Knowing everything that you know now about exactly who Jesus Christ is, if you somehow had to opportunity to stop Judas from betraying him, would you?
A similar question might be, if you, knowing everything you know today were suddenly transported into the place of one of the Roman soldiers affixing Christ to the cross, would you be willing to personally drive the nails into his wrists or feet?
I've thought about it a bit, and we've had some really interesting discussions in my small group about it. I'd say my answer to the first question would be "no". We learn from the Gospels that Jesus knew who his betrayer was, and told him Himself to be about it. Who am I to question the direction of the Lord?
Similarly, my answer to the second question would have to be, "yes" to the second question because without the sacrifice, there is no death. Without the death, there is no resurrection. Without the resurrection, there is no salvation. Salvation has always been a part of the Lord's plans. So I would do it and ask Him for forgiveness, which I'm quite confident He would give.
The second question also implies another. Was it wrong to crucify Jesus? Discuss this among your friends for lively conversations.
I believe that Jesus’ entire life was one of irony and paradox. If His followers had comprehended the reality of His ultimate sacrifice, I am certain that His followers would not have been in lamentation at all. At the same time, go figure, His followers were still halfway in the world of materialism and in the sense of wordiness, Jesus was being degraded. It was the material, physical degradation that they lamented.
Your post reminds me of Mel Gibson’s The Passion. Mel makes no cameo appearance in it except for a shot of his hands driving a nail into Jesus on the cross. I know Mel fell a great deal here on this forum when his antisemitic attitudes became known but clearly he felt this shot was meant to show it was he a sinner who ultimately was the cause of the passion of Christ.
But Jesus already answered it:
Matt 16:21-23From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”