" . . . he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:8
The cross was a symbol of shame, humiliation, and disgrace. It was reserved only for the worst criminals, who were guilty of the most dastardly crimes. It was a pagan instrument of torture and execution. The cross itself was a crude, unfinished piece of rough timber, hastily nailed together from almost any branch or piece of wood. It was a rugged cross, and symbolized entire disgrace and deepest humiliation. Few people think of the cross in that way; instead, they conceive it to be a beautiful stick pin, or as something to be worn on the lapel of one's coat.
Man has tried to remove the shame and horror of the cross by beautifying it, covering it with gold, plating it with silver, or setting it with precious stones. It is even covered with luminous substances, so that it glows in the dark. All these attempts to beautify the cross are totally foreign to Scripture. It was not a beautiful, gold-plated, luminous thing of beauty, but only a rough, unembellished piece of wood. It was indeed the "old rugged cross." But man seeks to avoid the "offence" of that kind of a cross and so he adorns it and makes it an inoffensive ornament. Even more unscriptural is the crucifix - a cross with a dead Christ upon it. We glory not in the crucifix with a dead Saviour upon it, but in the "empty cross" of One who is risen again from the tomb. Jesus told us to "bear His cross," but foolish man has changed it to "wear the cross." Just wearing a cross means nothing until we understand the real meaning of the crude, unadorned, unfinished, rugged cross on which Jesus died. We are never told to wear the cross - but to bear it. Then, and then only, will we know the meaning of "His" cross. The cross is the place of death. To bear His cross means to die to self and to live for Him.
"Bread For Each Day"
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