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November 19, 2006

November 19, 2006

Cawson St. Church of Christ

Hopewell, Virginia

Mural Worthey

 

What They Wrote About the Cross

 

Introduction

a.      The cross of Jesus Christ and his life is the central message of the Bible.  All else revolves around this story.  (1 Cor. 2:2.)

b.     Both our messages today will be on this theme.  I believe that it is beneficial to stop often and consider the cross.

c.      Tracing the story through the Bible, what did the Bible writers have to say about it?

 

What the Law of Moses Said

 

   Our redemption was no after-thought in the mind of God, contrary to what Protestant promoters of Israel say.  It was the eternal purpose of God planned before the foundation of the world. (Eph. 3:11.)  He was “the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world.”  (Rev. 13:8.)  Therefore, we ought not to be surprised that Biblical writers wrote often about our salvation long before the event itself.  Some of the references are in the form of types and shadows; but others point directly to that event on Calvary.  The New Testament writers often pointed backward to the sayings and writings to explain the cross.

 

   One such reference pointed to the Law of Moses.  This is what the Law said about the cross: “Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.”  (Deut. 21:23, quoted in Gal. 3:13.)  The Law of Moses was talking about criminal offenses and their punishments.  The Law commanded them to take the body of the criminal down before night-fall and bury him the same day of the execution.  If he remains overnight on the tree, the land would be defiled because “he that is hanged on a tree is accursed of God.”  This passage spoke of all criminals who were executed by tying them to a tree for public shame.  It did not speak just about Jesus, but it was applied to him.

 

   There were 4 methods of execution in use among the ancient Jews: stoning (Ex. 17:4), burning (Lev. 20:14), the sword (Ex. 32:27), and strangulation.  The last one is not mentioned in Scripture, but the rabbis regarded this one as the most common form and the one adopted if no other was expressly enjoined by the Law.  Usually suspension from a tree was added after someone was already put to death by one of the other means of death as an enhancement of punishment.  (Bible Commentary on the Old Testament, Barnes’ Notes, Exodus-Ruth, 312.)  Crucifixion was a cruel method of execution developed by the Persians and perfected by the Romans.  The victim was put to death by scourging him and then by nailing him alive to a cross or tree.  This is, of course, what happened to Jesus.

 

   But there is another curse before this one in the Law.  It read: “Cursed is he that confirms not all the words of the Law to do them.”  (Deut. 27:26, Gal. 3:10.)  “You shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments which if a man do, he shall live in them.”  (Lev. 18:5.)  This is the great problem of law and salvation.  In order to be justified by law, one must keep all the deeds of that law.  If you broke one precept, you were guilty of all. (James 2:10.)  So, no flesh was ever justified by law.  We should not be surprised since this is the demand of law.  The just shall live by faith.  (Gal. 3:11.)  Since we all have sinned against God, we all are under the curse of the Law.

 

   But the Good News of the Gospel is that Jesus became a curse for us by his death on the cross.  He bore the curse in our place.  What did the Law say about the cross?  It laid down the curses and blessings of God.  It said meaningfully, “Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.”  Jesus bore much more than these words ever intended.

 

What the Writings Said

 

   The Old Testament was divided into three parts: the Law, the prophets and the writings.  These are listed in order of importance, but in order of time the writings came after the Law.  The writings included all the books not a part of the Law or the Prophets.  Jesus referred to what was said about Him in the Law, in the prophets and in the psalms.  (Luke 24:44.)

 

   The Psalms often spoke of Jesus Christ and the cross.  Psalm 16 is quoted by Peter on Pentecost about God not allowing his Holy One to see corruption.  But Psalm 22 has become known as the “Passion Psalm,” one that pictures the pain and rejection of Jesus as he suffers on the cross.  The first 21 verses are a lament of suffering; verses 22-31 are expressions of thanksgiving and praise to God.  Psalm 22 is the most quoted psalm in the NT.  The first verse contains one of the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross. 

 

   One of the big questions on Psalm 22 is: “How are we to understand these words?”  Do they represent David’s experience, the Lord’s, or both?  David was persecuted unjustly by King Saul.  But these words seem to go far beyond what David experienced.  David is writing by the Holy Spirit and his words reach forward to the suffering of Jesus.  This is a part of the genius of inspiration and revelation—it combines the present with the future in such a way that it is not fully known until the event itself occurs.  When we read Psalm 22 today, we see in it more of Jesus’ experience on the cross and less of what David experienced.  What happened to David pales and fades into insignificance compared to the sufferings of Jesus.

 

   From this Passion Psalm, I want to note these words: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?  O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest?”  (22:1-2)  Jesus repeated the first part on the cross.  (Matt. 27:46.)

 

   These words are so important because they have been repeated by others like David who have suffered unjustly.  They waited on God day and night for a response and none came.  We can now answer many of life’s baffling questions since Jesus died painfully and unjustly.  First, God did not forsake David in his distress.  God removed wicked Saul in time and put David in his office.  God did not really forsake Jesus on the cross.  In about 30 hours after his death, Jesus was victoriously raised from the dead.  Secondly, difficulties help us to trust in God more.  There are blessings in disguise in suffering.  Do not miss them by complaining about how you do not deserve what is happening.  Did Jesus deserve his experiences?  The greatest good came from the most excruciating experience.  Remember the second half of the psalm.  It is one of praise and blessing.  In addition, note Psalms 22, 23 and 24.  Psalm 22: a lament and praise; Psalm 23: the Lord is my Shepherd; yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death; Psalm 24: a picture of Jesus ascending into heaven.

 

   The difficulty of these words expressed by Jesus is that this was really experienced by him.  His own Jewish people had rejected him (John 1:11); mankind is really sinful and wicked.  We killed the Son of God.  Peter denied knowing Jesus; Judas sold him for thirty pieces of silver.  The apostles fled in the night.  “Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.” (Matt. 26:56.)  But beyond all these, Jesus felt that God, his Father, had forsaken him.  Intellectually, he knew better, but emotionally he felt rejected.

 

   Then the psalmist wrote: “They pierced my hands and feet.”  (22:16)  This did not happen to David, but it did happen by the form of crucifixion devised by the Romans.  The soldiers cast lots to determine who would get his garments.  He was poured out like water.  His heart melted like wax in his breast.  This is, in part, what the Psalmist said about the cross.

 

What the Prophets Said

 

   There are so many references to choose from the words of the major and minor prophets.  They wrote often about the coming suffering of Christ and the glory that would follow.  They searched their own writings trying to understand the full implications.  But they wrote for us, not for themselves. (1 Peter 1:9-12.)

 

   Micah asked a series of powerful questions about our salvation.  He asked, “With what shall I come before the Lord and bow myself before God on high?  Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?  Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams?  Or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgressions, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  (Micah 6:6-7.)

 

   The Gentiles did offer their children in sacrifice to their gods.  We recoil at such a practice, and God never approved of such sacrifices.  But there was sound reasoning behind their thinking.  Will animals and the blood of bulls and goats atone for man’s sins?  Will burning oil do it?  Maybe we need something more innocent?  The Gentiles, or pagans, came up with the idea that a virgin born god would have to come down and die for the sins of mankind.  How did they reach this conclusion?  By the same reasoning of Micah, the prophet.  It is the next logical step beyond offering innocent children.  The pagans were right.  In fact, the Jewish Scriptures presented this as the means of our redemption 750 years before Jesus came to earth.  Isaiah explained, “He had done no violence, neither was there deceit in his mouth.”  (Isa. 53:9.)  Isaiah called him “the righteous servant who would make many righteous by bearing their iniquities.”  (53:11.)  “The Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  (53:6.)

 

   If Jesus had sins of his own, how could he atone for us?  He would have to be at least as innocent as little children who are without sin.  It makes no sense if a sinner is offered for other sinners, but it does satisfy the conscience to hear that the Son of God himself died for sinful man.

 

   The prophets explained that Jesus was sinless and therefore able to remove our sins.  They also made it clear why Jesus died.  He did not die by mistake.  It was not because Rome or the Jews wielded such power over him that he could not resist.  It was not because Jesus had done some criminal deed that he was hung on a tree.  He died because he was bearing our sins and transgressions.  This truth is pointed out often in the New Testament.  This is the right theology or doctrine of salvation.  (2 Cor. 5:21.)

 

                   I dreamed I stood at Calvary

                    And saw three crosses there

                   On left and right were nailed two thieves

                   The cross between was bare

 

                   A soldier took his sword in hand

                   Then pointing it at me, He said

                   You there, prepare to die

                   That cross is meant for thee

 

                   I quickly fell upon my knees

                   For mercy did I cry

                   As strong hands grabbed my hands and feet

                   I shouted, Why, oh why?

 

                   And then a voice both soft and sweet

                   Was heard above the din

                   Let this one go, take me instead

                   I’ll pay his debt of sin

                   With his body torn and bleeding

                   And thorn marks ‘round his head

                   With face bruised where they beat him

                   He stepped into my stead

 

Unknown author

 

Another poet wrote:

 

                   To have been the cup

                   His lips touched and blessed

                   To have been the bread

                   Which he broke

                   To have been the cloth

                   He held as He served

                   Or water He poured

                   As he spoke

 

                   To have been the road

                   He walked on the way

                   To have been his print

                   In the sand

                   To have been the door

                   That opened the tomb

                   But I was a nail

                   In his hand!

 

(“Remorse,” Sue Fife, Christianity Today (April 1, 1966), 17.)

 

 

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