Its an interesting question and one that I have never heard thought of. I think it is possible to look at it that way and that is doesn’t matter either way. That He accomplished His purpose to sacrifice Himself by suffering willingly for our sake happened either way. I do think one argument against the suicide view is when He asked God in the garden of Gethsemane to “let this cup pass from me” and was very depressed and upset by the fact that He knew it was coming. He went as far as to ask God if there was any way to change it to do it. Matthew 26:39 . So, He certainly was grieving the idea and not chomping at the bit to do it by any means. And I think that is the way He showed the actual sacrifice of it- because He did what God’s will was despite not wanting it in a very human way Himself. Suicide is by nature a resignation to hopelessness or perhaps in some instances a relief. But by His words and prayer in the garden we know He was saddened and practically pleading with God in prayer to not have this be the way forward. So it was a gift to us that he did because he knew what the point of it was. He knew His purpose in doing it and He knew He would suffer really badly. It was because He knew this that He allowed Himself to be killed and not avoid it - you are right that He could have. But that was the point. He chose to. And for a gift. He GAVE up his life willingly yes, AND sacrificially so.❤️
Its an interesting question and one that I have never heard thought of. I think it is possible to look at it that way and that is doesn’t matter either way. That He accomplished His purpose to sacrifice Himself by suffering willingly for our sake happened either way. I do think one argument against the suicide view is when He asked God in the garden of Gethsemane to “let this cup pass from me” and was very depressed and upset by the fact that He knew it was coming. He went as far as to ask God if there was any way to change it to do it. Matthew 26:39 . So, He certainly was grieving the idea and not chomping at the bit to do it by any means. And I think that is the way He showed the actual sacrifice of it- because He did what God’s will was despite not wanting it in a very human way Himself. Suicide is by nature a resignation to hopelessness or perhaps in some instances a relief. But by His words and prayer in the garden we know He was saddened and practically pleading with God in prayer to not have this be the way forward. So it was a gift to us that he did because he knew what the point of it was. He knew His purpose in doing it and He knew He would suffer really badly. It was because He knew this that He allowed Himself to be killed and not avoid it - you are right that He could have. But that was the point. He chose to. And for a gift. He GAVE up his life willingly yes, AND sacrificially so.❤️