The Seven Sayings from the Cross

April 3, 2021

Crucifixion was designed to be an excruciating and humiliating death. It was a chaotic scene of Roman soldiers, dying men, and passersby hurling insults. In the midst of this, Jesus speaks.

Prayer — “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34, ESV). Jesus had been beaten, scourged, mocked, spat upon, and nailed to the cross. Yet there is no bitterness, anger, or rage at his attackers. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.

Promise — “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43, ESV). Passersby ridiculed him. The chief priests and religious leaders mocked. Even the criminals on either side joined in the abuse, but one repented. To him Jesus offered a gracious promise.

Provision — “Woman, behold, your son!…Behold, your mother!” (John 19:26, 27, ESV). In the midst of his own agony, Jesus thought of his mother and her care. He provided for her by putting her in the care of the disciple whom he loved.

Petition — “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, ESV). Jesus was crucified at about 9 a.m. At noon, darkness fell upon the land. He died about 3 p.m. at about the same time as the evening sacrifices in the temple. It was a lonely job dying for the sins of the world. The cry of dereliction as it is often called were words from Psalm 22:1. Even with the feelings of abandonment, the psalm expressed trust and hope.

Pain — “I thirst” (John 19:28, ESV). Hanging by the arms, the pectoral muscles became paralyzed and the intercostal muscles were unable to act. Air could be drawn into the lungs, but not exhaled without raising yourself up, which meant fighting against the searing pain of the nail in the feet. Catching each breath was exhausting work. Jesus’ thirst witnessed to the pain of the cross and Jesus’ humanity.

Purpose — “It is finished” (John 19:30). W.T. Hamilton wrote: “All that he had come to do was done. Prophecies fulfilled; atonement made; law fulfilled (Matt. 5:17); sufferings over. This is a statement of victory.” The purpose of Jesus’ coming to earth was fulfilled.

Prayer — “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46, ESV). Again the words of a psalm (Psalm 31:5) were on Jesus’ lips. It was a cry of faith. Death will not conquer.

As you ponder the cross, what do you see? What do you hear? What is your response?

—Russ Holden

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Posted by Russell Holden

The Transforming Cross

March 30, 2018

The cross of Jesus refers to his crucifixion by the Romans, his burial in a rich man’s previously unused tomb, and his resurrection from the dead. Christians look back on this once for all event as permanently dealing with sins and gaining the victory over death. But Paul also uses the cross as a model for our lives as Christians.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20, ESV)

This daily crucifixion is a putting to death of myself so that Christ may live in me. The voluntary death to self is motivated by the great love that Christ and the Father have for us.

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24, ESV)

The above passage from Paul lets us know that this crucifixion of ourselves also has to do the flesh. Flesh in Paul is defined well by the descriptive phrase that follows “with its passions and desires.” In other words, it is a putting to death of sinful desires in our life. It is a life lived by faith (Gal. 2:16), “through the Spirit, by faith” (Gal 5:5), and involves faith working through love (Gal. 5:6). Although we may be engaged in an inner moral struggle for Christian maturity, it is love that motivates us and the Spirit who strengthens us (Romans 8:13, Ephesians 3:16). It is not an unaided struggle.

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14, ESV)

The model of the cross is also a model for putting to death the world on a daily basis. Paul’s use of “world” is not to evoke the beauty of creation around us. Rather it is the world system that is hostile to God. My death to self is to result in a new creation (Gal. 6:15). It will be because I’m walking by the Spirit which is the opposite of gratifying the desires of the flesh (i.e., worldly, sinful desires). I’m to be led by the Spirit (Gal. 5:18) which will produce the fruit of the Spirit, which is a very different lifestyle from the one lived by worldly values. And Paul offers a challenge to us: “let us also keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal. 5:25).We must pay attention to what it means to let Christ live in us. We must be vigilant that we are not slipping back into worldliness for the new creation is in Christ, it is not in the world.

As you ponder the cross of Christ, also consider your daily crucifixion of self. The cross of Christ is to be a transforming cross.

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Posted by Russell Holden