Sidney Herald
religion column published March 8, 2015
The children of a prominent family commissioned a
biographer to write a book of family history. They warned him about the black
sheep of the family, an uncle executed in the electric chair. The biographer
said he could avoid embarrassment. “I’ll say he occupied a chair of applied
electronics at an important government institution. He was attached to his
position by the strongest ties, and his death came as a real shock.”
By contrast to the full truth, that’s how we usually speak
of Christ’s crucifixion. We water down the embarrassment. In truth, the cross is
a shame (Hebrews 12:2). Paul calls “Christ crucified a skandalon,” the Greek
word for scandal. (1 Corinthians 2:23).
The cross is a scandal. Roman Senator Cicero said the very
word “cross” should be “far removed not only from the person of a Roman citizen
but from his thoughts, his eyes, and his ears.”
“In light of the crucified’s degraded status and the
heinous nature of the punishment, Gentiles understandably and not surprisingly
viewed the victim with the utmost contempt. Indeed, ‘crucifixion’ was a virtual
obscenity not to be discussed in polite company. The cultured world did not want
to hear about crucifixion, and consequently, as a rule, they kept quiet about
it.” (Martin Hengel, Crucifixion in the Ancient World and the Folly of the
Message of the Cross)
Notre Dame Professor Jerome H. Neyrey shows that the entire
process from arrest to crucifixion and beyond was an extended series of
degradation rituals. The purpose was not to try guilt and execute justice. It
was to label the accused not only as one who did wrong in the case, but as a
wholly shameful person in all that he was, did, thought, or hoped to be. The
rituals made shame his total identity.
Classical authors report crucifixion had about 19 typical
stages. Their purpose was progressive humiliation and loss of honor. We might
list them, but crucifixion is so cruel, bizarre, and obscene that we might lose
focus.
The apostles went everywhere preaching this scandalous Gospel: Christ crucified. In Corinth, Paul said, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)
The apostles went everywhere preaching this scandalous Gospel: Christ crucified. In Corinth, Paul said, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)
They proclaimed God was this crucified Jew. They said this
totally degraded, absolutely dishonored Jesus could save us from our sins! They
said Jesus was scandalized not on his own account, but by the shame of our sin
that He was bearing for us. They said, “For the joy that was set before him he
endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right
hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)
Passing from cross to throne, from shame to glory, He is
able to bring many children with him to glory. (Hebrews 2:10) The glory He will
give us includes even reigning with him. (2 Timothy 2:12) So Paul said, “I am
not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone
who believes.”
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