Was the Lord Jesus Christ truly crucified?

The Man Who Thought the Cross Was a Shame Unworthy of God

He was a Muslim man who honoured the prophets and held them in high regard, so when he heard Christians say that the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified and died, he recoiled from it in his heart. He supposed that this was a shame unworthy of God to allow to befall one of His prophets, and that God must surely have rescued Him and taken Him up, and that another was made to resemble Him and was crucified in His place. So he lived confident that to deny the cross was to honour God and the prophet, and that to affirm the crucifixion was to lower their dignity. But one day he read what the prophets had said centuries before Christ, and found them describing His suffering and death with astonishing precision: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5). And he stopped: if God Himself foretold this death centuries before it happened, how could it be a defeat or a shame? It is rather the fulfilment of what God intended.

The Bible's answer to the denial of the crucifixion is a single sentence, and once it is grasped it overturns the whole matter: the crucifixion of Christ was not a shame nor a defeat, but the plan of God declared from of old, and the greatest proof of His love. For the prophets foretold His death, and He Himself purposed it and announced it, and by it alone was redemption accomplished, since without the shedding of blood there is no remission. As for the claim that He was not crucified but only appeared so, the Bible does not support it; rather it is overturned by the prophecies of the prophets and the words of Christ Himself, demolished by the fact that the resurrection proves a real death preceded it, and shown to be empty because the denial of the cross abolishes salvation altogether, since there is no redemption without shed blood.

What the Muslim Teaches About the Crucifixion

Let the position be stated fairly. Many Muslims teach that the Lord Jesus Christ was not truly crucified, but that God rescued Him and took Him up, and that another man was made to resemble Him so that the people thought him to be Christ and crucified him in His place. They hold that to affirm the crucifixion and death of Christ is to lower the dignity of a noble prophet, and that God could not let His prophet meet such a disgraceful end at the hands of his enemies. So the denial of the crucifixion, in their view, is a guarding of the honour of God and His prophet together.

And we acknowledge that behind this denial is a jealousy for the honour of God and an indignation that the one He chose should be humiliated, and this in itself is a noble feeling that we understand. The Muslim does not wish to ascribe to God a powerlessness to defend the one He loves, nor to imagine a prophet defeated and abased. But the problem lies in the assumption beneath the denial: that the cross is a defeat and a shame. And this is the very assumption the Bible overturns at its root. For the cross was not a defeat that befell Christ against His will, but a plan that God intended from eternity, declared through the prophets, and that Christ accomplished willingly, to be a redemption for mankind. So the question is not whether it befits God to let His prophet be humiliated — but whether the cross was a humiliation at all, or the greatest act of love in history.

The Prophets Foretold His Death Centuries Before

The first thing that settles the matter is that the death of Christ was no surprise and no chance event, but was foretold by the prophets centuries before it happened. The prophet Isaiah, seven centuries before, described His suffering and death in a way that admits no other interpretation: "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities" (Isaiah 53:5). And he declared that He poured out His soul unto death: "because he hath poured out his soul unto death" (Isaiah 53:12). So this death was known to God, foretold by the mouth of His prophet, before Christ was born.

And the Psalm, centuries before the crucifixion, described its very form with remarkable precision: "they pierced my hands and my feet" (Psalm 22:16). The piercing of the hands and feet is exactly what happens in crucifixion. And the prophet Daniel foretold that Christ would be «cut off»: "shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself" (Daniel 9:26). If God foretold this death through the mouths of His prophets centuries beforehand, then it cannot be a defeat that thwarted His purpose, but the fulfilment of a purpose God intended from the beginning. A death foretold in advance is not a shame that fell suddenly, but a declared divine plan. And whoever denies the crucifixion denies what God Himself foretold through the mouths of His prophets.

Christ Himself Purposed the Cross and Announced It

And Christ was no victim dragged to death against His will, but announced His death and purposed it before it happened. He foretold to His disciples again and again that He would be killed and would rise: "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things... and be killed, and after three days rise again" (Mark 8:31). And He declared that the very purpose of His coming was to give His life a ransom: "to give his life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

What is more remarkable still is that He declared that no one could take His life from Him by force, but that He laid it down willingly: "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again" (John 10:18). So the death the Muslim supposed to be a defeat forced upon Christ is in fact one that Christ Himself willed and purposed by His own authority. How then can a death be a defeat when its owner lays it down willingly, with authority to lay down His life and to take it again? A death chosen by the will and announced beforehand is the opposite of a defeat inflicted by enemies. So the cross was not a victory of the enemies over Christ, but Christ Himself laying down His life by His own will to accomplish redemption.

Without the Shedding of Blood There Is No Remission

And why was the cross necessary, not an avoidable event? Because the holy God does not forgive sin without an atonement, and He has made the atonement by the shedding of blood. This is a fixed principle in the Word of God from the beginning: "and without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). So forgiveness is not given freely without a price, but by blood that is shed. This is why the cross was a necessity, not a coincidence: for without the death of Christ and the shedding of His blood, there is no remission for sinners.

So the one who denies the cross denies the only means by which sins are forgiven. And here it becomes plain that the denial of the crucifixion is not a guarding of the honour of Christ, but an abolishing of salvation itself. For if Christ did not die and shed His blood, by what then are the sins of mankind forgiven? This is why the cross was the heart of Christ's message, not its margin. The death the Muslim recoiled from is the very door through which forgiveness entered the world. Had God rescued Christ from the cross as the Muslim supposes, mankind would have remained without redemption and without forgiveness, under a judgment with no escape. So the cross is a mercy, not a shame, and a necessity, not a defeat.

The Resurrection Proves a Real Death Preceded It

And there is a decisive proof that the death was real and not merely apparent: the resurrection. Resurrection from the dead presupposes a real death that preceded it, for none rises from the dead but one who truly died. Had Christ not truly died, there would have been no resurrection at all. And the Bible declared that He died, was buried, and rose: "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). So the burial is the proof of the death, and the resurrection is the proof that a real death preceded it.

And after the resurrection, Christ showed His disciples the wounds of the crucifixion in His hands and His side, to prove that His death was real and that the risen One was the very same who had been crucified: "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself" (Luke 24:39), and He invited Thomas to put his finger into the print of the nails and into His side (John 20:27). So the wounds remaining after the resurrection bear witness that Christ was truly crucified and truly died, and then rose. Had the crucifixion been an illusion or a substitution, there would be no wounds for the risen One to show. So the resurrection, far from denying the crucifixion, establishes it, for it is a victory over a real death, not a denial of it.

The Objection: «God Would Not Let His Prophet Be So Humiliated»

Here comes the deepest objection that weighs upon the Muslim's heart: how could God let a noble prophet meet such a disgraceful end? Is this not a shame unworthy of God to permit? And the answer begins with an admission: yes, the crucifixion was in itself a disgraceful and painful death. But this very shame was the plan, for Christ bore the shame that we deserve. He was made a curse for us, to redeem us from the curse: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). So the shame was not a defeat that befell Him, but a shame He bore willingly to lift it from us.

And here the whole assumption is overturned: the cross was not God forsaking His prophet, but God displaying the greatest love the universe has known. For Christ gave Himself for sinners, so that His death was the most radiant proof of love: "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). So what the Muslim supposed to be a shame and a defeat is in truth the highest summit of divine love. Had Christ refused the cross, that would have been the failure to redeem; but His acceptance of the shame willingly is the power by which He redeemed mankind. So the shame became glory, and the defeat became victory, because by it salvation was accomplished.

The Substitution Theory Abolishes Salvation Rather Than Guarding It

It remains to consider the claim that another was made to resemble Him and was crucified in Christ's place. This claim, besides contradicting the prophecies, the words of Christ, and the resurrection, falls into two grave problems. The first: it ascribes deception to God, making Him deceive all mankind by showing them a man crucified whom they thought to be Christ, and then building a whole history upon that illusion. And God does not lie nor deceive: "God, that cannot lie" (Titus 1:2). How then can it be ascribed to Him that He deluded all creation with a death that did not occur?

And the second, which is graver still: the substitution theory abolishes salvation rather than guarding it. For if another died in Christ's place, then the blood of Christ was not shed, and the atonement was not accomplished, since without the shedding of His blood there is no remission. So the one who would guard the honour of Christ by denying His crucifixion has in fact abolished the redemption that Christ came to accomplish. The substitution does not rescue Christ from a shame; it rescues mankind out of their salvation. And thus it becomes plain that the denial of the crucifixion, supposed to be an honouring, is in truth a tearing down of the mercy by which God willed to forgive sinners. So the cross is not what ought to be denied to guard God, but what ought to be received in thanksgiving for His love.

The Eyewitnesses and the Certainty of His Death

The death of Christ was no doubtful matter to those who were present, but was confirmed in the most exacting way. The Roman soldiers, experienced in killing and crucifixion, came to break the legs of the crucified to hasten their death; but when they came to Christ and found Him already dead, they did not break His legs: "But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs" (John 19:33). Those who knew death well were certain that He was dead, so they had no need to break His legs as they did to the others.

They went further in their certainty, for one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and there came out blood and water, a medical sign of a real death: "But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water" (John 19:34). Had Christ been alive and merely fainted, the blood and water would not have come out separated as they do after death. And what is more remarkable, the not breaking of His legs fulfilled an ancient prophecy: "A bone of him shall not be broken" (John 19:36). Here, then, is a death confirmed by the testimony of expert soldiers, established by the flow of blood and water, and fulfilling a prior prophecy, all at once. So the claim that He «only appeared so» or did not truly die collides with the testimony of those who witnessed His death and were certain of it, not with the suppositions of those who came centuries later.

The Cross Where the Justice and Mercy of God Meet

The Muslim may say: but God is merciful and able; can He not simply forgive by a word, with no cross and no blood? And the answer reveals the depth of the cross's meaning. The difficulty is not in the power of God, but in His justice and His holiness. For God is holy and just, and cannot overlook sin as though it had never been; for if He forgave without justice, He would be a judge releasing the guilty without right. And sin is an offence against a God of infinite holiness, so it is not wiped away by mere overlooking, but the demand of justice must be satisfied.

And here the wisdom of the cross shines: for upon it the justice and the mercy of God met together. Christ bore the punishment our sins deserved, so that justice was fully satisfied, and at the same time the door of mercy was opened to sinners. So God became just and merciful at once, not one who overlooks justice: "That he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Romans 3:26). «Just, and the justifier» — that is, just at the very moment He forgives. So the cross is not a suspension of the mercy of God, but the way by which He shows mercy without nullifying His justice. The one who asks God to forgive without an atonement asks Him to be merciful at the expense of His justice; but the cross showed Him to be just and merciful together, which is more complete and more worthy of Him than a forgiveness that overthrows justice.

The Testimony of Those Who Gave Their Lives for What They Saw

There is yet another testimony not to be dismissed: that the disciples of Christ, who fled in fear on the night He was seized, were transformed after the resurrection into bold witnesses who preached His crucifixion and resurrection openly, and did not draw back before prison, torture, or death. What changed them so completely? Nothing but that they had seen Christ crucified and dead, and then seen Him risen and alive. Had they known the crucifixion did not happen, or that another was crucified in His place, they would not have given their lives for a report they knew to be false. A man may die for what he supposes to be true while being mistaken; but he does not die for what he knows for certain to be false.

And these witnesses were not far from the event, but were present, seeing with their own eyes, hearing with their own ears, and touching with their own hands, as John wrote: "That which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled" (1 John 1:1). So their testimony is the testimony of eyewitnesses, not a report passed down after centuries. And they held to their testimony unto death; had there been a deception they knew of, one of them would have collapsed under torture and exposed it. But they all held firm, because they had seen the truth with their own eyes: Christ died and rose. So their giving of their lives for what they saw is a seal upon the truth of their testimony to the crucifixion and the resurrection, and an answer to everyone who said the crucifixion did not happen or only appeared so.

Closing — Receive the Love That Was Shown on the Cross

If you have denied the cross, supposing it a shame unworthy of God, the Bible calls you to see in it the greatest proof of His love. For the cross was not a defeat that befell Christ, but a plan God foretold from of old, that Christ purposed willingly, and by which alone redemption was accomplished. You are not called to guard the honour of God by denying His mercy, but to receive the love that was shown when Christ gave Himself for you. For this Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4), because God commended His love to you in that Christ died for you while you were yet a sinner.

Come, then — not to deny the cross, but to receive what was accomplished upon it for you. Read the Bible for yourself, and see how the prophets foretold the death of Christ, how He purposed it, and how it became a redemption for you. And ask God to reveal to you the true meaning of the cross: not a shame, but a love; not a defeat, but a salvation. For the One who died for you invites you to receive what He did for your sake.

A Special Prayer

If you have come to see that the cross of Christ was not a shame but love and salvation, and that He died for you and rose, you may come to God now. What saves you is not the words of a prayer, but faith that the Lord Jesus Christ died for you and rose again. So pray from your heart to the living God who hears:

"O great and holy and loving God, the one true God: I long denied the cross, supposing it a shame unworthy of Thee, and I see now that it is Thy plan declared from of old, and the greatest proof of Thy love. I confess that I am a sinner, and that I need a Saviour. I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins, shed His blood as a ransom for me, was buried, and rose again the third day. I trust in Him alone as my Saviour, and I receive the love that was shown on the cross. Forgive me, receive me, and grant me eternal life. I pray in the name of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen."

After You Have Prayed

If you prayed this prayer from a sincere and believing heart, then you have received the redemption accomplished on the cross, and you have become a child of God forever. Here are steps to steady you:

First — read the Word of God every day. Know that the King James Version (KJV) is the truest and purest copy of the Word of God in all the world, His true and pure Word, and you will find it on this website (alinjil.com); and in Arabic, read the trustworthy Van Dyck translation. Begin with the Gospel of John, not in haste, but with meditation and prayer, for God speaks to you through His Word.

Second — pray to God directly every day in words from your own heart, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, thanking Him for the redemption accomplished on the cross.

Third — read the prophecies of the prophets concerning the suffering and death of Christ, such as Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22, and compare them with what came to pass, that you may see the cross was the plan of God.

Fourth — seek a church that honours the Word of God and proclaims the redemption of the cross, join the fellowship of believers, and be baptized in obedience to the Lord.

Fifth — bear witness to others with gentleness and love that the cross is love and not shame, and salvation and not defeat, especially to those who denied it supposing it lowered the dignity of God.

And keep reading the Word of God in the King James Version, the truest and purest Word of God in the world, and in the Van Dyck in Arabic — both found on this website — that you may grow in the knowledge of the One who died for you and rose.

A Personal Word to You, Dear Reader

Thank you for taking the time to read this message about the cross of Christ, the love that was shown upon it, and the salvation that God offers through the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have received Christ as your own personal Saviour, you have received the redemption accomplished on the cross, and you have become a child of God forever. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

We encourage you to begin reading the Gospel of John for yourself, to continue in the Word of God in the King James Version — the truest and purest Word of God in the world — and in the Van Dyck in Arabic, both found on this website (alinjil.com), and to share this good news with everyone who denied the cross supposing it a shame. May God richly bless you as you receive the love that was shown on the cross of His Son.

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