What the Gospels say about the cross of Jesus

I think I've always felt that I've learned about what the cross of Jesus means through looking at New Testament letters and even key Old Testament passages like Isaiah 53 than through reading the gospel accounts. In some ways, the teaching of the gospels is perhaps more implicit on what Jesus was actually accomplishing on the cross. We see a factual, historical narrative with key incidents but not much narrative commentary on what the actual significance of these incidents is. The writers give you the evidence and challenge you to come to the same conclusion that they have: Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Mk 1:1). But there is a richness to the gospels especially in their biblical references and allusions, and through a close study we learn many important truths about the cross of Jesus.

1. Divine plan- the heart of the gospel is that God has designed a plan to reach and deliver the poor, oppressed and those caught in Satan's oppressive grip (Lk 4). The cross is the key to how this plan is put into action. How does Jesus release people? Through His death on the cross. The wonderful healings we see in Jesus' ministry are a foretaste of the amazing salvation He offers.

2. Part of the Messiah's role - The picture of the suffering servant from a few passages in Isaiah (eg. Isa 53) form a key backdrop to how the gospel writers understand the crucifixion of Jesus. Not just an unfortunate ending to an idealistic, heroic teacher, the cross in fact is seen as an essential part of Christ's identity and mission, to give his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10.45). In John's gospel Jesus often refers to his suffering and crucifixion as 'the hour' (Jn 16.32, 17.1) which would be followed by glory and turn His disciples' sorrow into joy (Jn 16.20,22). Jesus understood the cross as His mission which He had to complete before going back to His Father (Jn 16.28).

3. Promised and predicted in both the Old Testament and by Jesus Himself. In Jn 3.14-15 Jesus teaches that the Son of man must be lifted up, making a parallel with the bronze serpent Moses made and the salvation the cross would bring. The cross is there in the 'I am' sayings and images- 'I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.' (Jn 10:11) In the parable of the tenants, Jesus predicted Israel's ultimate rejection of their Messiah, just as they had refused to listen to the prophets: 'He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture:

‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvellous in our eyes.' (Mk 12:6-11, quoting Ps 118.22-23)

In the gospels we see specific prophecies fulfilled such as Psalm 22, quoted by gospel writers when Jesus' garment is taken and lots are cast for it, and other details too like the mockery of His enemies. But also the gospels show how the whole promises of God have been fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection: 'Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms' (Lk 24.44).

4. Kingship. Far from being a sign that Jesus was not God's chosen king, the cross is shown as integral to Jesus' royal position as the descendant of David. This is shown on the reception of Him as the son of David when the people laid palms before him as He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Mk 11). There is the irony of sign placed over the cross calling Him King of Jews (Mt 27.37) The thief on the cross recognises Jesus has a kingdom (Lk 23.42). In Jn 18.36 He says His kingdom is 'not of this world'. Yet He is still in control even as the horrific events unfold - in Jn 17.6 the people who come to arrest Him fell to the ground. In Jn 19.30 he 'gave up his spirit' implying His death was His choice. Once He has gone through the suffering of the cross, Jesus returns in glory and splendour, and speaks of His second coming which will be glorious and universal.

5. Passover. The last supper is a symbolic presentation of the cross. Jesus sees the cross as the once-for-all fulfilment of the Passover because He is the 'lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world'(Jn 1.29). He becomes the atonement for sin. Jesus' blood becomes the blood of a new covenant for the forgiveness of sins. In Luke's account he says 'until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God' (Lk 22.6) He dies at the ninth hour, the time of evening sacrifice.

Paul's Teaching on the Cross

When reading the gospel narratives of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection from the dead, you could be forgiven for not really understanding what was going on. The gospel writers are focusing upon the historical events; they certainly want to show that Jesus' death was the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy and was inaugurating a new covenant and means of access to God, but they don't give a lengthy explanation of what, spiritually, was happening as Jesus hung there on the cross. Paul wonderfully complements the gospel narratives by giving us lengthy analysis and exposition about what God was accomplishing in Christ's death on the cross throughout his letters. Like the other apostles, he shows that the cross is absolutely fundamental to what Christianity is all about.

Perhaps the most complex yet vital teaching which Paul emphasises repeatedly is that through the cross, our sin can be atoned for. In the letter Romans, Paul explains that

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. Rom 3:25

The Old Testament system of offering sacrifices, culminating with the annual Day of Atonement, was just a shadow of this greater reality, that God was going to deal with sin once for all. Christians have the incredible assurance that their sins are completely dealt with, because when He died on the cross, Jesus took all of God's wrath upon Himself and was a substitute for us.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus- Rom 8:1

The cross was necessary because of God's holiness. He cannot just overlook our sin, and sweep it under the carpet. But in punishing Christ in our place on the cross, God demonstrated His righteousness (that sin must be punished) as well as His mercy, because through this, sinners could be forgiven. (See Rom 3:25)

Perhaps proof that the gospel is 100% true is the fact that no one could have made it up! It is just mind-blowing that the God of the universe would find a way to deal with sin justly, yet make a way for sinners to be redeeemed. The cross is a totally unexpected way of dealing with the problem of sin- and on the outside, it looks totally powerless, a sign of utter humiliation. Paul states to the Corinthians:

'we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles' -1 Cor 1:23

And yet, the cross was there in God's plan for salvation from the very beginning. Paul emphasises that 'Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.' (1 Cor 15:3) He shows that in the cross, the trinitarian God was working to bring about the salvation of His people, chosen before the foundation of the world. (Eph 1:4). The cross enabled God to fulfil His covenant promises to Adam and Eve (Gen 3:15)and Abraham (Gen 12), and the covenant He made with Moses and Israel at Sinai was always intended to be temporary until Christ came.

Paul takes great pains to demonstrate that the law could never justify sinners. It highlights sin in our lives, but offers no power to keep us from sinning. The sacrificial system was imperfect and repetitive, without really achieving full access for all to God. In Galatians 3:13 Paul asserts that:

'Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” ' [Dt 21:23]

In the act of hanging on the cross, Jesus was under the full curse of sinners who cannot keep God's law. He was perfectly obedient, but took on Himself the weight of the disobedience of men. This means that the charge against us of sin, which condemned us, has been totally cancelled and removed:

'he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.' Col 2:14

As Paul expands in Romans:

'For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.' (Rom 8:3-4)

These verses clearly teach the law's limitations, and the way that God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement so that those who believe in Him can have His perfect righteousness credited to their account. Those who believe in Christ are filled with the Spirit and thus empowered to live in holiness, because they are slaves to sin no longer.

An important aspect of Paul's teaching on the cross is that believers share in the cross in identification and union with Christ and thus share in all its benefits. In some mysterious way, those who trust in Christ were 'in' Him in His death, and are 'in' Him now. Listen to Paul's statement:

'I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' Gal 2:20

Similarly, in Colossians he asserts that 'you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.' (Col 3:3) Believers can say that their sin was dealt with in Christ's body when He died on the cross, and through His resurrection they too have the certain hope of being raised up at the last day.

Paul is keen to stress the total assurance that Christians have that their sins are forgiven. The redemptive power of the cross is such that even the worst of sinners can receive full atonement there. 'In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins' states Paul in Eph 1:7, and there are no qualifications or restrictions to those who can receive this full redemption. Those who trust in the cross for their forgiveness can stand before God 'without blemish and free from accusation' (Col 1:22).

Even more wonderful than this, is Paul's teaching that Christians are adopted into God's family through the reconciliation the cross achieved. He writes that those who are redeemed receive 'adoption to sonship' (Gal 4:5), a position of great privilege, and therefore the creation closeness between God and man can be restored, even bettered. But the cross reconciled more than just individuals to God; it reconciled the whole of creation to God. Paul writes that it was God's full intention that, through Christ's death, He could 'reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.' (Col 1:20) Paul also specifically addresses the fact that both Jews and Gentiles have been reconciled to God through the cross, and the cross destroys any hostility between them (Eph 2:16).

But moving beyond the impact of the cross on us, one of the main emphases Paul continually stresses is the way that the cross leads to Christ's exaltation:

'And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' Phil 2:8-11

Christ's willingness to become a man and suffer such a humiliating death proved His divinity and led to God exalting Him as Lord over creation. Although it did not seem glorious at the time, the cross brought and still brings glory to God. It shows His wonderful victory over all the powers of evil: 'And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.' Col 2:15

The cross should lead us to love and worship God more and more, the more we understand it. We can never lose the wonder that God has made it possible for us to have eternal salvation through the shedding of Jesus' blood. And aside from inspiring our love and worship, the cross also gives us three things:

1. A hatred of sin

'Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.' Gal 5:24

If we've really understood the cross, and seen how serious sin is that God had to punish His only beloved Son in order to decisively deal with it, then we can't be happy to continue living a life that is sinful and against God. Our sins sent Jesus to the cross; we should now live with an absolute hatred of our own rebellion and strive, through the Spirit's power, to live differently as 'new selves' in Christ.

2. A pattern of suffering

'In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus' Phil 2:5

If Jesus had to suffer, then it shouldn't be a surprise to us when we go through difficult times on this ungodly earth. The cross shows us a pattern of suffering for righteousness, then being exalted. We may suffer now, but ultimately we will one day be raised up and share in glory for ever.

3. Hope

'For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.' 1 Thess 4:14

The historic events of Jesus' death on the cross and resurrection give us a certain hope that God is going to fulfil every one of His promises towards us. He will not let us eternally die, but He will raise us to eternal life and bring us to an eternity of glory that He has prepared and planned since the beginning of creation.

God of wrath, God of love?

"The Old Testament God is a God of wrath. He annihilates entire cities of people. How can you believe in a God like that?"

Ever been asked that question, or asked it yourself? I'm sure we all have.

The Bible is not an easy book to grasp. In the time of history that it spans, there are many events which seem difficult or troubling to the modern mind.

Joshua 11-12 is perhaps one example. Here the Israelite army, led by Joshua, respond to an attack of several cities by completely slaughtering everyone. God hands them over to Israel (6), and everyone back home in the city is put to the sword (11).

'They totally destroyed them, not sparing anything that breathed.' (11)

The author of Joshua makes it clear that Israel acted in obedience to God's command, and God Himself 'hardened ther hearts to wage war against Israel, so that He might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.' (20)

So what are we to make of this?

1. God's mercy is always offered to those who repent... but ONLY to those who repent.
Reading the book of Jonah, we have a situation where an entire city stands under God's judgement, and will be destroyed unless they repent. The Ninevites DO repent, and the city is spared.
This is what these cities in Joshua's time should have done. They had heard about God's miraculous dealings with the people of Israel, rescuing them from Egypt, and they chose to fight against God instead of repenting and worshipping Him (like Rahab). Because of this choice, they are destroyed.

2. God has the right to judge us.
He is the Creator of the universe, the sovereign omniscient Lord of power, and He is utterly and entirely pure. All humans are accountable to Him because of these things. And we all naturally turn away from God and go our own way (Romans 3). This is enough to deserve judgement, even without all the terrible things we think, say and do.

3. The reality of hell.
These episodes of destruction in the Old Testament reflect the eternal destiny of those who reject God: hell. If it's shocking and unpleasant to read about people being killed in war, then we're meant to see how much worse hell is. These accounts are there to shake us out of spiritual apathy and show us how much we need to repent.

4. Only through God's grace can any one be saved.
As the book of Romans in the New Testament seeks to argue, no one deserves God's mercy. It is a gift of His grace. If 10 criminals are released from prison unexpectedly, the public don't say 'Why wasn't every criminal released?' Instead they say, 'Why were 10 criminals released?' It's similar to salvation. Instead of asking why God saves some and not others, we should be asking why He saves ANYONE.

5. Only through Jesus can we be saved.
To say that the Old Testament is about wrath and the New Testament about love is simplistic and naive. The New Testament contains the biggest and most terrifying act of judgement God has ever done: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. On that cross, God's wrath was poured out on His only Son, so that sin could be decisively dealt with and repentant sinners could be saved.
'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.' 1 Tim 1:15

6. The whole Bible is linked together by God making promises and fulfilling them.
In Genesis we see God making promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the nation of Israel: to bless them, gie them land and bless all the earth through them. In one sense these promises are being fulfilled in Joshua, as the people claim the promised land. This is a positive thing because it shows the just kingdom of God rightfully replacing the unjust kingdoms of this world, who have usurped His rule over the earth (New Bible Commentary).
But in another sense, it is not until the New Testament that these promises are fully realised in Christ, as Jesus makes it possible for God's people to live under His rule and obey Him, through the forgiveness of the cross and the power of the Holy Spirit.

The lesson of Joshua 11-2 is that God's people need to trust in Him and obey His instructions. The same is true for us today.

Psalm 22: When David saw Jesus

Psalm 22

I've been looking at the connection between David and Jesus, and Psalm 22 is a pretty massive connection!

It's a psalm which David wrote, and it clearly prophesies about Jesus' death on the cross, an event which would not take place for hundreds of years.

On the cross, Jesus cried out v1: 'My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?' This showed that at that point in time, the Trinity was ripped apart as God the Father poured out His wrath for sin on His Son, the innocent and perfect atoning sacrifice.

But Jesus' quote also pointed His observers to what was happening. The psalm contines in v3-5 to talk of God's sovereignty, and the way He has always saved those who trust in Him. Those watching Jesus die see Him as one rejected by God, and their words virtually repeat v8: 'He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue Him.'

The people could not see that Jesus was enduring the shame of the cross so that they could be saved if they believed.

Jesus also quoted the psalm to show how prophecy was being fulfilled. Being poured out like water, being parched, being pierced in hands and feet, having garments divided- all these details came to pass.

Ultimately Jesus quoted this psalm to remind Himself of the promises of God-
'He has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one' (24);
'The poor will eat and be satisfied' (26);
'All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord' (27). 'They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn- for He has done it.' (31)

On the cross, Jesus thought of us. When He proclaimed, 'It is finished', He died knowing He would be raised... and so would all those who died in faith.

David could not have known this, but God's Spirit rested on him, and in this psalm, he had a glimpse of Jesus. How much more privileged are we, to have the full picture in the New Testament!

Why we should love Jesus -1 Peter 1

We, as God's people, have been 'chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father... for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood' (2). We have been chosen to be forgiven, by Jesus Christ's perfect offering and precious blood. The key for loving Jesus more has to be found in understanding more our sinful depravity, His holiness, and the enormity of what happened on the cross for our redemption. We have been redeemed 'with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect' (19). A lamb willingly slaughtered for our salvation.

The second key to loving Jesus more in this chapter is found in the resurrection. God has 'given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade' (3-4). The risen Jesus gives us hope, certain hope, of eternal life and an amazing future in heaven. When Jesus returns those who trust in Him will have praise, glory and honour for their love for Him (7). And that puts us now into a state of 'inexpressible and glorious joy' (8), for we are receiving salvation (9) and eagerly anticipate the 'grace to be given... when Jesus Christ is revealed' (13). The triumph of the resurrection helps us to love Jesus more as we focus on our eternal home and the final victory over Satan, the day when all trials will end.

Who is Jesus? -Hebrews 1

Like John in his gospel, the writer of Hebrews opens his work with the awesome, earth-shattering truth that Jesus is God's revelation of Himself to us: 'In the past God spoke... through the prophets... but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son' (1-2). Sending Jesus to us was not like lazily scrawling on a piece of paper and sticking into a bottle, then casting it out to sea. Jesus came at exactly the right time, to exactly the right place, and He was a divine delegate! The writer describes Him as 'heir of all things' and says God made the universe through Him (2). He is 'the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word' (3). He is God and what He says, goes in the universe. So that God sent Him to us is a very big deal!

But that's not all. Let's think about why God sent Him. The writer mentions Him providing purification for sins (3). He died for us on the cross as a perfect sacrifice, so we could be purified in God's sight through faith in Him. Jesus did what we could never do. He 'loved righteousness and hated wickedness' (9). he never did anything wrong. And in pure grace, He died- taking the punishment that's rightfully ours.

But Jesus didn't stay on the cross. He rose again, ascended into heaven and 'sat down at the right hand' of God (3). Angels worship Him and are His servants (6-7); He is eternal and His 'years will never end' (12). We can love Jesus more as we look forward to seeing Him in all the glory of heaven, and worship Him as our risen Saviour today.