Why Did Jesus Come?

by Mr. Whitney V. Myers

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Jesus Came to Save the World - John 3:17 - 123RF Photo - Used under license

"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him."  (John 3:17)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."  (John 10:10)

"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." (Luke 19:10)

This lesson explains 11 biblical reasons why Jesus Christ came into the world.  Ten of these reasons are in the words of Jesus himself.

     Consider.  If an unbeliever or an inquisitive new believer were to ask you, "Why did Jesus come?," what would you say?

1. Jesus Came to Fulfill the Law and the Prophets

     Early in his ministry, it was important for Jesus to establish why he came (Ref. 1).  Jesus said to his hearers, "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17).  To Jesus, the scriptures were absolutely authoritative (Luke 24:44).  Jesus came to cause God's will in the law (the first five books of the Old Testament) to be obeyed as it should be.  Jesus also came to fulfill the prophecies and promises in the writings of the prophets, Psalms, and the other books of the Old Testament (Thayer's Greek Lexicon - Ref. 2).

2. Jesus Came to Save the World

     Jesus spoke the following famous words in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."  Then Jesus continued the thought in John 3:17.  "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him" (John 3:17).  The Greek word for saved is sózó (pronounced sode'-zo) and means deliver out of danger and into safety; used principally of God rescuing believers from the penalty and power of sin – and into His provisions (safety) (Ref. 3).  Because God in love sent his Son to save the world, Jesus has already delivered you and me -- all those who believe in him -- out of danger into his safety. 

3. Jesus Came to Save Sinners

     The Apostle Paul wrote, "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all" (1 Timothy 1:15).  Sinners are hamartólos -- people who "fall short of what God approves, i.e. what is 'wide of the mark'" (Ref. 4).  That category, "sinners," actually includes all of us -- "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

4. Jesus Came to Preach the Kingdom of God

     When Jesus went out from Capernum to a solitary place (Luke 4:31, Luke 4:42), he told the multitudes who were searching for him, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose" (Luke 4:43).  Jesus also used the same word for preach when he quoted Isaiah 61:1 -- "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor" (Luke 4:18).  In Luke 4:18 and Luke 4:43, the Greek word for preach is euaggelizó (pronounced yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zo) which means to "proclaim the good news" (Ref. 5).

5. Jesus Came Down from Heaven to Do the Father's Will

     Jesus said to the people, "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:37-38). 

In John 6:40, Jesus explained what the will of his Father was in sending him.  "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."  It is the Father's will that everyone who believes in his Son may have eternal life.  If you would like to read more about eternal life, please see "What Is Eternal Life?" (Ref. 6)
  

6. Jesus Came into this World so that Those Who Do Not See May See

     In John 9:1-12 Jesus healed the sight of a man who had been blind from birth.  The formerly blind man testified to the Pharisees about Jesus, but they refused to "see" and believe in Jesus (John 9:13-34).  The Pharisees then put the formerly blind man out of the synagogue (John 9:22, John 9:34).  After the formerly blind man had been put out of the synagogue, Jesus found him, and the man who could now see physically and spiritually worshiped Jesus as Lord (John 9:35-38).  Jesus then said in the presence of the Pharisees, "For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind" (John 9:39).

7. Jesus Came that We May Have Life and Have it Abundantly

     In John 10:8-10 Jesus said, "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."  The Greek word for abundantly is perissos (pronounced per-is-sos') and means all-around, beyond what is anticipated, exceeding expectation, "more than enough" (Ref. 7).  In the words of the Amplified Bible, Jesus said, "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]" (John 10:10 AMP).  

8. Jesus Came to Serve and to Give His Life as a Ransom for Many

     Jesus said about himself, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).  When Jesus said he came to serve, the word in the Greek text is diakoneó which means to minister and to care for the needs of others, for example, as a slave waiting on table for guests (Ref. 8).  When Jesus said that he came to give his life as a ransom for many, the word in the Greek text for ransom is lutron (pronounced loo'-tron) which was the price to free a slave (Ref. 9).  The ransom price that Jesus paid to free us from slavery to sin was his blood (1 Peter 1:18-19, Hebrews 9:11-12). 

9. Jesus Came to Seek and Save that which Was Lost

     Notice in Luke 19:1-2 that Zaccheus was a tax gatherer, a person despised by the Jews and the religious leaders of Jesus' day.  Yet, God gave Zaccheus the desire to see Jesus (Luke 19:3-4).  Jesus extended his grace to Zaccheus and said he wanted to stay at Zaccheus' home (Luke 19:5).  Zaccheus indicated his conversion, his turning away from sin when he stated that he would repay anyone he had defrauded (Luke 19:8).  Jesus then said, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:9-10).

The Greek word for lost, apollumi (pronounced ap-ol'-loo-mee), has a severe meaning, and we need to pay attention.  Apollumi (being lost) implies to die with the implication of ruin and permanent (absolute) destruction by experiencing a miserable end (HELPS Word-studies - Ref. 10).  "Jesus Christ came to save Zaccheus, you, and me from experiencing ruin, permanent destruction, and a miserable end" (Ref. 11).

For further study on the nature of God to seek and save the lost, read the parables of The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Prodigal Son in Luke 15:1-32.

10. Jesus Came as Light into the World

     Jesus said, "I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness" (John 12:46).  Jesus came as light into the world so that everyone who believes in (has faith in, trusts in - Ref. 12) him shall not remain in (abide in, stay in - Ref. 13) darkness (moral and spiritual obscurity which blocks the light of God when faith is lacking - Ref. 14).  Without Christ, man is in darkness.  When we believe in Christ, God transfers us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His Son (Colossians 1:13).

11. Jesus Came into the World to Bear Witness to the Truth

     Early in the morning on the day he was to be crucified, Jesus stood before Pilate.  Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" (John 18:37).  Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.  For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice" (John 18:37).  The Greek noun for truth, alétheia, means reality — the opposite of what is false or illusion (HELPS Word-studies - Ref. 15).  Jesus came to testify, to be a witness to us about the reality of God's truth.  Listen to his voice.  He is the Truth (John 14:6). 

     Apply.  Which of these reasons for Jesus' coming would you share with others?  Bear witness to others of the truth of Jesus and why he came into the world.

Related Lessons
"Biblical Definition of the World" (John 1:10)
"What is Eternal Life?" (John 17:3)
"What is Redemption?" (Ephesians 1:7)
"What Does 'To Be Saved' Mean in the New Testament?" (Acts 16:31)
"Jesus - Witness to the Truth" (John 18:37)

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/matthew/5.htm 
​2.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4137.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4982.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/greek/268.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/2097.htm
6.  https://www.scriptureway.com/home/what-is-eternal-life
7.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4053.htm
8.  https://biblehub.com/greek/1247.htm
9.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3083.htm
10.  https://biblehub.com/greek/622.htm
11.  https://www.scriptureway.com/home/what-does-to-be-saved-mean-in-the-new-testament
12.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4100.htm
13.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3306.htm
14.  https://biblehub.com/greek/4653.htm
15.  https://biblehub.com/greek/225.htm