Jesus’ Death

Doesn’t the Qur’an say that Jesus did not die on the cross, but rather that “it only seemed to them [as if it had been so]”? Ayat 156-158 of the fourth Surah have been interpreted this way, but there are serious problems with the usual explanations of this passage. Another explanation fits better with the rest of the Qur’an as well as the writings of the prophets that Allah had previously sent.

But why would Allah have permitted or even commanded the death of his servant?