The cross stands at the center of the message of the Bible. All before leads up to it and all after points back to that singular event. Without the cross, the church would be meaningless, baptism vain, our songs would be without a joyful melody, and our preaching would be but the wisdom of men. We must go back to the cross regularly and do as those did the day He died, "Sitting down they watched him there." (Matt. 27:36.) We must not watch in vain curiosity, but in an effort to learn all the power and meaning of that one event.

To retell the story of the cross today, I have selected several things from the Gospel accounts for us to think about.

Some things may seem insignificant and unimportant, but they rarely are. Anything having to do with this scene and the story of what Jesus did will always carry much meaning. One of the things that his mockers did was to plat a crown of thorns and put it upon his head. This was done in mockery because they had heard him say that he was a king. It is clear that they did not place the crown of thorns gently upon his head, but with force sinking the thorns into his scalp. They hit him upon his head with a rod. (Matt. 27:30.)

Given all the Bible says about thorns, we should not be surprised that thorns appear in this scene. The very existence of thorns should bring to mind the awful tragedy of Genesis 3, the fall of man.

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it, Cursed is the ground for thy sake. In sorrow shall thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and thou shalt eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground, for out of it wast thou taken; for dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return." (Gen. 3:17-19.)

Death and thorns should remind us of sin. Both of these came as a result of the sin of man and his fall.

"For by one man sin entered the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned." (Rom. 5:12.) "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8.)

Sinful men and thorns are often compared in Scripture. Here are some instances of it.

"The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns, but the way of the righteous is made plain." (Prov. 15:19.)

"The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge." (Micah 7:4.)

Jesus asked, "Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit." (Matt. 7:16-17.)

"Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he that doth keep his soul shall be far from them." (Prov. 22:5.)

One way in which thorns were used was to make hedges around one’s property or vineyard. (Mark 12:1.) Often stones and pieces of broken pottery would be piled in a hedge. Thorns would grow over all these stones and rocks making it difficult for an intruder to enter. This would provide a favorite habitat for snakes. If an intruder tried to break through and steal things, he would run the risk of being bitten by a snake. Solomon wrote, "Whoso breaks a hedge, a serpent shall bite him." (Eccl. 10:8.) The hedge with thorns and briers, the thief trying to cross the hedge to steal, the pain and even death that might follow from a serpent bite, is a fitting description of man away from God. There is always pain that follows sin.

The crown of thorns represents the terrible consequence of sin against God, the pain that must be born to remove sin. Thorns also remind us of the judgement of God. Farmers, when clearing their fields, burn off the thorns and briers. One writer said, "But that which bears thorns and briers is rejected and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned." (Heb. 6:8.)

Gethsemane means oil press. It was a garden near Jerusalem.

"Then came Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane and he said unto the disciples, Sit here while I go and pray yonder." (Matt. 26:36.)

In this garden, Jesus prayed fervently to the Father before his crucifixion. He pleaded if it be possible that the cup of suffering would pass away from him. From his face fell sweat as if it were great drops of blood. Three times the Lord prayed while the disciples slept. They could have heard his plaintive cries to God if they had known the importance of the moment. Jesus thus agonized alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Hebrew described this occasion with these words:

"Who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared. Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him." (Heb. 5:7-9.)

It is fitting that Jesus prayed in such a place as an oil press. There are old olive trees growing in this place to this day. Some claim that they date back to Jesus’ day. The garden is east of the Kidron Valley and on the Mount of Olives. (Matt. 26:30.) A winepress in mentioned in a parable by Jesus in Matthew 21:33. Many of the ancient winepresses remain to this day. Ordinarily they consisted of two rectangular or circular excavations, hewn in the solid rock to a depth of 2 to 3 feet. One was usually higher than the other one and connected by a pipe or channel. The juice of the grapes was pressed out by workers stepping on the grapes with their feet. The grape juice flowed into the second vat where it was removed in jars.

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper just before entering Gethsemane. He used wine to represent his blood. In this garden of flowers and olive trees, Jesus was being pressed. His life was coming to an end. His blood would flow like the grape juice or olive oil in the vats. In the quietness of this place, where Jesus often prayed with this disciples, he prepared for Calvary. We need such a place of solitude and prayer for the trials of life.

No one should think that Jesus’ death was optional. What an unthinkable matter to say that God just choose this method when others ways were possible. Jesus prayed, If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Surely, the Father would have allowed another process if such were possible. Jesus’ death was essential to man’s salvation. Sin is so serious that it required the death of a sinless being.

"Thou that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross." (Matt. 27:40.) At the trials someone accused Jesus by saying, "This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days." (26:61.) When Jesus drove out the money exchangers, Jesus said, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up." (John 2:17.) The Jews asked Jesus a sign because of the things that he had done. He replied, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." (John 2:19.) The Jews argued the temple took 46 years to build, how could he possibly build it again in three days? John added, "But he spake of the temple of his body." (verse 21.)

It is difficult for us to imagine how important the temple was to the Jew. It was the center of his world and life. Even today, Jews kill others in order to have what they consider to be sacred. The Jews had witnessed three temples from David’s plan to build one. From Solomon’s to Zerubbabel’s to Herod’s temple, their fondness of this sacred place never wavered. The Jews denounced the Samaritans who build a different temple in the mountains of Samaria. When the woman of Sycar asked Jesus about the debate over where men should worship, Jesus replied, "Woman, believe me, the hour comes when you shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship you know not what, we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour comes and now is when true worshipper shall worship the Father in spirit and truth. For the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth." (John 4:21-24.)

The physical temple became too important in the minds of the Jews. When the disciples, who were Jews, spoke admiringly about the temple to Jesus, he foretold its destruction. Jesus replied, "See ye all these things? Verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down." (Matt. 24:2.)

The Jews and disciples needed to recognize a greater temple than Herod’s. It is the temple of Jesus’ body. It was that temple which would be raised after three days. Paul wrote to the Corinthians about their bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit. (1 Cor. 6:19.) If the believer’s body is holy, how much more the body of Jesus which would be offered as the sinless sacrifice for sin.

"Sacrifices and offerings thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared for me. . . He takes away the first that he may establish the second, by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Heb. 10:5, 10.)

"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth." (John 1:14.) In the temple of Jesus’ body dwelt the name of God, more than His name but His likeness and glory. Destroy this temple (of my body) and I will raise it up in three days. Indeed!

If we are not careful when we read the story of the cross, we might overlook something very obvious. There are people everywhere. Jesus was thronged by people during his ministry. The excitement caused by the miracles of healing and raising people from the dead. Now at the end of his life, there are many people around him again. How fitting that this be so! After all, this is the reason for his going to the cross. He loved us so. Most of the people around the cross were against Jesus. Yet, even they could be saved by his sacrifice.

The disciples were afraid and thus fled. Judas, when he saw that Jesus was condemned to die, went and hanged himself. Simon of Cyrene carried his cross. Barabbas was released from prison that day. Mary and some women stayed throughout the ordeal until this death. Roman soldiers carrying out their duties could be seen. Two were gambling over his garments. People walked by the cross and wagged their heads. Two thieves were near Jesus on their crosses as well. He talked with one who was penitent and promised him that he could be with him in paradise that day. Some did not come out of the temple or out of their houses. The Pharisees delighted in his death; the Sadducees had their businesses to run.

Jesus looked at people differently than we. He saw them with great compassion. He once said that man was like sheep without a shepherd. He wanted to be their shepherd. He knew the hearts of people, whether they were morally upright or wicked in their intentions. Yet, he loved them all. He loves all of us and died for our redemption.