Did Jesus Really Die on a Cross?
18. May, 2010 
10 Comments
And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” – Mark 8:29, ESV
A few days ago, as I sent a few tweets out on Grace, I received a random reply from someone with whom I’ve never held a conversation. The tweet asked a question, Did Jesus really die on a Cross? It was followed by a link to an article, containing a confusing mix of idolatry and proposed exegesis from the standpoint of a Jehovah’s Witness.
The article professed that Jesus did not die on the standard cross that many Christians believe (the cross that looks like a lowercase ‘t’), but rather a single post with no crossing beam. It then went on to give ‘historical evidence’ that Crucifixion by post was the choice torture, and the lowercase t shaped cross did not appear until years later by false Believers.
I read the article. I’ve heard the opinion of the Jehovah’s Witness that sent the link. I have one question:
AND?
Truthfully, reading that article is 6 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. There is just as much historical evidence that says Jesus died on a ‘t’ cross that the Watchtower (the official website of Jehovah’s Witnesses) brings that said He died on a post. Whether He died on a post, a cross, or a literal old tree with branches isn’t my concern. Our ‘historic findings’ on the dimensions of the cross don’t matter.
What matters is that He died. Jesus died.
God died.
There are so many false witnesses, false doctrines, and flat out lies that satan is gleefully using to divide the Body. Why are the dimensions, color, and smell of the cross important? It’s not the cross that saves: it’s the God on the Cross.
As I read more on the Watchtower website, I found more lies. According to them and their interpretation, Christ was created. Christ is inferior to God the Father. The website then gave Bible verses that they strategically picked to ‘prove’ their ‘truth’. For some topics, if you read the Scriptures out of context, their point was actually believable. For others, the verses they selected had nothing to do with their topic.
Here’s the truth. The Bible is the infallible, inerrant, God inspired Word of God. Randomly chosen Scriptures are not infallible; every last verse in the 66 books of the Bible are breathed out by God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). With that being said, the Bible must be read in context, not conflict (shout out to The City Good Hope).
Jesus was not created. Yes, the Bible says that He’s the Firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15). Firstborn here does not mean ‘created first’, but instead it means preeminence or ‘superiority above all others.’ In Biblical days, being born first did not just mean you were the oldest; privileges and blessings came with the birthright (hence, the story of Jacob and Esau). David, who was the eighth child, became the one with the blessings of the firstborn (Psalm 89:20,27). Going back to the account of Jacob and Esau’s life, we see that the blessings of the firstborn are transferable, and as such, Believers become joint-heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). Our sin was transferred to Jesus as He died, and His righteousness was transferred to us as we believed. Jesus was not created. He was with God the Father in the beginning (John 1:1-3), just like the Holy Spirit (Genesis 1:2).
Christ is not inferior to the Father. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, our Triune God, are not caught up in an attention game. Matthew 3:16-17 shows God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit ‘working together’ if you will, all to glorify the Son. Jesus is not inferior to God. Jesus is God. Our Savior is one with our Father (John 10:30), and our Comforter has the same Power to guide us as our Savior (John 16:7-9). We (people) find this hard to grasp because we far too often seek personal gain and fail to give love to others. Thankfully, our Triune God is not like us.
Jesus was not just a prophet. Jesus is a Just God. He is the champion of death, hell, and the grave. He’s the water walking God. The devil stopping God. The soul cleansing God. The God that puts pimps out of business and hookers out of sin. He’s the God that healed my Grandfather of cancer. He’s the God that kept peace reigning in my Grandmother’s heart. He’s the God the removed Crohn’s disease from my body. He’s the God that made doctors scratch their heads when the lumps they found on my mother disappeared. He’s the God that woke you up this morning. He’s the God that’s keeping you in the midst of your mess. He’s the sovereign God.
There’s good news and bad news with this fact.
The bad news: it doesn’t matter how much you discombobulate and remix Scriptures, He’s still secure in Who He is. He’s not changing. He’s still got this. Solar systems fit under His fingernails and the world rests in the palm of His Hand.
The Good News: Jesus died for the same sins you’re committing. He died for the ones you committed before you got out of bed and the ones you’ll commit before you get back in bed. There is still saving Grace readily available for you. Repent. Accept Christ as Lord and Savior. If you’re still breathing, He’s still listening.
Who do you say that He is? A phony? A prophet? A preacher? I’ve learned an unchangeable truth: you can call me John Doe all you want; that doesn’t change the fact that I’m Nat Karsten. You can call Jesus whatever you want, but guess what?
He’s still God.
Thank you! I'm so sick of people twisting scripture to get it to mean what the want or to beat other people up with. It's so disheartening.
I agree, Kim. It's sad that the Power that is God's Word is misused. Take heart, however. God can use you to show others the truth!
i'm in work with tears in my eyes!
i wanna SHOUT real big right now!!!
THANK HIM!!!!
and jehovah's witnesses also have made their own translation of the bible to fit their heretic views (straight crazy lol) … they still forgot to change genesis 1:26 though … lol … me and @pngwolo had a run in with some a while back.
i learned a lot.
my prayer is that they too will be saved!
awesome post!
My recent post kicking rocks and talking to demons.
Thanks for reading, Eric. I pray, too, that they will be saved. The Gospel is Power enough; there is no need to destroy it to find strength within it.
Amen, to that brother.. though this has been going on for sometime now, (the Bible being taking out of context) It really seems to be more often. Then again these are those days. So many will be mislead. It could be avoided if they just spend some time in His word. Thank you again for allowing God to use you (hands clapping)!
I praise God that the post blessed you, Margie! Unfortunately, you are correct. People have been raping Scriptures for quite some time now, and they are showing no signs of stopping. It is up to true Believers to preach and teach the true, unadulterated Gospel of Jesus the Christ.
Thanks for reading, Margie! Unfortunately, you're right. Scripture raping has been going on for some time now, and there seems to be no signs in them stopping. Thankfully, God uses us to preach His truth!
beasty!
Man I love your ministry & knowledge of the single force that can change the world, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
His manhood is disputed, His Godhood is disputed, but at the end of the day Jesus is the God-man who you will marvel at or get crushed by.
As I once read by CS Lewis he said something in the nature of, "you can walk up to the Lion and pet it, but it is still a Lion"
My recent post kicking rocks and talking to demons.
That's a beasty quote from CS Lewis!