THE CROSS
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June 1999
The cross, you see it everywhere you go. You will find it on hills, on church buildings, in sanctuaries, around people's necks, and sometimes tattooed on people's bodies. The cross is found in pictures, cards, books, and on stationary. The word cross is used in the New Testament, the Living Word of God, which we call the Bible. But what exactly is the cross? What does it mean? Where does it come from? In the Greek language, this word is "strauros" meaning "a cross" or "the Crucifixion," originating from the Latin word "Crux."
No other word in the human language has extended all boundaries and is used so widely.
Why?
Because of what Jesus Christ did at and on the cross, that has made people ponder this word and subject. The cross that He was most likely crucified on was probably the "Crux Immisa," the upright beam that extended above a shorter crossbeam. This is thought to be the type of cross that Jesus died upon.
Used by the Romans to punish those who did crimes or were caught in treason. The cross, being an instrument of death, was detested by the Jews. This was the instrument the Romans used, persuaded by the High Priests, to crucify Jesus.
Picture this in your mind:
- Crucifixion is very painful, and harsh, especially in a hot climate where Jesus was. When they put a person on the cross, they were nailed to it! Nails were in both the hands and the feet. Their flesh tore, the tendons were cut, the nerves severed and torn, causing a traumatic fever to come about. Followed by a great agonizing pain that one will die a thousand deaths over. It is important to remember that before a person is put to the cross they are scourged first, then nailed to the cross. The victims' constitution is what determined their death, whether they hung on or not; but death rarely came within thirty-six hours. The sudden death of Christ was an astonishment to the Roman Soldiers. They usually had to break the legs of the victims to hasten death. They were supported by a little tablet or surface, which enabled them to stretch and breath. When the legs were broken they suffocated quickly.
Let's look at John 19:32, 33: "Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs." So clearly, they did not break His legs.
Psalms 34:20 says, "He guards all His bones, not one of them is broken."
So what did they do to Jesus before they took Him off the cross? One of the Roman soldiers took a spear and pierced His side (see John 19:34). This event was also prophesied in Psalm 22:14 and Zechariah 12:10.
The cross was the fulfillment of Scripture and prophecy, that Jesus might complete The Will Of His Father! By being that sacrificial Lamb of God that He might atone for the sins of man, it is what Jesus did for us at the cross. He became sin, He who knew no sin. He became poor that we might be rich. When wearing the cross, just remember who really made the cross an important symbol of obedience, love, and long suffering.
(c) 1999 by Pastor Aaron D. Lint
