Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Understanding the Cross (Protestant/Evangelical Devotional)
Ligonier ^ | 7/18/2018

Posted on 07/18/2018 6:08:20 AM PDT by Gamecock

What really happened on the cross? Was the death of Jesus a human tragedy whereby a good man was brutally and unfairly slain? Was His death an example of faith, obedience, and self-sacrifice? Was it a ransom paid to the Devil? A victory over the Devil? A manifestation of moral influence?

Was the cross an atonement? Did it involve expiation and propitiation for sin? Was it a supernatural act done to satisfy the wrath and justice of God? Each of these individually and several in combination have been set forth as the real meaning of Christ’s death.

How we understand the cross of Jesus in large part is determined by our view of the Bible. If we view the Bible as a primitive, pre-scientific expression of human religion, we will be inclined toward a purely natural view of the death of Jesus. It will represent at best an example of a heroic human act of self-sacrifice. Jesus is the existential hero of self-giving.

If we take the popular so-called neoorthodox view of Scripture, we will take a different approach to the cross. The neoorthodox view of the Bible denies that the Bible gives us propositional revelation. Rather, the Bible is seen as a witness to revelation that takes place in events.

To divide event revelation from propositional revelation is to leave us with a story without an interpretation. The Bible teaches that there was a crucial event, the event of the cross. Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. The significance of that death was not agreed upon by those who were a party to it or spectators of it. For the Sanhedrin, it was an act of expediency. It was necessary for Jesus to die, lest the Jews experience the wrath of the Romans. Likewise from Pilate’s vantage point, it was a matter of expediency for him to satisfy the demand of a raging mob. The thief on the cross saw it as an expression of injustice.

Coram Deo

How do you view the death of Jesus on the cross? What do you believe really happened at the cross? How does it affect you?

Passages for Further Study

Colossians 1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Colossians 2:13–14And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.


TOPICS: General Discusssion
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 07/18/2018 6:08:20 AM PDT by Gamecock
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Alex Murphy; bkaycee; blue-duncan; boatbums; caww; CynicalBear; daniel1212; Dutchboy88; ealgeone; ..

Ping


2 posted on 07/18/2018 6:08:47 AM PDT by Gamecock (In church today, we so often find we meet only the same old world, not Christ and His Kingdom. AS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Two best books on what our Lord Jesus did on the cross:

The Cross of Christ, John Stott

https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Christ-John-Stott/dp/083083320X

The Crucifixion, Understanding the Death of Jesus Christ, Fleming Rutledge (Christianity Today’s Book of the Year)

https://www.amazon.com/Crucifixion-Understanding-Death-Jesus-Christ/dp/0802847323/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481248989&sr=8-1&keywords=fleming+rutledge+crucifixion

Both very deep and long reads, but worth the effort for serious Christians. “Must Read” s for anyone in the ministry. I can usually only handle 3 - 5 pages a day in each - so much truth to ponder, meditate & pray about.......


3 posted on 07/18/2018 6:20:47 AM PDT by Arlis
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Without atonement and propitiation, Christ died for nothing. Great proof in those passages.


4 posted on 07/18/2018 6:28:02 AM PDT by raiderboy (Trump has assured us that he will shut down the government to get the WALL in Sept.ith the solar)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Gamecock

Was the cross an atonement?

Jesus paid the Temple Tax because he became the Temple Tax:

Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Exodus 30:15-16 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls. 16 And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Exodus 38:26 A bekah for every man, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for every one that went to be numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred thousand and three thousand and five hundred and fifty men.

The Temple tax was called the "bekah lagulgolet" (בקע לגלגלת).

A beka means something divided into two.

John 19:17-18 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

Anyone interested can go to Blue Letter Bible to trace the etymology of Golgotha back to the Aramaic. "Skull" -->. head count, poll, census. The "every man" head count. The name of place where the concensus crucified the truth. Truth is crucified at the place of the poll..

The "beka" visual is repeated with the veil being split down the middle:

Exodus 14:21 And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided (baqa).

Earthquake: earth-shattering event.

Exodus 30:14 Every one that passeth (goes beyond, cf. "Hebrew") among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD.

Luke 7:47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.

Going beyond:

give 110%
To put forth the absolute maximum amount of effort or energy possible (i.e., even more than is usually required or seems possible).

It's not any work at all if it is love. Like Jacob serving seven years for Rachel. They seemed but a few days to him, for the love he had toward her. There's devotion for you.

Check the condition of the Messiah's hands. They are evidence that he's never actually 'worked' a day in his life. In fact, his hands were nailed down, immobilized. Yet..

"Doth not your master pay tribute?"

Why yes, as a matter of fact.

5 posted on 07/18/2018 8:08:50 AM PDT by Ezekiel (All who mourn(ed!) the destruction of America merit the celebration of her rebirth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson