A popular search term on Google is “Why was Jesus crucified?”

With so much curiosity surrounding the topic, we asked Harry O. Maier, professor of New Testament and early Christian studies at the Vancouver School of Theology, to take a closer look at the historical, religious and cultural significance behind the crucifixion story.

First of all, what is crucifixion?

Crucifixion was a form of execution used by the Romans for slaves, pirates and enemies of the state from sixth century BCE to the fourth century CE. It was a slow, cruel and humiliating form of capital punishment. And since it happened in public, it served as a powerful display of Roman authority, warning people not to disobey imperial rule.

When was Jesus crucified?

Scholars estimate that Jesus of Nazareth was crucified by the Romans in 30 or 33 CE.

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Why was Jesus crucified?

Theologians and historians offer varied answers to this question.

From a theological perspective, the cruel death of Jesus calls for an explanation. If Jesus was the Son of God, why did he suffer such a horrible form of execution? Was his death part of God’s plan, or is it symbolic of human wickedness and failure? These questions are in many ways ground zero for theological reflection. Behind them stands another big one: why do bad things — and more pointedly why does God allow them to — happen to good people?

The New Testament offers multiple interpretations. Some writings draw on Hebrew Bible texts to understand his death as an atoning sacrifice for sin. Others refer to it as a means God used to vanquish death and the grave, as well as spiritual and institutional powers of violence and oppression. Still others find in it an example of love — namely that Jesus laid down his life for others and by so doing, gave a model of sacrificial love for others to follow.

In all these cases, the death of Jesus belongs together with the New Testament statements about his resurrection. Later Christians used Jesus’ death to develop more sophisticated theological ideas. Few theologians, however, argue that God willed Jesus’ death, focusing instead on how God used the tragedy to bring unexpected outcomes of life and abundance for all.

While these Christian interpretations address the meaning of Jesus’ death, they do not explain why he was crucified.

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What do historians say about why Jesus was crucified?

Some New Testament accounts tragically blame Jews for Jesus’s death, but this is incorrect. In the Gospel stories, Roman governor Pontius Pilate, who ultimately sentences Jesus, does not want to crucify an innocent man, but bows to pressure from Jewish leaders. The problem with blaming Jews is that at the time, Jewish leaders had authority to execute people guilty of these offences themselves by stoning and other methods. They did not need the Romans to intervene on their behalf, and since crucifixion was a Roman method of execution, it’s clear that these authorities are responsible.

One recent account by Iranian-American author Reza Aslan resurrects a theory from the 19th century, unconvincingly arguing that Jesus was a political revolutionary who plotted the overthrow of Rome by violence. However, the entirety of the New Testament, as well as extrabiblical witness, speaks directly against this theory.

The historical reason for his execution is probably more subtle. Jesus proclaimed a present and coming reign of God, which Roman authorities may have interpreted as a challenge to their own rule.

It’s also possible that during Passover, a ritual commemorating God’s liberation of the Jews from Egypt, Jesus’ growing popularity could have been seen as a threat to the public order. His arrest and crucifixion could have been the result of Roman fears that he would destabilize the fragile allegiance between the imperial powers and the local priestly aristocracy, who maintained order in the Temple.

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Harry O. Maier is a professor of New Testament and early Christian studies at the Vancouver School of Theology.

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