Jesus Christ - Death by Crucifixion

Living within the 21st century of Western culture, the image of the cross is subconsciously linked with Jesus Christ crucified; Christianity.  However, we often don't consider that the cross as a Christian symbol or "seal" didn't come into use until the second century, close to a hundred years after Jesus was crucified.  During the first two centuries of Christianity, the cross may have been rare in Christian iconography, as it depicts a purposely painful and gruesome method of public execution. The Ichthys was used by early Christians. The first appearance of a cross in Christian art is on a Vatican sarcophagus from the mid 5th century.  Interestingly enough, the first crucifixion scenes didn't appear in Christian art until the 7th century.

 

Raising of the Cross by Rubens, Pieter Pauwel, 1610, Oil on panel

Today, we react to the image of the cross very differently than men and women did in the first or second centuries.  This painful and gruesome act of execution is something we have probably never witnessed in real life.  Perhaps watching The Passion of the Christ with Mel Gibson is our best visualization - which I personally remember watching with tears and nausea.  Concerning death by crucifixion, pastor Mark Driscoll writes:

The ancient Jewish historian Josephus called crucifixion 'the most wretched of deaths.'  The ancient Roman philosopher Cicero asked that decent Roman citizens not even speak of the cross because it was too disgraceful a subject for the ears of decent people... the Romans... reserved it as the most painful mode of execution for the most despised people, such as slaves, poor people, and Roman citizens guilty of the worst high treason... The pain of crucifixion is so horrendous that a word was invented to explain it - excruciating - which literally means 'from the cross.'  The pain of crucifixion is due in part to the fact that it is a prolonged and agonizing death by asphyxiation.  Crucified people could hang on the cross for days, passing in and out of consciousness as their lungs struggled to breathe, while laboring under the weight of their body.  It was not uncommon for those being crucified to slump on the cross in an effort to empty their lungs of air and thereby hasten their death.*

This historical truth concerning crucifixion should leave us amazed by God's great demonstration of love and mercy on the cross.   Paul writes boldly in Romans 5, "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly... God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (6, 8).  Jesus Christ endured and pain and agony of crucifixion for our sake.  In God's perfect timing and plan He sent Jesus to live the perfect life, and die the perfect death - perfect because it fully satisfied God's wrath against man's sin.  Paul continues, "Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God" (9).  This is the truth that Christians must live by, "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (10-11).  The cross first brings sobriety at the recognition of our sin and God's wrath, than sorrow at the pain Jesus endured, but finally joy that reconciliation with God has been accomplished.  For each of these reasons - we can never think upon the cross too often.  The cross in the foundation of our justification, sanctification, and glorification.  Every day we must seek to humbly sit beneath Jesus' feet, nailed the cross, thanking God for His mercy and grace.

We can never think upon the cross too often.

* Quoted from Driscoll, Mark. Death by Love. pp 18-19.