God did not put His Son to death - Jesus willingly gave His life in complete control of His final hours. This profound truth distinguishes Jesus' death from a mere martyrdom or tragic execution.

During His last 18 hours, Jesus demonstrated full awareness and authority over the unfolding events. John 18:4 confirms that Jesus knew everything that would happen to Him. Six months prior, God sent Moses and Elijah to prepare Jesus for His approaching death in Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31).

The crucifixion followed God's deliberate plan, as Peter later declared in Acts 2:22-23. Every action by the Jewish leaders and Roman authorities fulfilled divine prophecy. Even Pilate, who tried three times to release Jesus, was merely carrying out God's predetermined purpose.

Jesus explicitly stated His authority over His own death: "No one can take it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again" (John 10:18, NIV).

Key evidence of Jesus' control appears when He confronts the armed soldiers coming to arrest Him. Upon declaring "I am he" (Ego eimi in Greek - the same phrase God used at the burning bush), the soldiers fell backwards, demonstrating His divine power (John 18:6).

The fulfillment of Psalm 34:19-20 provides crucial proof that Jesus' death was God's work alone. Unlike the other crucified men, Jesus' legs were not broken to hasten death through suffocation. He gave up His life willingly before the soldiers could perform this act.

Jesus' death represented the ultimate expression of divine love. As John recorded, "Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end" (John 13:1, NIV). Through His voluntary sacrifice and resurrection three days later, Jesus defeated death itself, transforming the cross from an instrument of execution into a symbol of victory and eternal life.

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