S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Did God die when Jesus died on the cross? The answer depends on how we understand the meaning of the word die. To die does not mean to go out of existence. Death is separation. Physical death is wh...

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July 01 2013 • 13 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Nathan Toronga Supporter Christian Elder.

"Did God die?"
Yes, He did. More than that, He rose.

I don't see any need for technical definitions of death here. What the question requires is an exposition of the Divinity of Jesus, because it is common cause that Jesus died. No technical definitions there. In my opinion, the core of the question, then, is - is Jesus God?

To say God didn't die, means Jesus is not God.

CREATION
Gen 1:1, "In the beginning God created..."
Col 1:16, "For BY Him ALL things were created:.." See also John 1:3.

Thus the God who created IS Jesus.

HUSBAND
God is THE Husband of the Church.
Jer 3:14, "I am your husband..."
See also Hosea 2:16

2 Cor 11:2, "...I promised you to ONE HUSBAND, to CHRIST..."

(It'd be interesting to see how the Church could possibly have two husbands).

GOD
Heb 1:8, 'About the Son He says, "Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever..."'
John 20:28, 'Thomas said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
Acts 20:28, '...Be shepherds of the Church of God, which He bought with His own blood'.
I've heard jokes like, 'Jesus is mighty God, but not ALMIGHTY God', so He's not God.
What nonsense! There's no 30% God & 100% God.
See Rev 1:8 is Jesus talking - ALMIGHTY God!
Tit 2:13

Some cults, like the watchtower, reject Christ as God. Fulfillment of prophecy - 2 Peter 2:1, 'But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the SOVEREIGN Lord who BOUGHT them - bringing swift destruction on themselves.' Notice BOUGHT in this verse & in Acts 20:28.
Their reward is on its way.

CLOUD BY DAY, FIRE BY NIGHT
Ex 13:21, 'By day YHWH went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.'

Now we know who was in that cloud & pillar of fire, now, don't we?
1 Cor 10:3-4, 'They all ate the same spiritual food, 4 & drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual Rock that accompanied them, & that Rock was Christ.'

So all the worship/prayer service in the desert was offered to Christ!

(Let me just add here - in passing - that the Ten Commandments were inscribed by the Finger of Christ. Just for your information. Thus to deny the Commandments is to deny what Christ gave to His people, Yisrael - both biological and spiritual Yisrael. Food for thought.)


ATONEMENT
Deut 32:43, (Dead Sea Scrolls) 'Rejoice, O nations, with His people, and let all the angels worship Him, for He will take vengeance on His enemies and make ATONEMENT for His land and people.'
(See also Heb 1:6. The writer was quoting from the Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint.)

Eze 16:63. "Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares Adonai YHWH."

Psalm 130:7-8, "....8. He Himself (YHWH) will redeem Yisrael from all their sins."
Isa 43:25, "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."

Right from the beginning, it was GOD who was to make atonement for His people. It was never gonna be by proxy.

Did God die?
Yes, He did.

Denying the divinity of Christ is the worst folly anyone can fall into. Our only means of salvation depends MORE on the identity of Christ than on His death. Because many 'good' people have died, but they weren't able to purchase our salvation. It required the Majesty of Heaven to accomplish that.

In Yisrael, saying that you are the king's son necessarily means you are royalty, you deserve to be treated as a king. More-so, if you say you are THE Son of God, then you are God! John 5:18, '...He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself EQUAL with God.' Yes, Jesus IS God.

See
Col 1:19
Heb 1:3, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the EXACT REPRESENTATION OF HIS BEING"

Did God die? Yes, sure He did.

Bless.

March 04 2014 • 12 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Salem Markus Purba Supporter

Well, God is Spirit (Genesis 1:2;) and Jesus was God who became flesh (John 1:14) and the words Jesus has spoken to us through the Gospel is Spirit (John 6:63), will never die and will exist forever in the life of the believers and followers of Jesus.

As a flesh, Jesus had to die for the fulfillment of the Word of God and to redeem the world (Genesis 2: 17; 3: 19; John 3: 16-17) but the Spirit of the LORD who dwelt in Him (Luke 4: 18-19; Isaiah 60: 1-2) never died and will never fade away.

November 20 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jon Davis Supporter

Jesus is not the entirety or entire essence of God. Jesus is God the Son, "distinct" from God the Father and God the Holy Spirit in that Jesus came in the flesh as a man, and the world and the whole universe still continued to exist within God even as Jesus (the man) died. But the death Jesus experienced was a separation of his spirit from his body, not a "putting an end".

Some might say that Jesus was the mortal man form of God's manifestation to Earth, and that manifestation is what died, but was resurrected by the greater essence of God. The failure of his body after it was crucified did not put an end to his spirit. Regardless, his spirit was reunited with his body when he resurrected. Subsequently, his body was glorified (transformed into something different in essence to our mortal bodies).

At the time Jesus walked the earth, he was not omnipresent (flesh is not omnispresent), nor independently omnipotent (John 5:19), nor omniscient (Matt 24:36, Luke 2:52) as he was before he came in the flesh, when he had created the universe. Jesus emptied Himself when He walked the earth (Phil 2:6-8); Jesus even admitted he didn't know everything, but only what the Father or Spirit disclosed to him (Matt 24:36, John 5:19). In coming in human likeness, He submitted willingly to the limitations of mere man, yet He had the anointing of one empowered by the presence and cooperation of the Holy Spirit and the instruction and direction of the Father. On the other hand, His spirit is understood to have been one with the Father in the creation of the universe. As he put it, "Before Abraham was, I am." (John 8:58-59) This statement, in which he pretty much declared himself to be eternal God, nearly had him stoned, were it not for his escape since he knew it would have been before his appointed time to die.

Thus, while Jesus in the flesh was merely man, Jesus in spirit was essentially God, who maintained and continued to contain the whole universe even as he in the flesh died.

February 07 2015 • 2 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Charles Hammond Supporter

Hello. Hebrews chapter 1 explains that Jesus is GOD. Verses 8 -10...But to the son He says: "Your throne O GOD, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore GOD, Your GOD, has anointed you with the oil of gladness more than your companions." You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of your hands. Also...Matthew 1:23 "Behold, the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which translated, "GOD is with us." 

It's important to know that the Father, Son, and the Spirit are all equal. John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

November 19 2014 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Rotimi EWEDEMI Supporter Very keen Bible Researcher

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central doctrine of Christianity.
That Jesus died and was raised up is a Bible teaching, for example, see below:

"This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him ")Acts 2:23 - 2:24 NIV).

It is a Bible teaching that Jesus is the Son of God, whom God gave according to John 3:16. It is also a Bible teaching that God gave life to Jesus,: "Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me (John 6:57 NIV)

During the baptism of Jesus, a voice spoke from heaven: "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matthew 3:16 - 3:17 NIV).

It is also a Bible teaching that Jesus had someone he called his "Father" and his "God" both when he was on earth and after he went back to heaven. He even referred to that one as "the only true God":

"After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began" (John 17:1 - 17:5 NIV).

"The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name "(Revelation 3:12 NIV).

The conclusion from the above scriptures as well as from scores of others is that Jesus had and still has a Father and a God who is greater than him. It is this his Father and his God that sent Jesus to the earth for a redemption work. This God and Father of Jesus it was that raised Jesus from the dead. 

So, Jesus, the Mighty God, died and his Father, the Almighty God, raised him up from the dead.:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this (Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV).

The Lord Almighty referred to here is the Father and God of Jesus Christ, and the Bible gave his name in Psalms 83:18 as Jehovah:

"That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth". (Psalm 83:18 ASV).

"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth". (Psalm 83:18 KJV)

In conclusion, it was Jesus, the Son of God, who died on the cross. This same Jesus told us he was sent to do the will of his Father, and not his own will. And evidence from Bible showed that Jesus was obedient and did do his Father's will. 

Then Jehovah, whom Jesus called the only true God, the Almighty, raised Jesus from the dead. 

The only true God, Jehovah, did not die. 

He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and perform the redemption work that will open the way for the salvation of obedient human kind. 

That is what the Bible teaches.

February 18 2014 • 35 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Al Mari Supporter Private practice as a cardiovascular & thoracic surgeon

Great question. The answers already given in response to this question are correct, but only partially and got confusing because of one's concept of "What is God?" and what comprises "death". 

To begin with, there is no "upper case" in the original Hebrew word "elohim" translated from Old Testament to an English word that starts with capital letter "G" as in "God". Moreover, the word "elohim" beginning in Gen. 1:1 and on, is a generic or common name. It can refer to the only true God the Creator to be worshipped, false gods to be avoided, god as angels (like Lucifer the god of this earth/world), rulers, even ordinary man: see Concordance and definitions of elohim as well as http://fact-s.net/2014/06/29/what-is-god-2/.

Much like the common name Smith, the proper name John Smith identifies which particular Smith is referred to. In Genesis 1:1, the "common name" of the Creator God is "Elohim" and was specifically identified with a "proper name" in Gen. 2:4 as "YHVH ELOHIM" or Lord God in English. This YHVH ELOHIM is numerically one, "above all gods" (Ps. 95:3; 135:5) and the only Lord God commanded to Israel to be worshipped and not any other; this became the basis of Israel's SHEMA doctrine (Deut. 6:4).

The immortal Creator God "elohim" or YHVH ELOHIM/Lord God is also named LOGOS in John 1. He incarnated into man-Jesus to die for Adam's and mankind's sin to reconcile us to God the Father. This particular Elohim was the God referred to in the O.T. Whereas, the Father was the God referred to, in general, in the N.T. They are indeed different, yet "one", as we are all different, yet "one" with our Lord God Jesus and our God the Father (I Cor. 12:12; 12:20).

Without this incarnation into "mortal flesh" like Adam, the spirit-composed and immortal Creator God would not have died. This is an absolute expression of love and faith "of" Jesus (Rom. 3:21-22) for him to "give up his divine/ spirit composition"(Phil. 2:7) and be human to die. Indeed, there is no greater love than for one "to give his life for another"(Jn.15:13). As man-Jesus, a mortal flesh, he is still."god", as in John 10:34.

Regarding death, the mechanism can be understood by going back to the "creation of man". Remember that Adam was formed "from the ground, and it was good" but became "living" or alive only after the "breath of life" was breathed into him (Gen. 2:7; 7:21-22). Presence of this "breath of life" in "mortal flesh" defines life or death. Functionally, we observe this among newborns; unless there is spontaneous or artificial breathing, they are dead.

This is why death happens when the "breath of life", (the "spirit of man") leaves the "mortal flesh", goes back to God the Father and our physical body becomes "dust". See Eccl 12:7. What happens to that " breath of life/spirit of man" depends on what the Father decides. Without that " breath of life" restored into another body, "physical or spirit- composed", for practical purposes, the person is dead. Consider all "data" in the computer can be downloaded into a "thumb-drive" and you can take the "thumb-drive" anywhere you go. The computer may be buried/ destroyed but the "data/ memory" in the " thumb-drive" can be "restored" in a "new" computer, thus like being "resurrected". 

With the context laid out in the preceding prolegomenon, Jesus is the Creator God YHVH ELOHIM, Logos and eternal, the "same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). As a Creator God and Logos, he is immortal. But, as incarnated "mortal flesh", yes God "died" for our sake.

March 16 2015 • 7 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Daniel Ewa Supporter

1 John 5:7 
"7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. 8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." 

On earth...
John the soul - the blood, Lev 17:11 
John the body - the water, our body is about 75% water 
John the spirit 

These three are one and same person called JOHN

In heaven...
God the Father 
God the Son 
God the Spirit 

These three are one and the same person called GOD. 

This is how we are a true image of God. 

Romans 1:20 says that what we cannot understand about God can be understood by looking closely to the things He has created. The mysteries of God (including the power of the Godhead) according to this scripture, are explained clearly if you examine the man (His image) whom he placed on earth and the whole of creation.

November 22 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Tony Flores Supporter Tony Flores a servant of Jesus Christ

In order to understand this very deep subject, we need the Holy Spirit to teach us all things and with out this knowledge we are lost in understanding of whom God is. God is Spirit and we worship Him in Spirit and Truth. The Flesh is temporary and the Spirit will live forever. 

After Jesus died and rose again the third day, God gave Him a new physical body that all believers will some day have to form "The Church" or the "Bride of Christ", whom will rule with Jesus Christ as the Head in the end. This body will be like somethingthat we cannot even imagine, Time and Space will not have restrictions on it and our intelligence is too limited to understand it. 

It is true that Jesus's body died, but Spirit is eternal. The other answers go into more detail and confirms God's plan in order for us to obtain eternal life to redeem the lost in the Garden of Eden. The Bible says that we cannot even imagine how wonderful life will be with our Father in Heaven.

If you don't know the Creator of the Universe and the one that Was, and Is and always Will be, you will not be rewarded with His precious gift of eternal life with Him.

March 14 2015 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

James R Supporter

To arrive at an answer that isn't twisted or stretched by church tradition or pagan philosophy, you have to rely solely on scripture, interpreted by scripture. Trinities becoming binities and tripartitie human constitutions will lead us astray since they are not biblical. The answer will come when we apply scripture to inform us of two matters:

1. The nature of Jesus Christ
2. What happens on death

Many verses have been quoted above to correctly and biblically describe Jesus as fully God an d wholly man eg Col 1:19 and Col 2:9. Phil 2:6-8 is also important here. Jesus allowed his universe-creating power (John 1:3) to be 'contained' or limited while on earth. Whilst being sinless, conceived only by the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus consisted of the pneuma/breath of God making alive his physical body, meaning he was a living soul. Note however, there is, at best, very little scripture to suggest these three terms are separable entities of man. It is satan's deceit that tells us otherwise.

Anointed as he was by the power of God to perform miracles, he still humbled himself, keeping as close to humankind as was possible. How incredible that the maker of all the galaxies would place himself under such restriction, to serve sinful man. For instance, he refused his right to call on angels to assist him (Matt 26:53). He also chose to lay down his life John 10:18.

So, he chose the cross, even though he knew he would become sin (2 Cor 5:21) and so be separated from his Father, an awful prospect which caused Jesus much heart ache in Gethsemene. Jesus also knew, like Peter in Acts 2:24, that death was an enemy, not a friend to aid the transition from one lowly, flesh-bound existence to another higher 'spiritual' one. If there was a beautiful 'life' after death, Jesus would have approached the cross very differently. Yes he prophesied his resurrection but still knew death as a state of non-being and dreaded the prospect. But, he was obedient to the Father's higher will! As an aside, Jesus reply to the thief on calvary was simply reassuring him that he had qualified for the reward (of resurrection) when Jesus would come in to his future kingdom. The answer was future-focused not about where they would be just after they died.

So, Jesus, the fullness of the Father laid down his life. He 'gave up his spirit' = breathed his last. His lifeless body was placed in a tomb, as he predicted in Matt 12:40. God was not dead, the Father was still in charge, the Trinity hadn't become a binity or a unity, but something unique and beyond our full comprehension was happening.

Jesus had to die a full and proper death, like all humans suffer, be buried, but unlike us (yet), he was resurrected. If there was no real death, there was no real atonement (Rom 6:23, Eph 5:2). Think of Gen 1:2 and the Spirit hovering, awaiting creation to commence. Now imagine inside the tomb and Rom 8:11 is similar; the Spirit hovering over the body of Jesus and then raising him up with resurrection power!

If you take the span of scripture, the state of death is totally non-sensory, often likened to an unconscious sleep (Dan 12:2, Ecc 9:5, Gen 3:19, Ps 146:4, Ps 115:7, Ps 6:5, Job 14:10, 1 Thess 4:13), unlike pagan Egyptian, Babylonian and Eastern mystical beliefs and Greek philosophies that have deceived many by reinforcing a life after death. Satan still wants us to believe the lie he first sowed (Gen 3:4). Not so (1 Tim 6:16). Life after death, apart from resurrection, all but negates Christ's central purpose to die (1 Pet 2:24), and rise as our first fruit model (1 Cor 15:23).

To conclude this quick summary, in the same vein as the mystery of Jesus being fully God and wholly man, is the truth that Jesus was still God in the tomb but chose to continue to subordinate himself to the fate of every man - death and the prospect of never being resurrected. That he was means we have a blessed hope for the future (Titus 2:13): our personal resurrection at his return!

May 28 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

John Moyo Supporter Christian youth teacher

The important thing to understand about Jesus is he was fully God and fully man. This is why when asked about the Second coming he answered "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. (Matthew 24:36).Here Jesus is referring to the fully human Son. Now to answer the question raised, the answer is YES, Jesus (God) the man did die on the cross.

April 06 2020 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report