In our reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul says that the Cross of Christ is foolishness to the world. One comedian has an ongoing TV segment and movie called religulous—a word he made up combining the words religious and ridiculous. The Apostle Paul would not be surprised. And, in fact, he experienced the same skepticism and mockery in his day. What makes this Scripture even more interesting is that Paul attributes certain negative reactions to Christianity to specific ethnic backgrounds of people.
He says that people of Jewish ancestry were looking for signs—they wanted the sensational, extraordinary, or the miraculous to authenticate a proposed truth. Those of Greek ancestry were looking for wisdom—well thought-out arguments, rational explanations, and insightful propositions.
Paul is speaking from his experience. He is making a broad generalization. Today, we might say that Christianity will encounter certain predictable obstacles in specific cultures. Or to say it another way, we all grow up with certain values or presumptions about life and truth that can impede our understanding of the Cross. No one is immune from having these obstacles to better understand and believe in God’s gift to us in the Cross of Christ. We all have expectations that we want to be met as we struggle to understand the meaning of the eternal Son of God taking on our humanity only to be crucified on a Roman Cross. We might be like those of Jewish origin in the first century—always looking for the supernatural and sensational. Or we might be like those of Greek origin—always looking for the intellectually satisfying. Or today we may want our religion to be more socially acceptable, culturally relevant. We may want Christianity to fit nicely into our other worldviews.
With our Marxism, we may see salvation only through the lens of the plight of the poor—liberation theology. With our capitalism, we may see greed as naming and claiming the accumulation of wealth God wants us to have—prosperity theology. We may understand the Cross of Christ through the lens of our sectarian church traditions. We may want to completely eliminate the concept of sin from our understanding of the Cross because we don’t want to sound like conservative, religious fundamentalists. Or we may want to ignore the non-violent themes in Scripture concerning the death of Christ because we don’t want to sound like liberal, mainstream protestants. Jews look for signs. Greeks look for wisdom. But the Cross is foolishness to both because it does not fit tidily—nor will it in any human tradition or philosophy.
I believe that Paul is challenging us all to lay aside our preconceived notions of truth—even those we grew up with—even our Lutheranism. This Scripture challenges us to open our minds and hearts to the power of the Cross that transcends human understanding and defies any humanly-devised system of thought. Our Psalm from today says it well: “The Lord has done marvelous things.” God has done things that the mind can scarcely take in. The Cross of Calvary is unexpected. It is so profound and glorious that our inability to fully grasp it leads us to worship, praise, and awe. The Israelites could have told God and Moses that to look toward a bronze serpent lifted up on a pole for healing is a ridiculous idea. Ironically, the image of a serpent wrapped around a rod is an international symbol of modern medicine. Jesus points to that ancient bronze serpent lifted high for God’s people. He says that points to the time he will be lifted up—lifted high on a Roman Cross. So Jesus surrenders his life for the healing of the nations.
There are so many truths about the Cross that we hold in tension as believers. Jesus died on the Cross but he also triumphed over death. He is both Victim and Victor. He sheds his blood for our sins but also purchases a place for us in heaven by that same blood. What appears to be the defeat and mockery of Jesus of Nazareth is victory over sin, death, and evil. Our Scripture from Paul and Jesus calls us to reconsider the meaning of the Cross. We should not thoughtlessly wear crosses around our necks, hang them on our walls, or make the sign of the cross over our hearts. We look to the Cross for healing, understanding, strength for living, and peace in our minds and hearts.
In the days following the September 11th attacks in New York City’s “Ground Zero,” rescue worker Frank Silecchia discovered a 20ft cross in the rubble of the fallen Trade Towers. This intact cross-beam of steel had the exact proportions of a traditional Christian cross—this just in time for Holy Cross Day, September 14th. Christian workers and worshipers gathered around this cross to pray and to celebrate Holy Communion. The Cross reminds us that we have a Savior who knows our suffering and pain of loss in death. The Cross reminds us that we have new life, forgiveness, and a secure eternal future in Paradise with our Lord and King. At the dedication of the World Trade Center Cross, Franciscan priest Father Brian Jordan said the cross is a symbol of hope, a symbol of faith, a symbol of healing. And so it is for al the world—no matter our ethnic, cultural, or linguistic background. It points to a historical event of Jesus. He is both human and divine—both Victim and Victor “who has won the day”—the One who dies and the One whom death could not hold.
Faithful cross, true sign of triumph,
Be for all the noblest tree;
None in foliage, none in blossom,
None in fruit thine equal be;
Symbol of the world’s redemption,
For the weight that hung on thee!
(“Sing My Tongue, the Glorious Battle,” LSB 454 v. 4)
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