crucifixion, and death. There is no reference to His life or works,
though these differed so widely from those of ordinary men. The reason
seems to be that the end for which He came into the world was to suffer
and die. Although He spake as never man spake, and did the works no
other man did, it was not in the first place to teach or to work
miracles that He emptied Himself of His glory and came to earth, but in
order to suffer and die in the room and stead of sinners. Others had
been prophets and teachers, others had worked miracles, others had done
good in their day and generation, but none save Jesus had come in his
own name or wielded power so marvellous as His. No one could share with
Him the work of suffering and dying for sinners. He was lifted up that
He might draw all men unto Him. "He suffered the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God."[083] On the cross He tasted death for
every man, and made a sacrificial atonement for the sins of the world.
"He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his
stripes we are healed."[084] His dying was the leading thought and
purpose of His life. Those who were with Him fixed their eyes on His
greatness as manifested in His wisdom and miracles, and looked for His
setting up a kingdom of this world, but He Himself from the very
beginning knew that the path to be traversed by Him was one of agony and
death. He was straitened until this baptism of suffering should be
accomplished.[085] At His first Passover He had intimated that, as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man should be
lifted up. He used this expression "lifted up" three times, and an
Evangelist gives the explanation: "This he said, signifying what death
he should die."[086] Again and again He told the disciples that He had
come to give His life a ransom for many, that He was to be betrayed and
killed, that as the Good Shepherd He would give His life for the
sheep.[087] He intimated that His death was in accordance with the