Jesus proclaimed that he was bringing God’s kingdom back to the earth, and he would confront the tragic effects of evil and sin. But Jesus’ plan to defeat humanity’s evil and sin was unexpected. He would first let it defeat him. Jesus stirred up trouble by teaching things that upset the religious leaders of his day. He was arrested and killed by the common form of execution for criminals at that time, being crucified, or hung on a cross. We learn that this death was also not an ordinary death. Though Jesus suffered the physical pain of crucifixion like anyone else, he was also suffering the
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