Why Did Jesus Have to Die?: The Meaning of the Crucifixion

When words fall short, the cross still speaks.

Despite the crucifixion’s central place in Christian faith, the New Testament offers few clear answers about how Jesus’ death saves, or why, exactly, he had to die. The New Testament writers use a host of metaphors—ransom, sacrifice, reconciliation, victory—but never explain exactly how it works or why it had to happen this way.

What if that’s because we’ve been asking the wrong question? What if the cross isn’t a transaction to be explained, but...