Come Be My Follower - Jehovah's Witnesses Official Media Web Site

174
“COMEBEMYFOLLOWER”
to die. Later that Passover Day, he willingly submits to a
painfuldeathonatorturestake.—John19:17,18,30.
4 By surrendering his life, Jesus proved himself a real
friend to his followers. “No one has love greater than
this,” he said, “that someone should surrender his soul in
behalf of his friends.” (John 15:13) That raises some important
questions. Was it really necessary for Jesus to go
through all that suffering and then to die? Why was he
willing to do so? As “his friends” and followers, how can
we imitate his example?
Why Was It Necessary for Jesus
to Suffer and Die?
5 As the promised Messiah, Jesus knew what to expect.
He was aware of the many prophecies in the Hebrew
Scriptures that foretold in detail the Messiah’s suffering
and death. (Isaiah 53:3-7, 12; Daniel 9:26) More than
once, he prepared his disciples for the trials that awaited
him. (Mark 8:31; 9:31) On the way to Jerusalem for
his final Passover, he specifically told his apostles: “The
Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the
scribes, and they will condemn him to death and will deliver
him to men of the nations, and they will make fun
of him and will spit upon him and scourge him and kill
him.” (Mark 10:33, 34) These were no empty words. As
we have seen, Jesus was indeed made fun of, spit upon,
scourged, and killed.
6 Why, though, was it necessary for Jesus to suffer and
die? For several profoundly significant reasons. First, by
keeping loyal, Jesus would prove his integrity and uphold
Jehovah’s sovereignty. Recall that Satan falsely claimed
5. How did Jesus know the specific trials that awaited him?
6. Why was it necessary for Jesus to suffer and die?