In the Case of Christ Jesus on the Cross
The fact was that Christ Jesus was killed by Roman soldiers and Jerusalem priests. But why? To take away sins from people or to die for the sake of people?
The most reasonable reason for the death of Christ Jesus must be related to money and big money. Judaist priests of the Jerusalem temple hated Christ Jesus because they thought that Christ Jesus might take over them. The priests of the Jerusalem temple were afraid that Christ Jesus might drive them out of the temple where they earned big money. And, Roman soldiers were paid some money by those priests, so that they cooperated with the priests to kill Christ Jesus.
Many people came to Jerusalem several times a year to pay respect for God enshrined in the temple. These pilgrims, each, spent some money in the temple, for example, to buy animals to be released for ritual. Merchants and shopkeepers got big money and they paid big money to the temple authority for the right to make business in the temple. So, profits the temple earned were big; temple priests could live luxurious lives on the income.
Then, Christ Jesus suddenly appeared as a strong enemy of those priests. Many people supported and followed Christ Jesus. In addition, Christ Jesus took a physical action in the temple to expel merchants and shopkeepers from the temple. So, the temple authority felt a danger; if Christ Jesus led the people to a revolt against the temple authority, they might be expelled out of the temple and lose big money.
If Christ Jesus only talked down the Judaist priests in the temple but allowed these priests to stay in the present position, they might not feel such a danger. But Christ Jesus entered Jerusalem as if He could ascend the throne of Israel if the people wished. In the case, it was apparent that present priests in the Jerusalem temple would be cast out. And, they would lose the source of big money.
So, the temple authority decided to take on Christ Jesus and remove the risk that they would lose the source of income and wealth. To secure their position in the temple and their income and wealth, those Jewish priests planned to kill Christ Jesus while involving Roman solders and the Roman authority.
Finally, big money was paid to the Roman governor and soldiers to arrest, judge, and execute Christ Jesus. It is also symbolic that Judas was paid silver for his cooperation in arresting Christ Jesus, but he was not promoted and accepted as a new priest in the Temple. The matter was settled with money.
So, the image of Christ Jesus on the cross is an expression of greed of priests of the Jerusalem temple and Roman soldiers rather than any theological meaning.
This is one theory. You may feel that it is too secular. But, truth is sometimes simple and related to vulgar motivation of men. And, it must apply to the case of Christ Jesus on the cross.
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Mar 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.