Why the Cross? (cute question)

[Mulutka]

I've been thinking all about the Passion and all that Christ endured... and then I was thinking about how he truly must have been at death's door when he was forced to carry His cross to the place of the skull (Ge---something something ). Any "normal" human being would have died long before Christ did, right? I mean, any other person would have died before they would have made it to the crucifixion site if they had endured all that Christ had endured... ???

That's not really my question but I'd like to hear other's thoguts about that anyways. My "real" question is what if Christ had died before he got to the cross? Is the Cross specifically important because it was the exact spot where God put all sin on Jesus? (like an altar) ... really though, was Christ somehow able to make it to the cross only because He was God as well? What really would have happened if He had died on the road there?

 

[ukok]

Mulutka, the way i see it is that Christ is God, and God's love knows no bounds...God doesn't give up on us, that's why he made it to Calvary...for love of us

God Bless.

 

[Franknj]

Hi, I am not an expert on this subject, though I remember what a priest told me. He stated that the cross can be looked at as the "Eternal Now." Meaning we are living the death of Christ since he died in the past for our past and present sins. That is why we as Christians are asked to refrain from sin. Again this is what the priest has stated to me.

Frank

 

[Carrye]

That's not really my question but I'd like to hear other's thoguts about that anyways. My "real" question is what if Christ had died before he got to the cross? Is the Cross specifically important because it was the exact spot where God put all sin on Jesus? (like an altar) ... really though, was Christ somehow able to make it to the cross only because He was God as well? What really would have happened if He had died on the road there?

If Christ had died before reaching Calvary, his actions would have still been redemptive. He was (and would have been) faithful to His Father's Will until the end.

 

[thereselittleflower]

Was the cross necessary?

I beleive so . . and because it was so, I also believe that Christ was sustained to endure all He had to endure to let everything be accomplished . .

He said "If I be LIFTED UP, I will draw all men unto me" . . .

He had to be LIFTED UP . . and the Old Testament has a type of Christ being Lifted up on a pole . .

The Brass Fiery Serpent that Moses had fashioned according to God's command for the people to look at . . this was after the fiery serpents had been set upon the people, and they were in great suffering and dying because of the bites of these fiery serpents . .

But if one looked up and saw the Brass Serpent on the pole, they would be healed and saved . .

Num 21:6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.

Num 21:7 Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

Num 21:8 And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.

Num 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

​

This same Brass Serpent was kept for hundreds of years in King Solomon's Temple . .


This was a foreshadowing of Christ being lifted up on the cross . . .

So yes, I believe the Cross was important, and necessary . . .


Christ died between heaven and earth . . . between God and man . . .


I do not believe we understand the full import of this . . .



Peace in Him!

 

[Carrye]

Christ died between heaven and earth . . . between God and man . . .

Can you explain what you mean by that?

 

[Asimis]

Can you explain what you mean by that?

She means (I may be wrong) that Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth, the link between God and Man. That which ties what is below(the church) with what is above(heaven).

 

[thereselittleflower]

She means (I may be wrong) that Christ is the bridge between heaven and earth, the link between God and Man. That which ties what is below(the church) with what is above(heaven).

Yes, and this is made more pronounced in my mind by the fact that Christ hung on a cross between heaven and earth in death. .. and suspended in this position betwixt heaven and earth, His life was spent, His blood puored out for our salvation . . .

So strongly did the Jews equate the Brass Serpent Moses made with salvation that they were turning it into an idol, an object of worship, and it had to be removed from the Temple . . . it pointed to our true object of worship, Christ crucified and risen



Peace in Him!

 

[Carrye]

I would just be careful with my language in trying to express this. Christ is surely the Mediator, but we must also be careful to admit his full humanity and divinity. To say that he is between heaven and earth, or between God and man struck me as a bit of a problem. I understand what you're saying, but that was just an observation.

 

[Michael G]

That's not really my question but I'd like to hear other's thoguts about that anyways. My "real" question is what if Christ had died before he got to the cross? Is the Cross specifically important because it was the exact spot where God put all sin on Jesus? (like an altar) ... really though, was Christ somehow able to make it to the cross only because He was God as well? What really would have happened if He had died on the road there?

There are Old Testament prefigurements of the Cross.

 

[thereselittleflower]

I would just be careful with my language in trying to express this. Christ is surely the Mediator, but we must also be careful to admit his full humanity and divinity. To say that he is between heaven and earth, or between God and man struck me as a bit of a problem. I understand what you're saying, but that was just an observation.

He physically hung between heaven and earth . . .symbolic of his role as mediator between God and man.


Quite frankly, it did not enter my mind that anyone here would take it in any other light, so thank you for pointing this out to me.


Peace in Him!

 

[Archbishop 10-K]

I don't think Christ "had" to die specifically on the cross (I suppose He could have died by the whipping post and it still would have saved all of us), although dying on the cross had a lot of symbolic significance, like everything mentioned above, and it also had some things to do with Old Testament prophecies.

To use the opposite of a Jehovah's Witness arguement, I'm glad Jesus died specifically on a cross because it makes for an easy religious symbol to draw!

 

[Metanoia02]

The elements that were present at the fall were brought full circle for our redemption. At the fall we had the proud woman Eve, the disobedience man, Adam, and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. At our redemption we have the humble woman, Mary; the obedience man(God-man), Christ and the Cross.

 

[Mulutka]

Thank you for all who replied to my question (sorry it's taken me so long to post btw: I had a friend visit me, therefore, had little internet time). thereselittleflower I like your analogy between the Cross and the Brass serphant-- I can't believe I missed that! (didn't realize it). I'm just so amazed at all that Christ endured for us... for *me*! wow. I just can't wrap my mind around the beatings and pain He endured.

 

[Credo]

The way I understand it, Death had no power over Christ. He did not die until He said so.

 

[Dream]

Luckily, we don't have to worry about what might have happened or what would have happened. Jesus died on the cross, and because of that, He has given us the gift of salvation.