The Offense Of The Cross

“Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of its God.” So writes Buce Shelly in the opening line of his book, Church History in Plain Language.

The humiliation of God!

One indication that we do not understand the cross today is that it’s difficult to find anyone who says anything against it. Crosses are worn as pendants by athletes and rock stars; it has become a symbol of general goodwill and acceptance. The cross is seen as simply an ancient symbol that can be easily combined with an undefined spirituality or, for that matter, with other religions.

Several years ago when Rebecca and I were flying to Cleveland, I was sitting in an aisle seat across from a woman wearing a necklace with a cross. I said, “Thank you for wearing that cross, we do have a great Savior, don’t we?” She replied, “I guess I don’t understand the cross like you do...” Then she scooped the cross into her hand and showed me that behind it she also had a Jewish star and a pendant with the Hindu symbol Om. She said, “I believe that there are many ways to God.” You can imagine the interesting discussion we had as I tried to explain why the cross, if understood correctly, cannot be combined with other religious symbols and options.

Make no mistake. The early Christians saw the cross as a horrid reality reserved for the worst of criminals. Crucifixion was not simply designed to end one’s life but also to inflict as much torture as possible. And, for good measure, crucifixions were always performed in the most public of places so that the victim would be dehumanized, both by shouts of derision of passing crowds, and also by often being exposed naked to the delight of gawkers. The writer of Hebrews 12:2 captures this when he says, “[Christ] endured the cross, despising the shame.”

George MacLeod makes this sobering statement, “Jesus was not crucified in a Cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves on the town garbage heap...at the kind of place where cynics talk smut and thieves curse and soldiers gamble.” (Dr. George MacLeod, Only One Way Left, quoted in Christ Crucified by Donald MacLeod).

No wonder Paul writes that the cross is an offense (the Greek word is skandalos, a “scandal”) to the Jews and the Greeks (see 1 Corinthians 1:23). As for the Jews, they knew that the Old Testament affirmed that those who hung on the cross were cursed (Paul quotes this in Galatians 3:13–14). As for the Greeks and Romans, they thought of the cross as a defeat; no one would want to follow a loser.

Who in their right mind would want to stake their eternal destiny on the words and deeds of a leader who had been found worthy of death—especially death on a cross? The idea that the humiliating death of a self-proclaimed Messiah was God’s most glorious saving event simply did not make sense to anyone, including the disciple Peter. He strongly rebuked Jesus for saying He was on His way to Jerusalem to be crucified (Matthew 16:22–23). Even to Jesus’ most faithful followers, the idea of a crucified Messiah was unthinkable.

And yet Jesus instructs us to “take up our cross and follow Him.” We should gladly carry His cross as a badge of our loyalty into a hostile world.

Bearing Christ’s Cross In A Hostile World

Pastor Lutzer explores the profound significance of Christ’s cross and why it poses a stumbling block to so many—including Christians who minimize its offense to be friends with the world.

Q: Sometimes we hear Christians say things like, “I have cancer; that is my cross.” Is this what Jesus was referring to when He asked us to take up His cross?

A: I don’t think so. To carry our cross means to accept the trouble that comes along with believing in Jesus. This means the willing acceptance of ridicule, shame, and often the persecution that comes with being identified with Jesus.

Q: So why is the cross a stumbling block?

A: The cross exposes our own sinfulness by showing the lengths to which God had to go in order to redeem us. Properly understood, it clearly represents both the love of God and His fierce hatred of sin as well as His meticulous justice. Love and justice were resolved at the cross.

Q: Muslims see the cross as a huge defeat, a death unworthy of Jesus. Thus the Qur’an teaches that Jesus didn’t die but was taken directly into heaven. Your response?

A: Nabeel Qureshi (author of the excellent book, Seeking Allah and Finding Jesus) said that as a Muslim, he saw the cross as a huge defeat for Jesus, but now as a Christian, he sees it as an expression of God’s strength. If He were only a God of infinite power, He would be a dictator; but on the cross we see the mercy of God. At the cross, God proved He could be both sovereign and gracious.

Q: In what way to do you see Christians shirking their responsibility of carrying their cross?

A: So few are actively witnessing for Christ. There are plenty of excuses; some say they don’t know how or they are afraid of difficult questions, etc. But most are silent because they don’t want to be known as “one of those right wingers” or as “a Bible thumper” or as “intolerant, unloving,” etc. Jesus said we are blessed if our names are cast out as evil for His sake. And if people have misconceptions about us, we can show them that truth and love are not enemies; we can display both when we share the Gospel.

Q: Paul said that if he preached circumcision, the offense of the cross would be removed (Galatians 5:11). What did he mean by this?

A: The bottom line: Paul is saying that if he added works to the Gospel (for example, circumcision), it would imply that we were not saved by the work of Christ alone. If any ritual was required to be saved, this would mean that we contributed to our salvation. As such, the work of Christ would be diminished, emptied of its offense. People are offended when told that they are too sinful to cooperate with God in salvation. I could speak at length about how the cross is emptied of its offense in both our churches and individual daily lives.

Q: Okay, take this last question a bit further. Can we sometimes empty the cross of its offense by being too nice, too timid, and too quick to be “inoffensive”?

A: The short answer is yes. Let me quote Luther. He can be a bit over the top, but he wrote, “When the cross is abolished, and the rage of tyrants and heretics ceases on the one side, and all things are in peace, this is a sure token that the pure doctrine of God’s Word is taken away.” His point is that the world’s hatred is a positive sign that we are being faithful to Scripture, provided the world detests us due to the message we preach, not because we are obnoxious. If we meet no worldly opposition, it may mean we are not being true to the offense of the cross. Bonhoeffer said it is not before us, but before the cross that the world trembles.