The cross, in its various forms, is the most recognizable symbol of Christianity, but that hasn’t always been true. If we look at art connected to Jesus, He was rarely depicted on the cross until the 3rd century. This device of torture, humiliation, and death was seen as shameful, and the cross as a symbol really didn’t come into full usage until Emperor Constantine claimed to have a vision of a burning cross leading him to victory in battle. One of my seminary professors used to say that if Jesus were killed in our time, we’d be wearing an electric chair or a syringe around our necks. The Apostle Paul wrote that he preached Jesus crucified. For me, Good Friday is the day of decision – can we get through the day that most Christians believe was part of God’s plan with our faith still in place? Can we reconcile a loving God with such a cruel act?
Of course, I don’t buy the plan part; to me, the crucifixion was an act of human sin. It was a political murder used to shut people up. Crucifixion was used regularly to quell dissent and warn possible rebels about what would happen to them if they spoke up. A deterrent, if you will. It is estimated that the Romans crucified hundreds of thousands of people over a five-century time period until Emperor Constantine I abolished it in the 4th century, CE. The physical abuse that was usually part of the preparation for crucifixion was just meant to be cruel – there was little mercy killing in the process.
I don’t believe that God wanted Jesus to be crucified – I think that the resurrection was God’s response to human sin. The power of the cross is that Jesus knew that His actions would probably lead Him there. His preaching about the Kingdom of God was a direct confrontation to the hegemony of Rome, even though He and his little troupe were no threat to the most powerful empire in the world. Just the fact that they would speak out was enough to kill Jesus. The threat of the cross, it seems, wasn’t enough to keep Him silent. And we, faithful followers of Jesus, remember His journey every year. Good for us – bad for Jesus. A powerful, yet painful, day of loss. But you can’t really get to Easter without walking past the cross. Hope to see you later today.
Prayer – Merciful God, help each one of us to get through this day of cruelty. Amen.
Today’s art is “Crucifixion” by Arsen Bereza.