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Was Jesus Christ Crucified?

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Was Jesus Christ Crucified? ARTICLE of the MONTH December, 2014 WAS JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED? The very title of this month's article might strike the reader as one startling question for a Bible-founded Christian fellowship to pose; after all, did not the Apostle Paul plainly write to the congregation at Corinth that, ªI determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucifiedºÐI Corinthians 2. 2? Still, in the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, published continuously by the Jehovah's Witnesses since 1950 (currently in 2013 revision), the above-quoted verse reads, ªFor I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him executed on the stake.º Similarly, that same translation renders Matthew 10. 38, ªAnd whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me.º Indeed, nowhere in the New World Translation will we find the physical instrument of our Lord's death referred to as a ªcrossº, nor the action itself as a ªcrucifixionºÐthe terms recognised throughout the Christian world. Neither do the Jehovah's Witnesses stand alone in their objection; they, simply, are the largest and most prominent Christian group to make this case. In point of fact, conscientious protest against use of the cross, as a symbol for Jesus's sacrificial death, long pre-dates the 1931 nominate founding of the Jehovah's Witnesses religion: in 1896, e.g., an entire book, The Non-Christian Cross, was published in London; and neither was that the first expressed objection to Christendom's cross. Howbeit, owing to pertinacious door-to-door preaching on the part of the Jehovah's Witnesses, along with many years of Herbert W. Armstrong's ªThe World Tomorrowº broadcasts, as well as sharp circulars from certain others, this issue over the cross has come conspicuously before Christians as a challenge in recent decades; the matter fairly demands an honest examination, therefor. 1 One brief article such as this cannot hope to cover our subject thoroughly: but we will outline the salient points informing the controversy, showing whence cometh the applicative scruple; then offer evidence germane to its tenability. It will not do, for us as Christians, merely to dismiss the argument and rely upon time- honoured traditional customÐas, traditions have been known to fall into critical error. Indeed, Jesus warned the Pharisees, ªYe leave the commandment of God, and hold fast the tradition of men¼Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition¼making void the word of God by your traditionºÐMark 7. 8, 9, 13a, A.R.V. (see, Matthew 15. 1±20; Mark 7. 1±23). Accordingly, Colossians 2. 8 likens the tradition of men to vain deceit (see also, I Timothy 6. 20±21; Acts 20. 29±30). Moreover, Isaiah 29. 13 further shows us that it is the man-made false doctrine which has caused many to become needlessly afraid of God. (cf., II Timothy 1. 7; I John 4. 16, 18; Proverbs 3. 24±26; Joshua 1. 5c, 6a, 9; I Peter 5. 7; Hebrews 13. 5b±6; Psalm 118. 6; see, Jeremiah 29. 11; Isaiah 54. 14, 17). Clearly, misinformation and disinformation have constituted a direct threat to Christian integrity, tracing back into the earliest times of the Apostles almost 2,000 years ago (I Timothy 5. 15; II Timothy 2. 18; I John 4. 1, 3; II Thessalonians 2. 7a; e.g., II Corinthians 11. 13±15; II Timothy 3. 14±17; II Peter 1. 19±21; cf., II Corinthians 11. 2±4; Galatians 1. 6±12; I Timothy 1. 3; I Timothy 6. 3±5). Many regular church-going Christian friends might be surprised to learn just how prominent a role that exhortations to Truth maintained within the context of correct doctrine, comparing teaching with the Scriptures for specific verification, and reasoning through a matter, all carry in vital importance throughout the Bible (Isaiah 8. 20; Acts 17. 11; I Thessalonians 5. 21; II Timothy 2. 15; I Corinthians 2. 5; Isaiah 1. 18a [cf., Acts 17. 2; Acts 18. 4, 19; Acts 19. 8; see also, Acts 24. 24, 25; Acts 26. 24±29; Acts 28. 23]; John 4. 23, 24; John 7. 16, 17; Ephesians 4. 11±15; I Timothy 4. 1, 6, 13, 15±16; II John 7±11; Romans 16. 17, 18; Titus 2. 1, 7±8; Titus 1. 9; Hebrews 13. 8, 9; I Peter 3. 15; II Timothy 2. 2; II Timothy 4. 2±4; II Timothy 1. 13, 14; John 8. 31±32, 36; Proverbs 23. 23; II John 4; III John 3, 4). 2 It also becomes essential, when regarding differences in appreciation of a point in question, that we consider such issues without prejudice (Proverbs 18. 13); for when we personally invest into a point-of-view, then that resulting bias can blind us from recognising a more truthful understanding. Instead, our aim needs to become anchored in prayerful seeking first of wisdom from God, so as to discern His will respecting the contention under our review (Proverbs 4. 7; James 1. 5; James 3. 17; Colossians 1. 9±10; Romans 12. 2; Ephesians 5. 9±10, 17); caution additionally warns us, in so doing, not to dismiss portions of, nor venture beyond, what JEHOVAH has given us in His Word (I Corinthians 4. 6; Proverbs 30. 5, 6; e.g., Deuteronomy 4. 2; Deuteronomy 12. 29±32; Revelation 22. 18±19). Ð The Case Against Christian Use of the Cross Ð One charge against the cross is, that it is an idol, that the cross in itself becomes an object of worship amongst Christians who hold it as a symbol both for our Lord's death as well as their identity and affiliation with a particular Christian denomination. In this usage, however, we would caution alike our Roman Catholic, our ªOxford Movementº Anglican/ªHigh Churchº Episcopalian, and our other more formalised Christian friends, who obediently may bow or genuflect whenever a cross-image passes before them, that such expression of deferential devotion and humbling is itself a form of worship (please read carefully, Exodus 20. 4±5a [reiterated at, Deuteronomy 5. 8, 9a]; Leviticus 26. 1; Deuteronomy 4. 15±19; see also, Exodus 34. 17; Exodus 20. 23; Leviticus 19. 4; cf., Acts 15. 19±20; I John 5. 21). To venerate, is to worship; wherefore, if we venerate the image of the cross, in representation of our worship as Christians, this thought alone is in serious error!ÐInadvertently or not, such devotion constitutes an idolatry. (I Corinthians 10. 14) 3 One apologist has referred to that beloved Hymn, ªThe Old Rugged Crossº, as an assertion of cross-worshipÐbut is it? As we read the words of this Hymn, what we do find instead, is an appreciation of the cross; for the recognition expressed, specifically directs our attention to our Lord's death and all of what that accomplished, the relation of the cross to the sacred import of that event, and nothing to the cross as an object or image of its own merit. Thus the cross attains its beauty, according to the Hymn, because of our Lord's blood shed upon it (Romans 5. 6±8; I Corinthians 15. 3, 4, 20±22), not as a venerated object of polished and varnished brass (resembling precious goldÐcf., Exodus 32. 2±4) carried in a church processional. Moreover, the chorus of this Hymn speaks of clinging to the cross [to the death of Jesus Christ and the hope to which it alone has given blessed assuranceÐsee, Acts 4. 10±12; Acts 10. 43; John 14. 6; Romans 6. 3±11; John 6. 51; I Timothy 2. 5±6; Hebrews 2. 9; Titus 2. 11; Acts 24. 15]; but then the words go on to state that the believer singing this Hymn will ªexchange it [the cross of sacrificial death which each true Christian bearsÐMatthew 16. 24; Luke 14. 27] one day for a crown [of eternal lifeÐJames 1. 12; II Timothy 4. 8; I Peter 5. 4; Revelation 2. 10; II Timothy 2. 11±12a; Romans 8. 14± 25]º. This Hymn, therefore, does not, when understood for its message, engender worship of the cross; the very argument that it does, therefore, is a specious one. It becomes entirely possible, then, to deeply appreciate the most precious meaning one associates with a thing, without such affirmation of love and respect for its significance being taken merely as some form of contrived dissemblance supposedly concealing an improper worship of it. None-the-less, the issue raised here, over any propriety of the cross as a Christian emblem, involves certain Biblical principlesÐ among them: ªCease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledgeºÐProverbs 19. 27; ªAnd what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord [JEHOVAHÐIsaiah 52. 11], and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive youºÐII Corinthians 6. 16, 17; ªKnow ye not that a little leaven [of malice and wickedness, Verse 8] leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump [of sincerity and truth, Verse 8], as ye are unleavenedºÐI Corinthians 5. 6b, 7a (see also, Galatians 5. 7±9, where ªleavenº serves as a metaphor for deviation from the Truth: cf., Matthew 16.
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