One Look at the Cross-The Curse

The Curse

The Jews did not accept the flogging as enough punishment, and insisted on the crucifixion. In Bible days the act of nailing or binding a person to a cross or tree was considered the cruelest and most shameful method of capital punishment. Anyone hanging on a tree according to Deut 21:23 is cursed by God. Because of the stigma and curse on anyone 'hanged on a tree' the idea of a crucified savior was foolishness to Greeks and offensive to the Jews. Yet Jesus willingly took the curse and humiliation of the law and as Galations 3:13 tells us "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Thus He became the means of freeing people from the curse of Sin.

Jesus did not just 'die' in our place--He became a "Curse" of the worst kind, for you and for me. He received the total rejection by the Father so that we could be "accepted" in the beloved. He bore the utter darkness and was alone as the Father had to turn His back on His beloved and only Begotten Son, so that we would not have to die alone.

"Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted Him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that he made of His own body once and for all. Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ however, offered one sacrifice for sins, and offering that is effective forever, and then he sat down at the right side of God. There He now waits until God puts His enemies as a footstool under his feet. With one sacrifice, then, He has made perfect forever those who are purified from sin." Hebrews 10:10-14 (Good News New Testament).

The work of the Cross was to atone for the sin of the world, our sin. Atonement itself is life changing. Yet redemption is free through the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. All who accept His payment for their redemption become new creatures in Christ. This is the Glory of the Cross! Lives are altered and redirected by it!

But we cannot however leave our Savior on the Cross. On the third day He rose, triumphant over sin, hell and death. Death has lost and Life has won! He lives, our Savior lives!

Have a Glorious Resurrection Day knowing we serve a Risen Savior! Praise God, He Lives!

1. From the heart of CC

2. The Prayer life, Andrew Murray, Zondervan Pub.Hse.Grand Rapids,MI

3. International Standard Bible Enc. Vol 2

International Standard Bible Enc. Vol 1

4 The Oxford Companion to the Bible, Pg 141

5. The Mind of Christ, T.W.Hunt, Broadman & Holman 1995