The Significance of the Cross at Easter

The shed blood of Jesus Christ, our Savior is a wonderful gift to humanity to pay for our imperfection before a holy and righteous God who is intolerant of sin. So intolerant that He does condemn those who reject His gift to eternal separation from Him~a place many wince over and may deny called hell.

The great news of Easter is that Jesus made it possible by His substitute death on that Roman cross for me, you, all of the people of the world to receive His offer to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."

In the previous post concerning the significance of the blood at Easter, I discussed just why a blood sacrifice was necessary for the plan of salvation, for the forgiveness of sin. It couldn't be just any blood either, but the most perfect lamb during Old Testament practices, and the precious blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world as John the Baptist called Jesus when he first sees Christ and introduces Him to his own followers. But why a Roman cross? Does this lay at the feet of why Jesus died or who killed Him?

In recent years, there have been those who have blamed various people groups for the death of Jesus Christ in ways that have created horror and shame to those who most unbecomingly have behaved. Particularly I am thinking of the Holocaust where literally millions upon millions of Jews and Jewish sympathizers were killed because somewhat in relationship to their historic part in the death of Christ. It was a Jew, Judas Iscariot who betrayed our Lord and religious leaders who took Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor for execution with the accusation of blasphemy for claiming to be "king of the Jews" and God. These claims were not tolerated like they might be today as often people who are ill or misguided will in some warp of mind claim to be Jesus Christ as Charles Manson has done or a man I once met who claimed to be "the messiah to witches." Now both of these are stories in themselves, but no one is executing either of these for claiming such as would have the religious of that day...Jesus was brought before Pilate by His accusers.

It's interesting that Pilate found no fault with Him. No fault and no real reason to condemn Him, but because he could see the political problems and possibility of revolt, he had to do something. But as conflicted as Pilate was as evidenced by the washing of his hands to cleanse them of the blood of the Innocent, he allowed Jesus to be traded for the murderer, Barabbas and crucified.

Crucifixion was a common form of capital punishment in Roman times. There were many forms of cruel punishment for the criminal including removal of limbs, eyes, tongue or whatever "offending" body part if one was found guilty along with prison and beheading. The Roman Empire of occupation was a violent society. In order to remain in power, the organization of government ruled with violence, and the Caesar was revered as a god~remember that religious tolerance was practiced because of the polytheistic practices of the Roman people. The Roman gods were human like in their nature,but held supernatural powers. In reading a good article about the usefulness of studying Greek and Roman mythology which are the tales of their gods, the writer says that even the Romans did not believe all of the myths, but allowed them as explanations for the events of nature and circumstance. You can read it: .

Since violence was common place and the territory of the Roman Empire vast, laws were obeyed generally with few rebellions by dissenters. Remember that Rome occupied most of the known world. From the shores of England to well beyond India into Asia towards China the Empire was divided into provinces with governors who worked to control and order the people of those areas under the authority of the Caesar with the Roman soldier and army as enforcement. It was harsh and not a good idea to come into contrast or dissent with Rome.

When the religious brought Jesus before Pilate, circumstances went against Jesus' case as it was not only the leaders who made accusations, but when the choice was given to the people to release Him or the criminal, the people cried, "Give us Barabbas!" No Roman governor wanted an uprising or mob scene to erupt. His fate humanly speaking was taking full hold. Jesus was condemned to death.

As the most terrible form of capitol punishment it was reserved for the most violent offenders, slaves, captives, and treason along with other methods.(Fairchild, Mary About.com). The Roman cross was wood with an upright vertically and with a horizontal piece that held the arms and legs of the accused. The crimes would be listed above the person on a sign, such as was done when the sign over Jesus read, "king of the Jews." After extreme torture, the victim would be made to carry his own cross in humiliation through the streets to the place where the attaching by nailing or tying limbs upon the cross would occur. Sometimes there would also be a footrest or seat to hold the criminal so that the death was more prolonged but with less agony. If no foot or seat area and the body only hanging by the nailed limbs, death was agonizing as suffocation, dislocation, brain death and heart failure occurred. If death didn't come quickly enough as an act of mercy the legs were broken or the side pierced. In Jesus' execution, He was hung without rests, and his side was pierced. His death did not take days but hours, some evidence that no rest was present.

As gruesome as this form of punishment, the cross itself has become a symbol of salvation for believers. Because of Jesus' death and suffering, the cross is worn as an icon of faith and belief.

Jesus was crucified because it was the worst punishment the known world offered. It fulfills Isaiah's prophecy "Isaiah 53

1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

The cross is part of Easter as the vehicle by which the Lord died. It's role was that of holding upright towards God the Savior who would bare the sin of the entire human race. No wonder He cried, "My God! My God! why hast thou forsaken me?" as God unable to view sin placed upon Jesus, rejected Him. Never before had Jesus experienced separation from the Father.

As a Christian, the cross holds significance to me because it totally symbolizes the love of our Suffering Savior.

This Easter let's be thankful for the cross of Calvary; it's a reminder of the price paid to bring us to God.

Happy Easter Celebration!
In Him
Lady Graceful
Phil 1:6

How Did Jesus Fulfill the Old Testament Law for Salvation?

Christians claim Jesus of Nazareth the Messiah of the Nation of Israel's Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Jews see Him as a teacher. How did Jesus fulfill the Old Testament Law for Salvation being the Messiah as prophesied of old and bring the offering for sin once for all?

From the Garden, the first promise of a Messiah or Promised One is found in Genesis 3:15. Mankind had disobeyed God, twisted the Words of God and had sinned. There were consequences for this act. The serpent was cursed, Eve was cursed and man was cursed. It was not a good day for humanity. . .To the serpent came the words of promise,

"And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

When God told the serpent this, He was promising a virgin born victor over the effects of sin~death.

Genesis 2:17 "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Sin brings death both physical and spiritual. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^a]">[Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23. Death~for all.

Jesus claimed to be God. This was what humanly speaking was His accusers accusation. It was the offense claimed by the religious leaders of the day to be enough to incite rage in the people crying out for His execution. But it was His timing and His Father's will. John 17 in Jesus' prayer in the Garden was a cry unto the Father concerning the will of God, "Father, not my will but thine."

The writer of the book of Hebrews in the New Testament witnesses to these early believers in a way to correlate the law of sacrifices for sin~the blood sacrifices as by the priests for sin in the Tabernacle and later the Temple places of worship.

"Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself." Hebrews 7:27.

Jesus offered himself for the sins once, but Old Testament priests had to offer daily for themselves first then the people. Further in Hebrews it says:

Hebrews 9

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.(Old Testament)

¹⁹For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Clearly the writer wants these believers to understand that Jesus fulfilled the first testament or the Law. Praise God! WHAT A Savior!

I praise our Lord for His sacrifice for me! Have you placed your faith in His shed blood to save you from your sins?

Today is the day to consider knowing Christ~His salvation!

I pray you will look to Him.

In Jesus' name,

Lady Graceful

Phil. 1:6