| What is the cross? Was it a medieval tool to ward off | | | | what did Jesus say of Himself? If you dare, you can |
| vampires? Is it a fashion statement warn by rockers, | | | | take up the Bible for yourself and read the accounts |
| rappers, and reggae crowds? Is it a bumper sticker on | | | | of His life, death, and yes, His resurrection. Jesus |
| the back of a mini-van or on a chain dangling from a | | | | makes astounding claims in the Bible. One of the |
| rear view mirror? Or is it a symbol by which many | | | | boldest declarations He made was when He told His |
| religious people bow? What is the cross? | | | | disciples, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No |
| Simply stated, it was a tool of execution. The Roman | | | | man comes to the father but by me" (John 14:6). |
| Empire invented and used crucifixion as their primary | | | | Christ's statement here is one reason why many find |
| and practical means of carrying out the death penalty. | | | | Jesus so unattractive. He was very matter-of-fact. Did |
| It was primary because it was horrific. It was practical | | | | He say "I am a way, or one of many ways?" Or, "I am |
| because it sent a terrifying message; the Empire was | | | | a truth, or one of many truths?" Notice His emphatic |
| not to be taken lightly. | | | | use of the word "the." The wording here means that |
| Crucifixion was both physical torture while | | | | Jesus is the only way, the only truth, and the life. And |
| psychologically degrading. It was not meant to break | | | | what does that imply? Quite simply, all other ways to |
| the criminal in order to get him to recant. It was the | | | | God and to heaven are false, fabrications, and farces. |
| final death blow, to the body and the spirit. While the | | | | And all other deities are phonies. Now before you pick |
| physical-medical-scientific aspects of crucifixion can be | | | | up stones, remember that these words came out of |
| found in encyclopedias, one thing is for sure, it was a | | | | the mouth of Christ Himself. |
| bloody spectacle. Some criminals, if not most, were | | | | Furthermore, if you investigate the Gospel of John you |
| introduced to the cross after having been flogged. The | | | | will discover the same Jesus claimed to be the |
| back, already bloodied and torn by a crude whip, was | | | | expected Messiah (John 4), said He came from above |
| then placed on a splintered beam, and the wrists and | | | | (John 3), stated that His kingdom is not of this world |
| feet were than nailed to the death tree. Nailed! | | | | (John 18), and declared that He and the Father are one |
| Death came slowly by way of the cross. With hours | | | | (John 10). The same Gospel proclaims that this Jesus |
| of bodily suffering and emotional anguish, the pain and | | | | created the world and then came in the flesh among |
| humiliation was too much for any human to bear. | | | | His creation (John 1). Jesus is God incarnate. And that |
| Historically we know that many a criminal was | | | | is who hung on the cross. That is what makes the |
| crucified during Rome's reign. It was a common form | | | | cross eminent. |
| of capital punishment, just as the electric chair has | | | | What was Christ's crime? Other than declaring that He |
| been in our country. So I have to ask, when have you | | | | was God and the only way of salvation, He also |
| ever seen someone sporting a miniature electric chair, | | | | forgave sins and dined with sinners. For these He was |
| hangman's noose, gas chamber, or a syringe from | | | | ushered to the cross. But was this not the reason He |
| someone's neck? The cross is not fashionable. It is | | | | came into the world, to save sinners? Jesus said of |
| death. | | | | Himself, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be |
| The difference is not the means of execution, but the | | | | served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom |
| man that hung on the cross two thousand years ago. | | | | for many" (Mark 10:45). |
| It was not that Jesus was crucified that made the | | | | So the next time you pick up the Bible and read the |
| cross a monument throughout history. Many were | | | | Gospels, ask yourself if what I wrote here is true? And |
| executed in the same manner. It would be more | | | | whenever you see a cross on a church building, |
| appropriate to ask, who is this Jesus that died on the | | | | around someone's neck, or tattooed someone's limb, |
| rugged cross? And what was His crime? | | | | remember who it was that hung on that cross and |
| Skeptics mock Him, while others worship Him. But | | | | that His crucifixion was for our redemption. |