Rome was at the heigth of their power and rule. They were taking over more and more of the world and forcing them to live their way. If anybody got in the way, if anybody didn't fall in line then they had a place for them; the cross. To be crucified on a cross was the most brutal and public death possible. They would violently display you naked in front of everyone as a symbol of what happens if you don't go Rome's way.
What a symbol of power. Jesus took the loudest symbol of power, control and violence and transformed it. Today we hang crosses, wear crosses and even make the sign of a cross with our hands. The word crucifixion was rude to even bring up in most conversations in the first century. But Jesus was nailed to that cross as a symbol of where human ambition and lust for power always goes; violence. Rome thought they were bringing peace to the world on there terms by forcing people to live under their "superior" rule. Our human ambitions will always lead to violence of some form. Even the Jewish people at Jesus trial cried for Jesus' death but for the release of Barrabas who was a violvent revolutionary "for God." It hit just the other day how humanities choice of violence was so prevalent as Jesus was lead to the cross. Rome thought violently forcing people would bring them into a well put together world. Many Jews thought violently fighting back would lead them to salvation. Jesus goes a very different route. Jesus isn't trying to be the president or the ceasar or the general or anything like that. It's not who's in office it's the system too. Jesus death brough a whole new way of existing. He took on the violence of humans and did not retaliate. He enveloped the violence and sin of humanity in love.
The cross has become a symbol of the upside down world Jesus has created for us to live into as the spirit enables us (Or maybe the world is upside down and Jesus is right side up).
I've been thinking about the powerful message that Jesus hanging on a roman cross really sends. I've been thinking about how it's so much more then Jesus just dieing for the personal naughty things I've done in my life. I've been thinking that it changes everything. I've been think about when he said to Pilate. "My kingdom is not from this world." From is the correct translation from the greek. His kingdom is for our world but it is not from it. Thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in HEAVEN. God's way of living, acting and saving is so different then our ways. That he would use a man made tool of death, shame and destruction to save the WORLD from decay is beyond my understanding.
What does the cross mean to you?
What could it really mean if we saw it as Jesus intends us to?
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