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His crucifixion was foretold hundreds of years before even to notion of such a manner of execution existed.

Without this there was/is no hope and no atonement of sin!

Yes Jesus was crucified and veal of the Temple was thorn from top to bottom thus ending the priesthood , in other words
you can pray directly to Jesus for forgiveness because priest where made obsolete, not needed by the Jew's or Christian.
( yes I know I'm going to catch it with this review ) OOH WELL

From the book The Crucifixion: The compassion and love that was Jesus comes through clearly
when we learn that we do not need to seek forgiveness, for we are not condemned; we do not need
to be saved, for we can never be lost; we do not need to seek eternal life, for that is what we are.
The truth is there is only One Being and we are all part of it.

UPDATE: From the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) 1986;255:1455-1463, William Edwards, M.D. (Anatomic Pathology, Mayo Clinic), Wesley Gabel, M.Div., and Floyd Hosmer, M.S, AMI, published the results of their investigation "On the Physical Death of Jesus Christ" "The scourging produced deep stripe-like lacerations and appreciable blood loss and probably set the stage for hypovolemic shock, as evidence by the fact that Jesus was too weakened to carry the crossbar to Golgotha. At the site of the crucifixion His wrists were nailed to the patibulum and, after the patibulum was lifted onto the upright post (stipes), his feet were nailed to the stipes. The major pathophysiological effect of the crucifixion was interference with normal respirations. Accordingly, death resulted primarily from hypovolemic shock and exhaustion asphyxia. Jesus' death was ensured by the thrust of the soldier's spear into His side. Modern medical interpretation of the historical evidence indicates that Jesus was dead when He was taken down from the cross." ORIGINAL MESSAGE: God didn't demand that Jesus should die, he gave his son, there was no other way. Why? I don't know, but I do know this, that he loved us so much he was willing to do it for us and Jesus was willing to die, he didn't have to, but he did... Jesus died a horrible death for you and me. He could have called 10,000 angels but he chose not to. For you to be saved, he must pay the ultimate sacrifice and he did so like a lamb to slaughter. No greater love exists.

A hopeless miasma of conflictive third-party recitation, based largely upon prior legends (the Babylonian goddess Ishtar being the most prevalent Biblical example). "Harmonious" is the term apologists frequently fling out in support of the alleged event, but even a cursory perusal of the texts involved would reveal a different tale. The inscriptions on the cross differed (Matthew 27:37 vs. Mark 15:26 vs. Luke 23:38 vs. John 19:19); the women named watching the crucifixion differed (Matthew 27:55-56 vs. Mark 15:40 vs. John 19:25); the times differed (Mark 15:25 vs. Luke 23:43-44 vs. John 19:14-16); the robe put on Jesus was scarlet in Matthew 27:28, but Mark 15:17 and John 19:2 have a purple robe being put on him; these robes were put on during his "trial" in John 19:1-2, but Matthew 27:26-28 has them being put on after Pilate delivered him to be killed; Jesus was given wine vinegar to drink in Matthew 27:48 and Luke 23:36, but Matthew 27:34 has it mixed with gall, and it's mingled with myrrh in Mark 15:23 (gall and myrrh are both derivitives of tannic acid, but that still conflicts with Matthew 27:48 and Luke 23:36). Incidentally, the primary use of myrrh at that time was for perfume, with a secondary nod towards medicine: the wine in Mark 15:23 either tasted pretty nasty, or it was giving Jesus a beneficial respite; if the latter was the case, why would the Roman soldiers allow anyone to help a guy they were trying to kill? And the point of this agonizingly violent dog-and-pony show? Love and forgiveness, or so I'm told (and a rather hollow example at that, as the "sacrificed" sauntered back into town at week's end, none the worse for wear according to "eyewitnesses"). An interesting missive when one considers the cultural timeframe which bore it, but remains destined for conjecture and speculation in regards to its historicity.

REPRISE:Why bother with the whole brutal,messy...IJR.May I be so bold as to answer this directly,Sir.The question you have asked poses a greater importance in terms of logic and filial love between Father and Son rather than just demostrating His love for the human-race.God allowed Himself to be mistreated not only to show love but to make manifest the horror of sin and His abhorency for the transgressions of His commandments that His passion was to serve a literal example of God's sorrow for a single sin and it's effect that brought the world death in body(our first parents)and in soul(eternal damnation)if unrepented.I do not hold a B.A,M.A,pH.D,D.D,or a Y.M.C.A,R.S.P.C.A,W.W.F,O.P.P or any other acronymous accolade of honor in religion as such but I received the Kinder Surprise Award and a pat on the head by Sister Mary Bridget in fourth-grade for religious excellence.So I hope that is validation enough to give credit to my response?God bless..if God is a myth?I bid you good will, Sir.

Why the crucifixion?This was His work of redemption which can only be understood if you consider the fall of our first parents,the bond between man and God was broken due to man's infidelity the'original sin'had an infinite effect because it was against God who is infinite,because of its contraction it will be passed down through the generations seeing He(Adam)was our fore-father we also contract original sin...hence the sin is infinite and needs an infinite source of atonement.God who is infinite then promised our first parents a redeemer(Jesus).Why His Son?because there is no-one on earth however great or holy from this day to that can appease God's infinite justice even an angel will not serve as a sufficient oblation;e.g if I had a servant that stole from me which caused me grief after I showed him kindness and love it will take more then his friends and familys petitions to appease my anger but if my son were to plead on their behalf I would surely be moved seeing it is my son it would count as a sufficient contrition.Why the passion and crucifixion?To make the offering of himself(Jesus)an assurity that His father's indignation would be mollified,in those days there was sacrificing of animals as a prayer of remission Jesus was like unto this except it was to purchase merits for the human race to be worthy to enter heaven and to re-ligion(rebind)the bond broken by God and man hence the expressionlamb of Godthe ultimate sacrifice.Why the age of 33?it is known that at the age of 33 man is at his peak in strength,wisdom,health,etc... before his decline so He(Jesus)wanted it to be the best and most perfect sacrifice for His father on account of the Human race.Why did water flow from His side after He was pierced with the lance?it has been scientifically proven today after 2000 yrs that when a human body is drained of all its blood water will then proceed to flow? condenscending?He assumed a human nature which is a tremendous act of humility from God;which was not only to redeem us but to demonstrate to the human race His immense undying love.Alas'If we only knew....

Nice thoughts there Gentle Jude. I've often thought of Jesus crying out those words just before he died - My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?, its awe inspiring to me that at the point where Jesus, wracked by pain and about to die, still had scripture (Ps22) running through his head. One wonders if he had been running OT prophecies through his mind to try to keep some of the pain out of his mind. Jesus sacrifice for us was truely awesome, that it was required by God instead of just forgiving Adam and Eve right at the start is his perogative - its his universe, whether you like that fact or not IJR. God makes the rules, you follow them and have no choice in the matter. Rom5v12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned - you sin, you die simple as that. God in his graciousness has provided a way out, and provided all with a choice to accept or reject it as we will. Thats the great part - he has not just forced us to do something - he has given us freedom of choice. As an aside, I do think people get a little preoccupied with the method of death. Its lucky is wasn't in more recent times and involving an electric chair - they would look kinda funny perched on top of church steeples or hanging around peoples necks or ears...

Since this is one of the greatest things that God has ever done for us, and believing this fact is the difference between life and death, this definitely deserves full marks and attention. Everyday, God helps me to understand more and more about the crucifixion and to appreciate it more and more. It sounds simple on the surface, that Jesus was nailed to a cross and died for our sins and rose three days later. It can almost become boring hearing it day after day especially when religious people say it as a cliché. But there was a lot more to it then that. For a start, death by cross was designed to be a death by torture. I've heard that they nail you to a cross and put the nails into nerve points, which causes severe pain. But they don't put the nails into a major artery or into a place which would kill you. They do this to prolong the suffering. If you think that is bad enough, it gets worse. When Jesus was whipped (for our healing), the whip was made from bones and things which would cut the skin. What I found amazing was the fact that after Jesus was tortured to death (on the cross), the soldiers put a spear into His side and there was all this blood and water squirting out. That really makes me sad and really love Jesus. It is theorised that the water came from His lungs ie His lungs were burst open (but that is only a theory.) But what was even more amazing was the emotional side of it all. So Jesus didn't just die physically, He was also traumatised emotionally for you. For a start, He was betrayed by one of His best 'friends' and His friend had such disregard for His life that he (Judas) sold the most important and lovable Being in existence for 30 pieces of silver. That is insulting. But it was the fact that no one appreciated what He did (at the time), and the fact that He sacrificed His Almighty and beautiful dignity for us (being mocked and punched and spat at.) And the emotional trauma of bearing the whole earths sins upon Himself and taking our condemnation and punishment upon Himself. Someone once theorised that Jesus didn't die from the pain or the loss of blood, but from a broken Heart. That part is so touching, especially when He was so traumatised that He thought that God had forsaken Him. If all that emotional and physical suffering and trauma wasn't love, I don't know what is! You can see why now that God has shown us the greatest love that you can possibly show a person. Your husband/wife may say to you that they would die for you. But for a start, Jesus not only carried out His word, but He was tortured for you. That is more then any human can do because although a human can die for another person, they didn't have to give up as much as Jesus did. Jesus gave up Heaven and divine dignity for us.

Roman records called him Crestus - gotta love good ol' Roman sense of record-keeping. The execution did historically happen, but all the rest is open to speculation. Paul founded the structure known as the Church- not the dude that died.

is a nice little tale to tell fools.

UPDATE: Actually Ralph, individuals sacrificed for atonement of sin so they could speak to God and continue to have a loving relationship with Him. In Leviticus 19:1-2 it states, Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. God wanted his people to come to him holy or repented of sins because God is purely holy, the true reason of sacrifice wasn't a fear of Gods almighty wrath, it was so they could continue to have a loving, holy relationship with God.

He did what he did to show us that the easy way is not the right way.

I believe that Christ died on the cross - one of the most hideous forms of capital punishment ever devised - to prove the meaning of real love. And, by real love, I mean the kind of all encompassing love He has for us but we are not always willing to give back. What would it really mean to the world if God had just said, Oh, well, you turned your back on my love for you by listening to Satan, but that's okay. How would we react as a group? I think it we would respond like spoiled children with weak parents and turn around and do it again. When parents just blow things off the message to the child is that it wasnt very important in the first place. Christ's sacrifice says so much about the sincerity and magnitude of God's love for us. It's a statement and profession of love that is so deep and profound it is almost unfathomable. As Donovan already said, no greater love exists. I believe with all my being that this is true.