Actually, the Cross is important, but only in the context of the Resurrection. There were numerous claimants to the identity of the Messiah. Most notable was Simon bar Kokhba who lead a short lived revolt as was crucified by the Romans. By all historical accounts there many thousands of persons crucified by the Romans so the cross itself was nothing special. Scripture points out that there were two other persons crucified with Jesus, one clearly not deserving of Salvation.
The cross became a Christian symbol because it was a way to effectively give the finger to the might of Rome. It was a way of saying; you gave Him the worst, most excruciating (from a Latin word meaning from the cross) death that the Roman Empire could imagine and He overcame it.
Jesus referred to Himself numerous times as the "Resurrection and the Life" and the Apostles preached more about the fact of the Resurrection than they did of Jesus' actual teachings. Easter, the most Holy Day in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar celebrates the Resurrection, not the cross.
WOW!! WOW!! WOW!! Learn what happened AT THE CROSS - HE didn't just give up the ghost like your 'many thousands of persons'.
Scripture points out that there were two other persons crucified with Jesus, one clearly not deserving of Salvation.
NO ONE IS DESERVING. The one who did receive salvation knew that.
The cross became a Christian symbol because it was a way to effectively give the finger to the might of Rome.
Poor 'victim' Rome! Who the heck ever thinks of Rome when they look at the cross but pagans/deceived. They were, merely, 'used' to fulfill the will of God. They had no might.
It was a way of saying; you gave Him the worst, most excruciating (from a Latin word meaning from the cross) death that the Roman Empire could imagine and He overcame it.
The Roman Empire couldn't do ANYTHING to Jesus because HE GAVE HIMSELF WILLINGLY, He came to give His Life! It is Written.
AND "Do you think I cannot call on My Father, and He will, at once, put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" Matthew 26:53
Everyone who was and will be conceived put JESUS on the cross because ALL need/needed a Savior. John 3:16
"Resurrection and the Life" ......Easter, the most Holy Day in the Catholic Liturgical Calendar
Christians call it and celebrate - RESURRECTION SUNDAY! Thank You, JESUS!!
Why was Christ resurrected?
I then asked you "why Christ was resurrected". Which you never answered. But that's okay. I'll answer it, because it is important.
God was able to resurrect Jesus Christ because the penalty for OUR SINS had been paid IN FULL, BY THE CROSS. It is at the Cross that "we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD" (Eph. 1:7), "we are JUSTIFIED BY HIS BLOOD" (Rom. 5:9), "RECONCILED TO GOD by the DEATH OF HIS SON" (Rom. 5:10), "made nigh BY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST" (Eph. 2:13) and "made the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God IN HIM" because "GOD HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US" (2 Cor. 5:21).
It IS THE CROSS that makes the Resurrection of Christ OUR GUARANTEE that OUR SINS ARE PAID FOR. If there had been ONE SIN that Christ had not died for, God the Father could not have raised Him from the dead, because the penalty for even a single sin is death. The FACT that God was able to raise Christ from the dead is our guarantee from Him that IT IS FINISHED.
"For THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God..."But WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED, unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God." (1 Cor. 1:18,20,22-24).
Do Catholics not believe that it was at the Cross that all their sins were paid for by Christ?