Why Didn't Jesus Call Down the Angels?

Old Testament prophecy fulfilled by Jesus.

Jesus would give His life.

When studying the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus, we read they arrested Him, they took Him to Pilate, they took Him to Herod, they flogged Him, and they crucified Him. All that is true. But we see sometimes lose sight of the fact that Jesus allowed all these things to happen. Jesus willingly submitted to all of it.

Every single detail that Jesus allowed to happen, fulfilled prophecy.

Jesus willingly faced death of the cross. Laying down His life as the perfect sacrifice for sin was the only way to pay for the sins of each of us. Once and forever.

No one took the life of Jesus. He gave His life willingly.

Jesus, the son of God, the miracle worker had healed the lame, given sight to the blind, cleansed demons from people, and did countless other miracles. He certainly could have prevented His arrest and crucifixion.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, after Jesus prayed for God’s will to be done, He was seized. Peter grabbed his sword and cut the ear off the servant of the high priest (which Jesus miraculously put back on the man’s head). What Jesus says to Peter next shows us what He could have done:

“Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?”  Matthew 26:53-54.

This verse is fascinating when you really think about it.

At any time, Jesus could have asked His father to put countless angels at His “disposal”. A legion could be up to 6000 men. So, if He had wanted to, Jesus could have called down more than 72,000 angels who would have done anything Jesus commanded them to do. A heavenly host of angels to do His bidding.

Why didn’t Jesus call down the angels? Because He was willing to voluntarily lay down His life. Only then would He complete the sacrifice for sin and fulfill every word the Old Testament prophets wrote about what would happen.

Even as Jesus breathed His last, He fulfilled prophecy.

“Into Thy hand I commit my spirit . . .” Psalm 31:5. David penned those words more than a thousand years before the day Jesus hung on the cross. 

We see how Jesus fulfilled that prophecy when He said:

“And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit My spirit.” And having said this, He breathed His last.” Luke 23:46.

No one took the life of Jesus. He gave His life. Our salvation is assured because Jesus voluntarily laid His life down for us.

Carla Killough McClafferty