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"When they came to the place called the skull,
there they crucified Him, along with the criminals - one on
His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, 'Father forgive
them, for they do not know what they are doing.' And they
divided up His clothes by casting lots." Luke 23:33.
"And sitting down they watched Him there."
Calvary was where Jesus Christ was crucified by a coaliton
of church, state and people. There to be seen was the intolerance
of the Pharisees; the exclusiveness of Caiaphas and the priests;
the imperial might of Rome and the executive power of Pontius
Pilate; the disappointment of the people who expected so much
from Him and whose feelings for Him were turned to resentment
and abuse. These put Christ on the Cross. And there, too,
were the disciple who denied knowing Him and the others who
had deserted Him, and the false witnesses who had testified
against Him.
Everyone had reason for doing as he did and all of them were
guilty much or little for His death. And yet they were not
the determining factor in His death, for Jesus went to His
death by His own choosing when by standing firm for what He
believed He accepted His fate. He had foreseen and foretold
how His life would end. As we see Christ on the Cross we recall
His words, "The Son of Man came to give His life"
and "No man takes (my life) from Me, but I lay it down
Myself." "The Son of Man must suffer and be slain."
It was the "must" not of constraint but of choice.
Crucifixion was regarded as the most horrific method of capital
punishment even in a world accustomed to violence and extreme
cruelty. It was shameful and degrading of victims, authorities
and spectators. Paul quoting Deuteronomy said "Cursed
is everyone that hangs on a tree." The Jews thought that
and the Romans agreed for Cicero said, "Never may it
come near to the bodies of Roman citizens, never near their
thoughts, or eyes or ears."
So that when the disciples of Jesus preached about the Cross
of Christ they met with the opposition of Jew and Gentile.
They had to explain what really happened at Calvary and how
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ affects everyone, everywhere
and forever. It was to bring God and Man together in that
relationship desired by God and needed by people.
"We may not know, we can not tell, what pains He had
to bear, but we believe it was for us He hung and suffered
there."
Why the Cross? Because by His death on the Cross Jesus affirmed
that a power would be released to bring people into a right
relationship with God and with one another. In his play "The
Trial of Jesus" John Masefield has a scene where the
Roman centurion, Longinus, made his report on the crucifixion
of Jesus to Pontius Pilate. After the meeting Pilate's wife
Procula called him to her room and to her he retold the events
of Calvary. When he finished she asked, "Do you think
he is dead?" To which he replied, "No, lady, I do
not." "Then where is he?" she wondered. Longinus
responded, "Let loose in the world, where neither Roman
nor Jew can stop his truth."
The people and attitudes which put Christ on the Cross are
still around. Evil is constantly at work trying to destroy
what is good.
The Cross of Christ reveals the extent of God's love for
people. It says that our relationship with God comes from
our response to what He has done for us in the Person and
Work of Jesus Christ.
"Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears for ever flow. All for sin could not
atone; Thou must save and Thou alone."
The Cross was not an end but a beginning. The curse of Calvary
became a blessing and the gloom of Good Friday was followed
by the joy of Easter Day. Christians speak of Christ crucified
and risen again. The good news of Jesus Christ is of life.
Not Christ is dead but Christ is alive.
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