Question 19: To Whom Did God Sacrifice Jesus Since He Is the Almighty?

The Question

Question 19: People sacrifice things they have to get something they don’t have when they can’t have both. Christians say that “God SACRIFICED His only Son to save us.” We know that God is Almighty; to whom did He sacrifice Jesus?

The Short Answer

Your main question is: If Jesus was God’s sacrifice, to whom did He sacrifice Jesus since He is the Almighty? The short answer is: God did not sacrifice Jesus.

God Gave Jesus; Jesus Offered the Sacrifice

There is a fundamental misunderstanding in saying that “God sacrificed Jesus”. God did not sacrifice Jesus; God gave Jesus Christ out of His love for the world. God is the Almighty Creator, and to Him alone all praise, prayer, worship, and sacrifices go. If God were to offer a sacrifice, to whom would He offer it?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. (John 3:16)

God did not offer a sacrifice to anyone; God gave His Son. It was Jesus Christ who willingly offered the sacrifice. As a distinct person with His own will, Jesus could have chosen not to go to the cross, but in complete obedience and love, He chose to lay down His life.

To Whom Did Jesus Give Himself?

To whom did Jesus offer Himself? He offered Himself to God the Father on our behalf as a holy offering and sacrifice for sin.

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5:7)

“And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” (Ephesians 5:2)

Under the Old Covenant, human high priests were required to offer sacrifices for their own sins and then for the people’s sins. But Jesus, as our sinless High Priest, offered Himself once for all.

“who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” (Hebrews 7:27)

“For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this One also have something to offer.” (Hebrews 8:3)

“He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” (Hebrews 9:26)

Animal sacrifices under the law could never permanently take away sins. But when Jesus came into the world, He offered His own body and blood as the single, perfect sacrifice for sins forever.

“Therefore, when He came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure.'” (Hebrews 10:5–6)

“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God,” (Hebrews 10:11–12)

The Full Scope of Jesus’s Sacrifice

Besides presenting His innocent, righteous blood as an offering for sin on the cross, the full scope of Jesus’s sacrifice includes everything He surrendered for our redemption.

He left His heavenly glory, emptied Himself, took on the form of a servant, became a mortal man, and submitted to a painful and shameful death on the cross. Even when He had the power to defend Himself or call down legions of angels, He endured the shame, reproach, and abuse without retaliating.

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:24)

“looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11)

Through His voluntary sacrifice and shed blood, Jesus paid the debt of sin, brought forgiveness to humanity, and opened the way to bring many sons unto glory.

Conclusion

God didn’t offer a sacrifice to anyone—He gave His Son out of infinite love. Jesus is the One who willingly laid down His life, offering Himself as a holy and acceptable sacrifice to God the Father on our behalf to pay for sin, defeat death, and reconcile us to God.

Next, I’ll be answering the question: Is the Sacrifice of Jesus Real Since the Offering Was Recovered?

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