
Right then the veil of the Temple was torn apart from top to bottom. The ground shook, the rocks split apart, and the graves were opened. Many of those who had lived good lives and had fallen asleep in death were raised to life. After the resurrection of Jesus they went out from the graveyards into the holy city where many people saw them.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and what happened, they were terrified, and said, "This really was the Son of God!"(Matthew 27:51-54)
As profecias do Antigo Testamento sobre a cruz
Os autores do Novo Testamento entenderam a morte de Cristo como o cumprimento literal de profecias hebraicas escritas centenas de anos antes. As figuras do Servo Sofredor em Isaías e as orações de aflição nos Salmos anteciparam detalhes como as zombarias, a divisão das vestes e a natureza substitutiva do sofrimento do Messias.
But he was wounded because of our rebellious acts, he was crushed because of our guilt. He experienced the discipline that brings us peace, and his wounds heal us. All of us have wandered off, just like sheep. Each of us has gone our own way, and the Lord allowed all our guilt to fall on him.
He was persecuted and mistreated, but he didn’t say anything. He was led like a lamb to be killed, and in the same way that a sheep about to be sheared is silent, he didn’t say a word.(Isaiah 53:5-7)
People who see me mock me. They laugh at me and shake their heads, saying,
"He trusts in the Lord—well then, let the Lord save him! If the Lord is such a friend, then let the Lord rescue him!"(Psalms 22:7,8)
Evil men surround me like a pack of dogs. They have pierced my hands and feet.
I’m so thin I can count all my bones. People stare at me and gloat.
They divide my clothing among them; they roll dice for my clothes.(Psalms 22:16-18)
Por que Jesus precisou morrer?
As Escrituras explicam a cruz sob a ótica da justiça e do amor de Deus. A justiça divina exigia condenação contra o pecado; o amor supriu a própria exigência ao enviar o Filho. Na teologia paulina e joanina, Jesus é a propiciação — o sacrifício que remove a culpa e pacifica a relação entre Deus e os seres humanos.
For God loved the world, and this is how: he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who trusts in him shouldn’t die, but have eternal life.(John 3:16)
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.(John 10:11)
There is no greater love than to give your life for your friends.(John 15:13)
While we were his enemies, God made us his friends through the death of his Son, and so we can be absolutely sure that he will save us through the life of his Son.(Romans 5:10)
Coming in human form, humbling himself, he submitted himself to death—even death on a cross.(Philippians 2:8)
Just as human beings die only once, and then are judged, so too for Christ—having been sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people, he will come again, not to deal with sin, but to save those who wait for him.(Hebrews 9:27,28)
Through him our sins are forgiven—and not only our sins, but those of the whole world.(1 John 2:2)
This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our Christian brothers and sisters.(1 John 3:16)
A vitória da ressurreição e a memória da igreja
A narrativa cristã não termina no túmulo. A morte de Jesus só tem eficácia porque foi seguida pela ressurreição ao terceiro dia. A vitória sobre o túmulo demonstrou que a condenação da morte foi quebrada, dando aos crentes a garantia de vida eterna e definindo a prática central da Ceia do Senhor.
People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man confirmed by God to you by the powerful miracles and signs that God performed through him, right here among you—as you well know. God, knowing beforehand what would happen, followed his plan and resolved to hand him over to you. By means of the hands of wicked men, you killed him by nailing him to a cross. But God raised him back to life, freeing him from the burden of death, because death did not have the power to keep him a prisoner.(Acts 2:22-24)
Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Through baptism we were buried with him in death so that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father we too can live a new life.(Romans 6:3,4)
for we know that because Christ has been raised from the dead he won’t ever die, because death has no longer any power over him. In dying, he died to sin once and for all, but now he lives, and he lives for God!(Romans 6:9,10)
For every time you eat this bread and drink from this cup you announce the Lord’s death, until he returns."(1 Corinthians 11:26)
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