They are good and valid questions. In particular, however, it was not a question of what the Christian tradition thinks about it, but a question of what is true. The questions were asked, with interest according to the real meaning. What does the Bible say about this? Why does God need a Christ? Can’t He take care of everything on His own? Or – and this already anticipates a partial answer to the question – does God regulate it through His Son Jesus Christ?

The conversation around the meaning and purpose of Jesus is important. This is about the core of the New Testament. Jesus is not an invention of Christianity. He was the fulfillment of the promises to Israel. Jesus showed in His ministry that He was the one Israel was waiting for (cf. Mt 11:2-6). But he was also more than that. This “more” goes beyond the scope of simplified ideas. In the New Testament there are many statements that lead further. Some of them will be mentioned in this article.

The image of the invisible God

In Colossians, Paul gives us a larger context (Col 1:12-17). There, Jesus is called the “Son of His love,” that is, the Son of God’s love. As such, He is the One in whom and through whom God created the universe. For Jesus, as the “son of God’s love,” was already there before anything else. That is a remarkable statement. And even more: everything exists through Him, as if He continuously carries the entire universe. But everything is also created toward Him, by which God establishes the goal of everything in this Son of His love. Thus, in this section we find 3 specific statements about the Christ:

• Everything is created in Him
• Everything is created through Him.
• Everything is created towards Him.

Paul writes all this to the Colossians in the following words:

“At the same time, we give thanks to the Father, who makes you fit for the lot of the saints in the light, who saves us from the authority of darkness and transfers us to the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have the free redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn before any creation. For in Him the universe is created: that in the heavens and that on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions, principalities or authorities. The All is created through Him and to Him, and He is before all, and the All exists together in Him.”
Col 1:12-17

So, if we ask “Why Jesus?”, we must also follow these traces in the Scriptures. They show us that although the whole world was created by God, it was specifically called into existence and life through His Son. The Son is the One through whom the Father carries out His plan, from beginning to end. Jesus is the key figure in God’s activity, which, according to Paul, also includes creation, for example.

He came into the world to save sinners

This Son, Christ Jesus, has it “did not consider it robbery to be just like God; but He emptied Himself, took the form of a slave, was made in the likeness of men, and in the manner invented like a man; He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phi 2:5-8). Central in this work of the Son of God today is a good news, a gospel, which Paul reminds the Corinthians of as follows:

“But I make known to you, my brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received… (…). For in the first place I delivered to you what I also received: that Christ died for our sins (according to the Scriptures), that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day (according to the Scriptures)”
1Cor 15,1-3

To Timothy Paul writes:

“Credible is the word, and worthy of every welcome, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first.”
1Tim 1,15

The Bible recognizes sin and death as the two core problems of humankind. We miss our target (“sin”) and die. We lack the glory of God, Paul says when he describes this condition (Rom 3:23). This is a very sober description of our own limitations, of our own wills and actions as well as of our own destiny over our lives. Throughout biblical history, there have been illustrative lessons about how man and the world suffer from this and reach out for deliverance (Rom 8:19-22).

Victims depict that in order to clear up the wrongdoings it needs an additional “external” help, the help of an innocent animal. Of course, it is impossible for the blood of animals to actually eradicate the transgressions of human beings. As an image, however, it is an indication of what is necessary because we cannot save ourselves, cannot make ourselves immortal. We need an outside help. We can’t do it ourselves. Furthermore, these sacrifices instituted by God show that He Himself creates the outcome with them. The annual renewal of most victims also symbolize that it could not yet be a final solution. Paul describes it as God simply passing over the sins that had happened before. Although there were sacrifices, they were not a real solution, otherwise they would not have had to be renewed every year (Rom 3:25). Now what was the right solution and salvation?

How could Jesus become a victim?

The book “You take Jesus, I’ll take God – how to refute Christian missionaries” was written for a Jewish readership. In the book, arguments were made on how to refute Christian missionaries as Jews. This is, of course, a very interesting read, since it starts from a completely different point of view than one might be used to even as a Christian. One of the arguments against Jesus was that God never used human sacrifice. Since Jesus was a man, Jesus could not be a sacrifice pleasing to God, the argument goes. I can imagine that other people have almost identical concerns – after all, it also contradicts our current way of thinking that sacrifices are still needed. This must be countered by the fact that the biblical account assumes something different and that sacrifices have great significance. So, if we want to pursue the biblical thought further, the sacrifice and its meaning cannot simply be pushed aside.

Now the fact that certain sacrifices were given religious significance in the biblical account was not due to the killing of the animals per se, but to the meaning given to it. The sacrifices in ancient Israel were – according to the Bible – instituted by God Himself. This, so to speak, guaranteed the effectiveness. It was an effectiveness however in anticipation of a better solution. It was an efficacy through faith in God’s statement. Not Israel, the priesthood or the innocent animal, but God Himself vouched for the effectiveness. Israel just had to internalize and implement it, according to the Torah.

The idea that Jesus is seen as a sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world (Jn 1:29; Jn 1:36; 1Pet 1:19 and many more) is a very Jewish interpretation. While it is not an interpretation according to contemporary rabbinic Judaism (this is a particular Jewish school of thought formed by and since Rabbi Akiba), both Jesus and the apostles were all Jews. The disciples and the apostles saw in Jesus the fulfillment of the Torah and also the fulfillment of the promises. Just as the animal sacrifices were instituted by God, the New Testament testifies that Jesus was foreknown by God as a sacrificial lamb even before the foundation (or: casting down) of the world (1Pet 1:19) and was slain from the casting down of the world (Rev 13:8). Here, too, one must logically recognize that the killing of a human being has no efficacy. The execution of Jesus has this only because – just like in the Tenach – it was assigned this meaning by God. How this happened is attested in many ways. Some biblical passages have already been mentioned in this regard.

In summary, we can see that neither the sacrifices in ancient Israel nor the death of Jesus on the cross involve any magical action. The only effectiveness is because it is effective for God. As we know, Jesus was not the only one crucified, but other people were crucified at the same time as Him. However, the importance is given only to Jesus. What God Himself has ordained to solve settles the problem and produces God’s own righteousness (Rom 3:21-30). Thus, Jesus’ obedience to the point of death on the cross is only one step, but the resurrection is God’s confirmation of justification (Rom 4:25). “Therefore God also highly exalted Him, and graced Him with a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of the heavenly, earthly, and subterranean, and every tongue render homage: Lord is Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father” (Phi 2:9-11).

The Son carries the universe

“After God spoke to the fathers through the prophets many times and in many ways before the ages, in the last of these days He speaks to us in the Son, whom He made the lot-holder of everything and through whom He also made the eons. He is the radiance of His glory and the imprint of His being and carries the universe through His powerful word.

After He accomplished the purification from sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in the heights, He became so much better than the messengers in that He was given a more excellent name than they. For to what messenger did He ever say: My son are you! Today I have begotten you? Elsewhere again, I will be Father to Him and He will be Son to Me?”
Heb 1:1-5

This statement is far from any false piety. It is an understanding of God’s activity that relies entirely on God’s activity, which is visible in and through His Son. God Himself we cannot see, but the Son is the radiance of His glory and also the distinct form of His being. This passage of Scripture reads in many details similar to the passage from Colossians 1:12-17 mentioned earlier. The writer of Hebrews here links the statements of the Old Testament (the Tenach) with those of the New Testament. This is very helpful for a through understanding when reading the Bible.

But there are other testimonies.

The completion of the deity

Paul, as an apostle to the nations, addresses not only Jews but also Gentiles. On his travels he is confronted with many other thoughts and views. Gnostic teachings are widespread, and this view also conflicts with the Good News. The Greek desire for wisdom could not do anything with Jesus either. Because there it is not about persons, but about the (correct) recognition, about wisdom.

In response to these philosophical currents, he writes in Colossians:

“… And they [die Gläubigen] be united unto all riches of full assurance of understanding, unto the knowledge of the mystery of God and of the Father Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
Col 2:2-3

That which the currents offer has existed in Christ for a long time and much more. “All” treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ.

“But this I say, so that no one may deceive you with persuasive words!”
Col 2:4

“Beware lest anyone lead you away bereft through philosophy and empty seduction according to the tradition of men, according to the basic rules of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells the entire completion of the Godhead bodily; and you are completed in Him who is the head of every principality and authority.”
Col 2:8-10

Here you can now guess how it will not go on without Jesus, without this Christ, this Son of God. The question “Why Jesus?” is answered from a biblical perspective that He is and should be first in everything. There is no way around Him. He is God’s solution. He is our salvation. In the first chapter of Colossians, Paul described this memorably and comprehensively (Col 1:12-20). Now let’s read the last part of this section here:

“He is the head of the corporate body, the called-out church, of which He is the beginning as the firstborn from the dead, so that Let Him be first in all things, since the entire Completion has its pleasure in dwelling in Him and reconciling the All to Himself (making peace through the blood of His Cross) through Him, whether that on earth or that in the heavens.”
Col 1:18-20

This is how God reaches the goal with His creation and with us. Perhaps we empathize with Thomas who said, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how can we know the way?” It is this question that we have now considered in a larger context.

Jesus replied, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would also know My Father. From now on you know Him and have seen Him.”
John 14:5-7

That is why Jesus.