Jesus stated it was necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up to fulfill God's plan for salvation (John 3:14).
In John 3:14, Jesus draws a parallel between the lifting up of the serpent by Moses and His own impending crucifixion, stating that 'even so must the Son of Man be lifted up.' This highlights the necessity of His sacrificial death as the means by which He secures redemption for His people. The lifting up of Christ serves both as a fulfillment of prophecy and as a divine mandate; it was the predetermined plan of God for the salvation of His elect ('the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world'). Thus, Jesus' crucifixion was essential, not a mere coincidence or an unfortunate event.
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