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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 came to the place that is called "The Skull", they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing."

Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!"

The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!"

But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." He said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom."

Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I tell 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.

When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"(Mark 15:33,34)

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout. Then they said to one another, "Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it will be," that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which says,

"They parted my garments among them.

They cast lots for my clothing."

Therefore the soldiers did these things.

But standing by Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" From that hour, the disciple took her to his own home.(John 19:23-27)

After this, Jesus, seeing that all things were now finished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I am thirsty!" Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished!" Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.(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.

Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.

Now the centurion and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were done, were terrified, saying, "Truly this 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 pierced for our transgressions.

He was crushed for our iniquities.

The punishment that brought our peace was on him;

and by his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray.

Everyone has turned to his own way;

and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed,

yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth.

As a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and as a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he didn’t open his mouth.(Isaiah 53:5-7)

All those who see me mock me.

They insult me with their lips. They shake their heads, saying,

"He trusts in Yahweh.

Let him deliver him.

Let him rescue him, since he delights in him."(Psalms 22:7,8)

For dogs have surrounded me.

A company of evildoers have enclosed me.

They have pierced my hands and feet.

I can count all of my bones.

They look and stare at me.

They divide my garments among them.

They cast lots for my clothing.(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 so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, 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)

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.(Romans 5:10)

And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.(Philippians 2:8)

Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.(Hebrews 9:27,28)

And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.(1 John 2:2)

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.(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.

"Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.(Acts 2:22-24)

Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.(Romans 6:3,4)

knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over him! For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God.(Romans 6:9,10)

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.(1 Corinthians 11:26)

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