Put Jesus Back on the Cross
April 7, 2015
Odds are you did not pass over that title in apathetic disregard. Let鈥檚 face it; the statement reeks of blasphemy. But before you accuse me of being a 鈥渉airy tick,鈥 or haul me before a tribunal for doctrinal purity, give ear to the following story.
Early on in my teaching ministry, when I was doing some research for a course in hermeneutics I became intrigued that John鈥檚 Gospel uses the verb 鈥渓ift up鈥 as a euphemism for crucifixion. I do not remember what led me to connect the dots with the popular worship chorus 鈥淟ift Jesus Higher,鈥 but I do remember that when I did so, I was filled with consternation.
The catchy chorus is based on Jesus鈥 own testimony: 鈥淎nd I, when I am lifted up, I will draw all men unto me鈥 (John 12:32). For years I was fine with that chorus, partly because I understood the verb 鈥渓ift up鈥 entirely as exaltation and partly because I was more familiar with the chorus than with the context of the verse upon which it is based.
You see, immediately after quoting Jesus鈥 testimony about Himself, John privileges his audience with an interpretive 鈥渁side鈥: 鈥淗e said this to show by what kind of death He was going to die鈥 (John 12:33).
I remember thinking (Pharisaically!), 鈥淭here go those church musicians again鈥攍ots of talent and passion for music, but sloppy exegesis. By using this verse to support the call to praise Jesus, they are reading the understanding of 鈥渓ifted up鈥 as exaltation into a word that Jesus meant as crucifixion. To use this verse in a hermeneutically valid way we would have to sing
Put Jesus back on the cross!
Put Jesus back on the cross!
Put Jesus back on the cross for the world to see!
He said 鈥淚f I be lifted up from the earth,
I will draw all men (He meant women too!!) unto me.鈥
Now how ridiculous is that鈥攐r so I thought!
The Greek word translated as 鈥渓ift up鈥 occurs twenty times in the New Testament, five of them in John鈥檚 Gospel. Every writer except John (in all fifteen cases) uses the word in the sense of exaltation. But in all three contexts in John鈥檚 Gospel the direct reference is to crucifixion (the word occurs twice in two of the contexts making a total of five), although the idea of Jesus鈥 exaltation (resurrection, ascension鈥攍iterally, raising up鈥) is not far in the background.
Bible commentators are correct in identifying here John鈥檚 use of double entendre. Put simply, John sees Jesus鈥 crucifixion as a core component of His exaltation. But how can this be? Crucifixion was the most degrading as well as excruciating means of execution.
To make sense of this we must think carefully about the meaning of exaltation. To exalt is to 鈥渞aise鈥 or 鈥減raise鈥 the value of someone or something.
The picture of Jesus on the cross is praiseworthy because it gives us the clearest window through which to view the love of God.
As Jesus Himself both said it and lived it: 鈥淣o one has greater love than this, namely, that someone lay down his life for his friends鈥 (John 15:13).
Pilate disgracefully 鈥渓ifted Jesus up鈥 from the earth; Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea lovingly took Jesus down from the cross; The Father triumphantly 鈥渓ifted Jesus up鈥 from the dead; But the church symbolically put Jesus back on the cross as an ever reminder of the extent of God鈥檚 love (see John 3:16). The world is drawn to Christ, little because His followers 鈥渓ift up鈥 His name, but mostly because sinners are overwhelmed by the full extent of God鈥檚 redeeming love. A Christ-less cross is aesthetically comfortable, but it loses something in the translation: the genuine appeal of the Gospel.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comment section below.
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