The Surprising Cross!

In short, Pilate, to the Jews was a despisable ruler and yet somehow a necessary pawn to deal with Jesus.

Pilate it seems was a most surprising vessel to be used in the Easter story.

Another surprising matter is the cross itself.

Undoubtedly, one of the cruelest and most humiliating forms of punishment in the ancient world was, according to ancient sources, crucifixion. The Jewish historian Josephus best described it following the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 66-70 as "the most wretched of deaths."

This form of state terror was widespread across the Roman Empire which included Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. It originated several centuries before Christ and continued into the fourth century AD when the practice was discontinued by Constantine, the emperor of Rome. While its origins are obscured in antiquity, it is clear that this form of capital punishment lasted for around 800 years and tens if not hundreds of thousands of individuals were subject to this cruel and humiliating death.

Crucifixion amongst the Jews was rare and except for a few instances, the subject was stoned to death first and then hung on a tree in accordance with the Biblical passage in Deuteronomy 21:22-23: "When someone is convicted of a crime punishable by death and executed, and you hang him on a tree, his corpse must not remain all night upon the tree; you shall bury him that same day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse

Jesus Himself – also is surprising – he is always surprising in his life but his manner of death is also surprising.

Jesus lived the best life that had ever been lived.

He is the only person, ever in world history who has lived a truly Holy life, without the need for God’s forgiveness.

He was incredibly kind to the sick and suffering in Israel.

He had entered Jerusalem as a popular hero being hailed by the general population as the King of the Jews just days before his trial.

He had helped a Roman centurian by healing his servant.

He was a great religious teacher in the countryside, in the synagogues and also in the temple.

He had gathered a group of men around himself who did nothing but good.

It is not only surprising that Jesus died on a cross but when you consider his life you would think it as entirely objectional that such a good man should be treated in this way.

We have to agre that it is at least surprising that someone as good as Jesus should die on the cross.

So far we have found a number of surprising features involved in the death of Jesus christ.

There is the hated Romans – the impure Jewish King Herod and the tyrant Pilate as well as the cross itself – over and against all of that is Jesus himself the only truly good person who has ever lived!

If all of this is surprising what is the missing factor that should reduce our surprise?

The answer is of course found deeply imbeded in the bible itself.

Some 800 years before this death we can read God predicting through his Prophet Isaiah with breathtaking accuracy about the death of Jesus.