The crucifixion: Divine sovereignty/human responsibility

Who sent Jesus to the cross? Who ordained, planned and enacted His crucifixion?

God. That is the unmistakable message of Scripture.

Yet, human beings acted to execute Christ. They called for His crucifixion; they condemned Him to crucifixion; they carried out the crucifixion.

Both divine sovereignty and human responsibility were manifested in the death of Jesus. That was the understanding of the apostles and Jesus' other early followers. Peter said so in his sermon on Pentecost. He said:

Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know -- this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death (Acts 2:22-23).

The disciples said so in their prayer to God after Peter and John were released:

For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur (Acts 4:27-28).

We can rejoice in the God-man, Jesus, who gladly and sacrificially suffered at the hands of sinners to fulfill the Father's will.